Headphones Not Working in Windows 10? Here Are Some Fixes

Setting up sound devices on Windows can be a messy business. Drivers can clash with each other, Windows might misread one kind of sound output as another, and you may have to dive in to your sound settings to figure out exactly what’s going on. When your headphones are not working in Windows 10, it’s time for some troubleshooting.

Of course, all going well, you should be able to plug a sound device in and have it just work, but if that doesn’t happen, this guide is here to swoop in and save you.

First, Isolate the Problem

Before moving on to all the software-based fixes we’ve listed below, it’s important to check that the issue isn’t hardware-related. If it is, then the below fixes probably won’t help you.

The two notable bits of hardware that could be faulty when your headphones aren’t working are the headphones themselves and the port you plug them into. First, plug the headphones into a different device to see if they work there. It’s probably a good sign you need new headphones if they still don’t work.

If they do work on a different device, then try plugging the headphones into a different audio port on the PC on which they don’t work. If they suddenly start working, then it suggests that the problem is with the original port. You can just stick with using your headphones from the new port or read on for our list of fixes.

Make Sure Headphones Are Set as Enabled and Set as Default Device

The other crucial place where you may need to check when your headphones are not working in Windows 10 is the Sound window. The best way to get here is to right-click the speaker icon in the notification area in the corner of Windows, then click “Open Sound Settings.”

In the Sound Settings window, click “Manage sound devices” and see whether your “headset” or “headphones” are under the “Disabled” list. If they are, click them and click “Enable.”

To set your headphones as your default audio device, switching them to automatically connect as soon as they’re plugged in, go back to the Sound Settings menu.

Here, click the “Choose your output device” drop-down and select your headphones from the list.

In the future, you’ll also be able to change your default sound device by simply clicking the speaker icon in the taskbar notification area and selecting your preferred audio device from there.

Update, Reinstall or Replace Sound Drivers

If you plug your headphones in to your Windows 10 PC and get that reassuring “Ding” sound, the good news is that they’re being detected at a hardware level. If your headphones are not working in Windows 10 even with the ding, the bad news is that something’s going wrong at the software end in delivering the sound from PC to headphones.

To fix this, go to “Device Manager -> Sound, video and game controllers,” then select your audio driver. (In our case, it’s “Realtek High Definition Audio.”)

Start by right-clicking the driver, selecting “Update driver,” then “Search automatically for updated driver software.”

That failing, right-click the driver, then “Disable device,” before re-enabling it. Finally, you can also try rolling back the driver by selecting “Properties” from the driver’s right-click menu, then clicking the “Driver” tab and “Roll Back Driver.”

Some users have also reported the following as a fix. On the “Update driver” window, click “Browse my computer for driver software,” then “Let me pick from a list” and select “High Definition Audio Device.” You may get a warning message that the driver may be incompatible. Ignore the message, then go ahead and install the driver.

If this doesn’t work, you can also check the headphone manufacturer’s website for the latest driver.

Change the “Default Format” of Your Headphones

Go back to the Sound window and click the Playback tab. Right-click your headphones (they may appear as “Speakers” if plugged in or as a “2nd Audio output” or similar), then click “Properties” and the Advanced tab.

Try playing around with the “Default Format” of the headphones, clicking “Test” each time you change it to see if you start hearing audio.

Choose HD Audio Over AC97

AC97 and HD Audio are two audio standards that generally connect to the front 3.5mm jack port on plenty of desktop computers. Whether your PC uses one or the other will ultimately depend on which header connects your motherboard to your front sound ports.

Assuming everything is correctly hooked up on the inside (e.g. using the more recent HD Audio header, which detects devices automatically), you should go into your audio driver tool and ensure that your “Connector Settings” are correct.

Our audio driver tool is Realtek HD Audio Manager (found in the Control Panel). Open it, click the Settings cog in the top-right corner, and ensure under “Connector Settings” that “HD Audio Front Panel” is selected.

While you’re here, you can also use headphones as a second audio device instead of replacing your speakers by ticking the box we highlighted in red below.

Ensure Bluetooth is Working Correctly

Another issue with your headphones not working in Windows 10 could be related to Bluetooth. Obviously, this only applies to Bluetooth headphones. There are two main things to look for.

