Fix sound problems in Windows 10

If you’re having audio problems, the following suggestions might help. The tips are listed in order, so start with the first one, see if that helps, and then continue to the next one if it doesn’t.

If multiple audio output devices are available, check that you have the appropriate one selected. Here’s how:

Select the Speakers icon on the taskbar.

Next, select the arrow to open a list of audio devices connected to your computer.

Check that your audio is playing to the audio device you prefer, such as a speaker or headphones.

If this doesn’t help, continue to the next tip.

The audio troubleshooter might be able to fix audio problems automatically.

To run the troubleshooter

In the search box on the taskbar, type audio troubleshooter, select Fix and find problems with playing sound from the results, then select Next.

Select the device you want to troubleshoot and then continue through the troubleshooter.

You can also launch the troubleshooter from audio Settings. Select Start > Settings > System > Sound > Troubleshoot.

If running the troubleshooter doesn’t help, continue to the next tip.

To check for updates

Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.

Do one of the following:

If the status says «You’re up to date, go to the next tip.

If the status says «Updates are available,» select Install now.

Select the updates you want to install, then select Install.

Restart your PC and see if your sound is working properly.

If that didn’t solve your problem, continue to the next tip.

Try these steps

Check your speaker and headphone connections for loose cords or cables. Make sure all cords and cables are plugged in.

If you have multiple 5mm jacks to plug into, especially on a surround sound system, make sure all cords and cables are plugged into the correct jack.

If it’s not clear which jack goes with which cord, consult your hardware manufacturer, or try the most obvious outputs one at a time and see if they work.

Note: Some systems use a green jack for output and pink for mic input and others will be labeled «headphone» or «microphone.»

Make sure the power is turned on and check the volume level.

Make sure the mute setting is not turned on, and try turning up all the volume controls.

Remember some speakers and apps have their own volume controls. Be sure to check them all.

Try connecting your speaker and headphones to a different USB port.

It’s possible that your speakers won’t work when your headphones are plugged in. Unplug your headphones and see if that helps.

If your cables and volume are OK, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

Check to make sure your audio devices aren’t muted and haven’t been disabled.

Right-click the Speakers icon on the taskbar, and then select Open Volume mixer.

You’ll see a set of volume controls for your devices. Make sure none of them are muted. If any of them are muted, you’ll see a red circle with a line through it next to the volume control. In that case, select the volume control to unmute.

Check your device properties to make sure that your devices have not been disabled by mistake. Select Start > Settings > System > Sound .

Select your audio device, and then select Device properties. Be sure to select Device properties for both the output and input devices.

Make sure the Disable check box is cleared for the output and input devices.

If that didn’t solve your problem, continue to the next tip.

Hardware problems can be caused by outdated or malfunctioning drivers. Make sure your audio driver is up to date and update it if needed. If that doesn’t work, try uninstalling the audio driver (it will reinstall automatically). If that doesn’t work, try using the generic audio driver that comes with Windows. If you’re having audio issues after installing updates, try rolling back your audio driver.

To update your audio driver automatically

In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager, then select it from the results.

Select the arrow next to Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.

Right-click the listing for your sound card or audio device, such as headphones or speakers, select Update driver, then select Search automatically for updated driver software. Follow the instructions to complete the update.

If Windows doesn’t find a new driver, look for one on the device manufacturer’s website and follow those instructions. If that doesn’t work, try uninstalling your audio driver.

To uninstall your audio driver

In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager, then select it from the results.

Select the arrow next to Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.

Right-click the listing for your sound card or audio device, select Uninstall device, select the Delete the driver software for this device check box, and then select Uninstall.

Restart your PC.

Note: Be sure to save documents and any other current work before you restart.

This restart will automatically prompt your PC to reinstall your audio driver.

To restart, select Start > Power > Restart .

If those options didn’t work, try using the generic audio driver that comes with Windows.

To use the generic audio driver that comes with Windows

In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager, then select it from the results.

