What to Do When Your Windows 11 PC Has No Audio

Check the Basics First

Many no-audio problems come from a muted app, the wrong output device, or a loose connection. Checking these first rules out a muted app, the wrong output device, or a loose cable before you change any system settings.

Check Volume, Mute and Physical Connections

Confirm the sound is not muted and that the hardware is connected and powered. A speaker icon with an X or a slash in the taskbar 🖥️ means the system volume is muted.

1. Click the speaker icon at the right end of the taskbar 🖥️. The Quick Settings panel opens with a volume slider.
2. Drag the slider above zero. If the speaker icon next to the slider has a slash through it, click the icon to unmute. The slash disappears.
3. Press the volume-up key on your keyboard. A volume indicator appears on screen. If it doesn’t, the keyboard keys may need an Fn key held with them.
4. Check the hardware. Make sure external speakers are switched on, their volume knob is up, and the cable is in the audio output jack (usually green). For headphones, unplug them and plug them in again.
5. Test with another source. Play a video in a different app or browser. If one app is silent and others work, the problem is in that app, not in Windows. See the volume mixer section below.

If you hear sound after any of these steps, you are done.

Select the Correct Output Device

Windows sends sound to one output device at a time. After you connect a monitor, headset, dock or Bluetooth speaker, it can switch to a device that is not producing sound. This is the most common reason for no audio on a PC that worked yesterday.

1. Click the speaker icon in the taskbar to open Quick Settings.
2. Click the icon to the right of the volume slider (Select a sound output). A list of output devices appears.

   

3. Select your speakers or headphones from the list. If you are not sure which entry is which, try each one while audio plays.

You can also set the device in Settings. Open Settings › System › Sound Under Output, select the device you want. Select the device name to open its properties page, where the Start test button plays a test tone. If you hear the tone, the hardware and driver work and the problem is elsewhere, such as the app you were using.

If the device you expect is missing from the list, it is disabled or its driver is not working. Go to the sections on disabled devices and drivers below.

Check the Volume Mixer for Muted or Misrouted Apps

The volume mixer sets volume per app. One app can be muted or turned to zero while the system volume is fine. Some apps can also send sound to a different output device.

1. Open Settings › System › Sound
2. Scroll down to Advanced and select Volume mixer.

   

3. Find the app that has no sound. Drag its slider up from zero.
4. Expand the app's entry if it offers an output device setting, and set it to Default or to the device you want.

For browsers, also check the tab itself. Right-click the tab title; if the option reads Unmute site, the tab is muted.

Run the Windows Audio Troubleshooter

The audio troubleshooter checks for common faults such as a stopped service, a disabled device or a bad setting, and applies fixes automatically. Run it before you change settings by hand.

1. Open Settings › System › Troubleshoot › Other troubleshooters

   

2. Find Playing Audio (labelled Audio on some newer builds) and select Run.
3. Select the device that has no sound when asked, then select Next.
4. Follow the prompts. The troubleshooter may offer to apply a fix. Select Yes, apply this fix if it does.

The troubleshooter ends with a report listing what it found and fixed. If it says it could not identify the problem, move on to the next section.

You can also reach a sound troubleshooter from Settings › System › Sound. Look for Troubleshoot common sound problems near the output list or under Advanced. Its position changes between Windows 11 versions, so use the Other troubleshooters route above if you cannot find it.

Check That the Playback Device Is Enabled

A playback device can be disabled without any warning, and a disabled device does not appear in the Quick Settings list. This is the usual cause when your speakers or headphones simply do not appear as an option.

Show and Enable Disabled Devices

1. Press Windows + R, type mmsys.cpl and press Enter. The classic Sound window opens on the Playback tab.
2. Right-click an empty area of the device list and select Show Disabled Devices. Disabled devices now appear greyed out.
3. Right-click your speakers or headphones and select Enable. The grey icon turns to a full-colour icon.
4. Right-click the same device again and select Set as Default Device. A green check mark appears on the icon.
5. Select OK.

Play a sound. A green level bar next to the device in the Playback tab moves when audio plays, even if you cannot hear it. If the bar moves but you hear nothing, the signal is leaving Windows and the issue is the speakers, cable or monitor.

If the list is empty even with disabled devices shown, Windows does not see any audio hardware. Go to the driver section.

Turn Off Audio Enhancements and Exclusive Mode

Audio enhancements are effects that Windows or the sound driver apply, such as bass boost or loudness. A faulty enhancement can silence a device. Exclusive mode lets one app take full control of a device, which can block every other app.

1. Open Settings › System › Sound and select your output device under Output.
2. Set the Audio enhancements toggle to Off. On some versions the toggle is labelled Enhance audio.

   

3. Select Start test and listen for the tone.

To check exclusive mode, go back to the classic Sound window with mmsys.cpl:

1. On the Playback tab, double-click your device to open its properties.
2. Select the Advanced tab.
3. Clear the Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device check box.
4. In the Default Format list, pick a different option, such as 24 bit, 48000 Hz (Studio Quality), and select Test. Some devices only work with certain formats. If the test fails, try another entry.
5. Select OK.

