Why is there no sound on my computer?
A short check from the obvious to the driver level, in the order that resolves the most cases fastest.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 15 min
- Read
- 2 min
Short answer
Check the output device first — the computer is usually sending sound somewhere else, like a disconnected monitor or a Bluetooth speaker. That accounts for most cases before anything technical is involved.
Computers have several possible sound outputs and switch between them automatically. Most 'no sound' problems are the output going to a device you are not listening to, rather than anything being broken.
What you'll need
- Your computer
- Headphones to test with (optional)
Step by step
- Check the output device in sound settings.Windows: click the volume icon and check which device is selected. Mac: System Settings, Sound, Output. It is frequently set to a monitor or an idle Bluetooth device.
- Check the volume in three places.System volume, application volume, and any physical volume control or mute key. Applications have their own mixer levels that can be muted independently.
- Unplug and replug headphones.A partially inserted jack tells the computer headphones are connected while carrying no sound. This is more common than it sounds.
- Check Bluetooth.A paired speaker or headphones that reconnected silently will capture all audio. Turn Bluetooth off to test.
- Test with a different application.If one app has no sound but others do, the problem is that app's settings rather than the computer.
- Restart the computer.It resets the audio service, which gets stuck surprisingly often. Worth doing before anything more involved.
- Run the built-in audio troubleshooter on Windows.Settings, System, Troubleshoot. It resolves a reasonable share of driver-level problems automatically.
- Update or reinstall the audio driver as a last step.Device Manager on Windows. Get drivers from the manufacturer's site, never from a search result advert.
Tips
- Sound stopping right after an update is a strong signal. Rolling the audio driver back to the previous version usually fixes it.
- HDMI carries audio. Connecting to a TV or monitor switches the output there automatically, and it stays there after you disconnect.
- If sound works in headphones but not speakers, the fault is the speakers or their connection, not the computer.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the speakers have failed — The output device being set elsewhere accounts for most cases and takes ten seconds to check.
- Only checking the system volume — Applications have independent volume levels in the mixer, and one can be muted while everything else works.
- Downloading drivers from a search result — Driver searches are heavily targeted by fake download sites. Only use the hardware manufacturer's own domain.
Questions people ask
Why is there no sound from my laptop speakers?
Most often the output is set to another device — a monitor over HDMI, or a Bluetooth speaker that reconnected. Check the output selection before assuming a fault.
Why does sound work in headphones but not speakers?
Either the output is still set to headphones, the jack is partially inserted and telling the computer they are connected, or the speakers themselves have failed.