Select the arrow next to Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.

Right-click the listing for your sound card or audio device, then select Update driver > Browse my computer for driver software > Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.

Select the audio device whose driver you want to update, select Next, and then follow the instructions to install it.

If these steps didn’t solve your audio issue, visit your device manufacturer’s website and install the most recent audio/sound drivers for your device. Following is an example of a driver download page for a sound device manufacturer.

If you have audio issues after installing updates

If your audio was working before you ran Windows Update and now isn’t working, try rolling back your audio driver.

To roll back your audio driver

In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager, then select it from the results.

Select the arrow next to Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.

Right-click the listing for your sound card or audio device, then select Properties.

Select the Driver tab, then select Roll Back Driver.

Read and follow the instructions and then select Yes if you want to roll back your audio driver.

If rolling back your audio driver didn’t work or wasn’t an option, you can try to restore your PC from a system restore point.

Restore your PC from a system restore point

When Microsoft installs updates on your system, we create a system restore point in case problems arise. Try restoring from that point and see if that fixes your sound problems. For more info, see «Restore from a system restore point» in Recovery options in Windows 10.

If you’re connecting to an audio device—such as headphones or speakers—using USB or HDMI, you might need to set that device as the default audio device. If you’re using an external monitor that doesn’t have built-in speakers, make sure that the monitor isn’t already selected as your default output device. if it is, you won’t have any audio. You can check that when you set your default output audio device. Here’s how:

In the search box on the taskbar, type control panel, then select it from the results.

Select Hardware and Sound from the Control Panel, and then select Sound.

On the Playback tab, right-click the listing for your audio device, select Set as Default Device, and then select OK.

If setting your audio device as the default device doesn’t help, continue to the next tip for additional troubleshooting.

Sometimes having audio enhancements on can result in audio issues. Disabling them may resolve your issue.

In the search box on the taskbar, type control panel, then select it from the results.

Select Hardware and Sound from the Control Panel, and then select Sound.

On the Playback tab, right-click the Default Device, and then select Properties.

On the Enhancements tab, select either the Disable all enhancements or the Disable all sound effects check box (depending on which option you see), select OK, and try to play your audio device.

If that doesn’t work, on the Playback tab, select another default device (if you have one), select either the Disable all enhancements or the Disable all sound effects check box (depending on which option you see), select OK, and try to play audio again. Do this for each default device.

If turning off audio enhancements doesn’t help, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

In the search box on the taskbar, type services, then select it from the results.

Select each of the following services, right-click, and then select Restart:

Windows Audio Endpoint Builder

Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

If restarting these services doesn’t resolve your issue, see the next sections for more troubleshooting.

In the search box on the taskbar, type control panel, and then select it from the results.

Select Hardware and Sound from the Control Panel, and then select Sound.

On the Playback tab, right-click (or press and hold) Default Device, and then select Properties.

On the Advanced tab, under Default Format, change the setting, select OK,and then test your audio device. If that doesn’t work, try changing the setting again.

If trying different audio formats doesn’t help, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

Many updates require you to restart your device.

To check and see if you have installed updates pending and need to restart

Save your work and close all open applications.

Select Start > Power . If you have installed updates pending, you’ll see options to Update and restart and Update and shut down.

Select one of those restart options to apply the updates

If restarting doesn’t help, see the next section for additional troubleshooting.

Some audio problems might be caused by an issue with the audio system’s IDT High Definition Audio CODEC. This can be fixed with a manual driver update which allows you to choose the sound driver you want to use.

Note: Not all systems will have an IDT High Definition Audio CODEC.

To check and see if you have one, and to manually update the driver

In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager, then select it from the results.

Select the arrow next to Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.

Look for IDT High Definition Audio CODEC. If it’s listed, right-click it and select Update driver, then select Browse my computer for driver software > Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.

You’ll see a list of pre-installed drivers. Select High Definition Audio Device, and then select Next.

