No Sound on Computer: The Complete Fix

Published 2026 · 4 min read

No sound usually means the wrong output device is selected, a volume is muted, or a driver got tangled. Here's how to find which one it is.

The 2-minute check

Click the volume icon and confirm nothing is muted. Right-click it → Open Sound settings → make sure the correct output device is selected (speakers vs headphones vs HDMI). If you use USB or Bluetooth audio, unplug/replug it — these drop out constantly.

If one app is silent

Open the Volume Mixer (right-click the volume icon). Each app has its own slider — a silent app is often just muted there. Check the app's own audio settings too, then restart it.

Drivers as the last resort

In Device Manager, expand Sound, video and game controllers. If there's a yellow warning, uninstall the device and scan for hardware changes. Download fresh drivers from the motherboard or PC manufacturer if it persists.

Interactive version

Not sure which fix applies? Use the no-sound fixer — tell it your symptom and it walks you through the exact steps.

Sound failures in order of likelihood

Silent audio is usually the wrong output device, a muted volume, or a broken driver - rarely a dead speaker. Confirm the device, then the volume, then the driver.

Wrong output device is the top cause

Windows can send sound to a monitor's speakers or a disabled device. Open Settings > System > Sound > Output and pick the speakers you actually use. Apps opened before the switch may need a restart to follow the new default.

Volume mixers and enhancements

Right-click the volume icon > Open Volume mixer and make sure no app is muted individually. Then, in Sound settings > your device > Properties, disable audio enhancements - enhancement bugs cause silent output on some drivers.

Driver reinstall and the troubleshooter

Run Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Audio, then in Device Manager uninstall and reinstall the audio driver. If sound returns in Safe Mode, a third-party audio app is interfering.