First, ensure your headphones are compatible with Windows 10. If your PC only supports Bluetooth 4.0 but your headphones are 5.0, they may not work correctly.

Right-click Start and choose “Device Manager.” Expand “Bluetooth” to see your current Bluetooth version.

The second issue may be that Bluetooth is turned off in Windows 10. Click Start and type “Bluetooth.” Select “Bluetooth and other device settings.” Toggle Bluetooth to “On.”

It’s also possible that your built-in Bluetooth adapter has failed. Try connecting other Bluetooth devices to see if it’s just your headphones. If nothing works, you may need to buy a USB Bluetooth adapter or dongle.

That wraps it up. Looking for more pointers with Windows 10? How about our guide on how to benchmark the graphics on your Windows 10 PC or our analysis of whether Windows’s default security software, Windows Defender, is enough to protect your online security.

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Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.

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Headphones not working / detected in Windows 10 [Easy Fix]

• Sometimes, Windows 10 won’t recognize the headphones so check if they are connected properly.
• Headphones might not be detected in Windows 10 because of a problematic driver.
• A simple solution is to update the audio driver by using a dedicated software.
• Disabling the front panel jack detection can also solve this problem so try this fix.

Have you ever connected your headphones ready to tune to your favorite jam, or privately watch a movie, then you got the message Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones?

It can be frustrating and annoying. However, there are various solutions to resolving the issue and get you back on track.

How do I fix headphones if not recognized in Windows 10 ?

1. Update audio/sound driver

1. Type control in Windows search and click on Control Panel from the results.
2. Click on Sound.
3. Go to the Playback tab.
4. Select your headphones and click on Properties.
5. Go to Controller Information then click on Properties button
6. Click Change Settings (this may require administrator permission).
7. Go to Driver tab.
8. Select Update Driver.
9. Let the update download automatically.
10. Once this is complete, plug in your headphones to check whether they’ll work.

1.2. Update audio/sound driver using a utility tool

Downloading drivers manually is a process that carries the risk of getting the wrong driver installed, which may lead to serious malfunctions.

The safer and easier way to update drivers on a Windows computer is by using an automatic tool such as the one recommended below.

This tool can get the job done in just a few seconds and clicks because it will repair and update your drivers automatically.

DriverFix

2. Disable front panel jack detection

1. Press the Windows key + R to start the Run application.
2. Type Control Panel then press enter to open it
3. Select Sound.
4. Find Realtek HD Audio Manager then click on it
5. Go to Connector settings.
6. Click Disable front panel jack detection to check the box.

This is one of the simplest ways to resolve the Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones issue.

If you have the Realtek software installed on your computer or laptop, follow the steps above to disable the headphone’s jack detection.

Try on your headphones again to see whether this solution works for you.

If disabling the front panel jack detection doesn’t fix the Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones issue, try the next solution.

3. Change default sound format

1. Open Control Panel and click on Sound.
2. Under Playback, double click on Default Playback device
3. Switch to Advanced tab.
4. Change the default sound format from the drop-down menu.

Another reason why your headphones may not be recognized by Windows 10 is the sound format. If this is not set correctly, then you may have the same problem over and over.

Try plugging in your headphones again to check if this solution fixes the Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones issue.

4. Set the headphone as a default playback device to fix

1. Open Control Panel and click on Sound.
2. Under Playback, right-click and select Show Disabled devices.
3. From the list of headphones, right-click on your headphone device name.
4. Select Enable.
5. Click Set as Default.
6. Click Apply and OK.

If changing the default sound format doesn’t work for you, try setting your headphone as the default playback device using the steps above.

Once you follow all these steps, plug in your headphones again and check if they’re working.

We hope that these solutions helped you to fix the Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones error.

If you’ve come across other solutions to fix this problem, you can list the troubleshooting steps in the comments below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my headphones not working when I plug them in?

If the headphone jack not working in Windows 10, try to change the default sound format. Read our full guide.

Why won’t my headphones work on my laptop Windows 10?

Perhaps, your computer doesn’t recognize the headphones. Make sure that the headphones are set as enabled and set as Default Device.