Free1. Check the volume and mute
- Click the speaker icon next to the clock and drag the volume up. A cross on the icon means it's muted.
- Press your keyboard's volume or mute keys; laptops often have them on the F keys.
- Check speakers are switched on and turned up, and headphones have no volume wheel turned down.
2. Choose the right output device
- Open Settings › System › Sound.
- Under Output, choose your speakers or headphones. Monitors, TVs and docks connected by HDMI or DisplayPort each add their own output, and Windows sometimes switches to them.
- You can also switch quickly from the arrow next to the volume slider in the taskbar.
3. Check the app's own volume
Windows keeps a separate volume for each app. Open Settings › System › Sound › Volume mixer and make sure the app (for example your browser) isn't muted or turned right down. In a browser, also check the tab isn't muted: right-click the tab and look for Unmute site.
4. Fix Bluetooth headphones
- Make sure they're connected to this computer and not still connected to your phone.
- Remove them in Settings › Bluetooth & devices, then pair them again.
5. Turn off audio enhancements
Sound effects added by Windows or your sound driver can occasionally cut audio out. In Settings › System › Sound, select your output device and turn Audio enhancements off, then test again.
6. Update or reinstall the sound driver
- Right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager.
- Expand Sound, video and game controllers and right-click your audio device (often Realtek, Intel or your headset's name).
- Choose Update driver. If that doesn't help, choose Uninstall device and restart; Windows reinstalls it.
7. Restart the audio service
Press Windows + R, type services.msc and press Enter. Find Windows Audio, right-click it and choose Restart. A full computer restart does the same and fixes many other glitches too.
8. Run the troubleshooter
Search Start for audio troubleshooter and follow the steps for playing audio.
Still not working?
Try your speakers or headphones on another device. If they fail there too, they're faulty. If they work elsewhere, try a different socket or USB port on this PC.
Frequently asked questions
Sound comes out of the laptop, not my headphones.
Choose the headphones as the output in step 2. For wired headphones, push the plug fully in; some laptops need you to confirm the device type in a pop-up from the sound software.
Only one side of my headphones works.
Check the balance in your output device's properties, and try the headphone test. If the balance is centred and one side is still silent, the headphones or cable are faulty.