1. Select Start > Settings > Privacy , and then select Microphone from the left menu.

Under Allow access to the microphone on this device, select Change. Make sure the toggle is turned On.

If you’re having this issue with a specific app, scroll down to Choose which Microsoft Store apps can access your microphone and make sure that the toggle next to that app is turned On as well.

Full Fix: Sound Problems in Windows 10 [Realtek]

• Common audio can prevent you from enjoying a lot of things in Windows 10.
• To fix them, we’ve created the comprehensive guide that you see below.
• If you want to learn more about common Audio issues, go to our Audio Fix Hub.
• Need more advice on how to solve common PC problems? Our Fix section is here for you.

1. Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

• Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

Sound issues are not new in Windows operating systems. Almost every new version of Windows brought sound problems to some of its users, and Windows 10 is not different.

So, because you can’t normally use your computer without a sound, here’s the solution which might help.

As I said, some users might experience some kind of flaw in their sound settings, which can prevent Windows from playing the sound.

Apparently, this flaw won’t be fixed even if your sound drivers are updated.

Additionally, the article will be covering this issue as well:

• Realtek speakers not working Windows 10

So to fix this issue, follow these instructions and try one of the following solutions:

There are many sound problems that you can encounter on Windows 10, and speaking of sound issues, here are some common problems that users reported:

• Windows 10 no sound Realtek – This issue can occur with Realtek audio drivers. To fix the problem, make sure that you install the latest drivers and check if that helps.
• Windows 10 no audio devices are installed – If you’re getting this error message on your PC, the problem might be your drivers. Simply reinstall your driver or try the generic driver and the issue will be resolved.
• Audio services not responding Windows 10 – If you have no sound, the issue might be related to Windows Audio service. To fix the problem, simply restart the service and check if that solves the issue.
• No sound Windows 10 red x, speakers – If you’re getting no sound from your speakers, the issue might be related to the volume mixer. Double-check if your speakers are properly connected. In addition, make sure that your speakers aren’t muted in the volume mixer.
• No sound coming from computer, laptop – This issue can affect both desktop and laptop PCs, but if you encounter this problem, you should be able to fix it using one of our solutions.

How do I fix sound issues on PC?

1. Install the latest drivers

According to users, sometimes sound problems can occur due to outdated drivers. In some cases, the generic driver can’t fix the problem, and your only option is to download and install the latest drivers.

To install the latest audio driver, you need to visit your motherboard’s or sound card’s manufacturer’s website and download the latest audio driver.

Before you can download the appropriate driver, you need to know the model of your motherboard or sound card, so be sure to check that.

If you can’t download the necessary audio driver, you should consider using a third-party solution.

There are tools, such as DriverFix, that can automatically download all the missing drivers for you. If you don’t want to manually search for the missing drivers, be sure to try this tool.

Not only will it update your old drivers, but it will also fix the broken ones, and find you the ones that are missing and you never even knew about.

More so, it is extremely easy-to-use since the scan and fix processes are partially automated, allowing for fast and hassle-free system upgrades.

DriverFix

2. Change the default sound format

1. Right-click the sound icon in your Taskbar and choose Open Sound settings from the menu.
   
2. In Sound section click Device properties.
   
3. Go to Advanced tab and change a Default sound format to one of the following options:
   • 24bit/44100 Hz
   • 24bit/192000Hz
     • Depending on your speaker configuration
       

Ever since the Technical Preview, wrong sound format caused audio errors in Windows 10. So, to get your sound back, just change the default sound format.

If the issue is still unresolved, you can try the following method and restart the sound drivers.

3. Re-install your sound drivers

1. Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu.
2. Now choose Device Manager from the list.
   
3. Locate your audio device, right-click it and choose Uninstall device from the menu.
   
4. Once the driver is uninstalled, click the Scan for hardware changes icon.
   

Run a System Scan to discover potential errors

Sometimes your current drivers might be buggy, and in some cases it might be better that you use the default driver instead. To do that, first you need to uninstall your current driver.

After doing that, Windows will install the default audio driver and the issue should be resolved.

4. Make sure that the proper output device is selected

1. Open Sound settings. We showed you how to do that in Solution 1, so be sure to check it for detailed instructions.
2. When Sound settings window opens, make sure to set Speakers or Headphones as the output device.
   

If you’re getting no sound on your Windows 10 PC, the problem might be because the wrong output device is selected. This isn’t a major problem, and you can fix the issue simply by changing a single setting.

After making these changes, your default output device will be changed and the issue should be permanently resolved.

5. Use a Generic High Definition Audio Device driver

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Locate your audio device, right-click it, and choose Update driver from the menu.
   
3. Choose Browse my computer for driver software.
   
4. Now select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
   
5. Select High Definition Audio Device driver from the list and click Next.
   

In some cases, you might be able to fix sound problems in Windows 10 simply by switching to the generic driver. Your current driver might not be fully compatible with Windows 10, and that can lead to various sound issues.

To fix the problem, you just need to install the generic driver. Once you install the default driver, check if the sound problem is resolved.

6. Check Windows Audio service

1. Press Windows Key + R and enter services.msc.
2. Now press Enter or click OK.
   
3. When Services window opens, locate Windows Audio and double-click it to open its properties.
   
4. Set the Startup type to Automatic and click the Start button to start the service.
5. Now click Apply and OK to save changes.
   
6. If the service is already running and it’s set to Automatic startup type, you just need to restart it to fix the problem.
7. To do that, locate Windows Audio service, right-click it and choose Restart from the menu.

In order for your audio to work properly, you need to make sure that Windows Audio service is enabled. If you’re getting no sound on Windows 10, the most likely cause is Windows Audio service.

7. Disable audio enhancements

1. Follow Steps 1 and 2 from Solution 1.
2. When Speaker Properties window opens, go to Enhancements tab.
3. Now check Disable all enhancements option.
4. Click Apply and OK to save changes.
   

If there’s no sound on your Windows 10 device, the issue might be related to audio enhancements. Many users like to use them in order to get better sound, but sometimes they can lead to certain issues.

Once you disable the enhancements, the issue should be completely resolved and the sound will start working again.

8. Check if your speakers are properly connected

If you’re getting no sound on Windows 10, the issue might be your cable. To diagnose the problem, check if your speakers are properly connected. Sometimes you might connect your speakers to the wrong port on your PC, and that can lead to this and many other problems.

If your speakers are connected to the right port, be sure to inspect the cable for damage. Lastly, check the power supply cable and be sure that it’s properly connected.

9. Check if your speakers are muted

1. Right-click the speaker icon in your Taskbar and choose Open Volume Mixer from the menu.
   
2. Now make sure that Speakers and System Sound channels are turned all the way up.
   

Sometimes if you’re getting no sound on your Windows 10 PC, the issue might be volume control. In some instances, your speakers might be muted and that can lead to this and many other problems.

To check if the volume control is the problem, check your speaker’s volume knob. If the volume is turned up, you need to check your audio mixer.

In addition, if you have another software for volume control, you should also check and see if the volume control is properly configured. Certain drivers will install their own volume control software, so be sure to check it out.

10. Enable Onboard Sound in BIOS

1. Turn on your PC and press the designated key to enter BIOS (It’s usually F1, F2 or Del but you should also see the proper key to use before the Windows booting process).
2. After the BIOS menu loads, use the arrow keys to navigate to the Advanced submenu.
3. Select Integrated Peripherals and look for Onboard Audio.
4. Enable the option by using the + key or as instructed in your BIOS.
5. Press the F10 key to save the modifications and exit BIOS.

Enabling the Onboard Audio from BIOS has worked for some of our readers so make sure you try it. If it doesn’t work for you, feel free to revert this setting.

That’s it, I hope these solutions helped you to get your sound in Windows 10 back.

If you have any other Windows 10-related issues you can check for the solution in our Windows 10 Fix section.