To undo these changes, set the toggle back to On and tick the exclusive-control box again. The format setting is safe to leave on whichever option works.

Restart the Windows Audio Services

Windows Audio is the service (a background program) that handles all sound. If it stops or hangs, you get no audio and often a red X on the taskbar speaker. Restarting it is quick and safe. This step requires administrator privileges.

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc and press Enter. If prompted by User Account Control, select Yes. The Services window opens.
2. Scroll to Windows Audio. The Status column should read Running and the Startup Type should read Automatic.
3. Right-click Windows Audio and select Restart. If Restart is greyed out, the service is stopped, so select Start.
4. Find Windows Audio Endpoint Builder in the same list (it manages the devices that sound goes to) and restart it the same way. Restarting it also restarts Windows Audio, and Windows may ask you to confirm.

If a service refuses to start and shows an error, note the error text. Restart the PC and try again. A repeated failure points to damaged system files, covered in the last fix section.

If Startup Type reads Disabled or Manual, double-click the service, set Startup type to Automatic, select Apply, then select Start.

Fix the Audio Driver

A driver is the software that lets Windows talk to your sound hardware. A corrupt, outdated or mismatched driver is a common cause of no audio after a Windows update or a big system change.

Check Device Manager for Audio Problems

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers and look at the entries. Typical names include Realtek Audio, Intel Smart Sound Technology or a High Definition Audio Device.
3. Look for a yellow warning triangle or a down arrow on an icon. A down arrow means the device is disabled. A warning triangle means a driver fault.
4. If you see a disabled device, right-click it and select Enable device.
5. Expand Audio inputs and outputs too. Speakers and headphones appear there.

If Sound, video and game controllers is missing, or contains only an Unknown device, Windows has no working driver for your audio hardware. Select View › Show hidden devices to make sure nothing is concealed.

Update the Audio Driver

An update lets Windows search for a newer driver. This step requires administrator privileges.

1. In Device Manager, right-click your audio device under Sound, video and game controllers.
2. Select Update driver.
3. Select Search automatically for drivers. Windows reports whether it found a better driver.
4. If it finds one, let it install, then restart the PC.

Windows often reports that the best driver is already installed even when it isn't the latest. For a better source, download the audio driver from your PC maker's support site, using your exact model name. For a desktop with a custom-built motherboard, use the motherboard maker's site. If your sound goes through HDMI or DisplayPort to a monitor or TV, update the graphics driver from the graphics card maker instead (the GPU), because that driver carries the HDMI audio.

Roll Back the Driver

If the sound stopped after a driver update, go back to the previous version. This step requires administrator privileges.

1. In Device Manager, right-click your audio device and select Properties.
2. Select the Driver tab.
3. Select Roll Back Driver. If the button is greyed out, there is no earlier driver stored, so skip to the next section.
4. Choose a reason when asked, select Yes, and restart the PC.

Uninstall the Device and Let Windows Reinstall It

Do not tick Attempt to remove the driver for this device unless you have already downloaded a replacement driver from your PC maker. This step requires administrator privileges.

1. In Device Manager, right-click your audio device and select Uninstall device.
2. Leave the driver-removal box unticked and select Uninstall. The entry disappears from the list.
3. Restart the PC. Use Restart, not Shut down.

Check Device Manager and the speaker icon. Use Restart here because a shutdown with Fast Startup enabled does not fully reload drivers, while a restart does.

Fix No Audio on Bluetooth and HDMI Devices

Wireless and digital outputs add their own failure points. If your no-audio problem only affects one of these, start here.

Bluetooth Headphones and Speakers

1. Open Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Devices. Check that the device shows as Connected, not just Paired.
2. If it is not connected, switch it off and on, then select Connect.
3. If it still stays silent, select the three dots next to the device and select Remove device. Put the device in pairing mode and pair it again with Add device › Bluetooth.
4. Open Quick Settings and choose the Bluetooth device as the sound output.

Pairing again clears an out-of-date connection record. This fixes many cases where the device connects but plays nothing.

HDMI, DisplayPort and Monitor Speakers

1. Check that the monitor or TV itself is not muted and that its volume is up. Many monitors have their own volume control in the on-screen menu.
2. Check the cable at both ends, or try a different port.
3. Open the output list in Quick Settings and select the monitor or TV, usually named after its model or shown as a digital output.

If the monitor does not appear in the list, update the graphics driver as described above. Monitors with no built-in speakers will never show audio output, so plug speakers into the PC instead.

Undo a Recent Change That Broke Sound

If the sound stopped right after a Windows update or an installation, removing that change can restore it.

Uninstall a Recent Windows Update

This removes only the update, not your files. This step requires administrator privileges.

1. Open Settings › Windows Update › Update history
2. Scroll to Related settings and select Uninstall updates.
3. Select the most recent update from around the date the sound stopped, then select Uninstall.
4. Restart the PC when asked.

Settings › Windows Update > Pause updates holds it off for a period while you wait for a fix.

Use System Restore

System Restore returns system files and drivers to an earlier point. It only works if restore points exist on your PC. Windows 11 does not always have System Restore turned on. Search for Create a restore point in the Start menu and open it to check. If the System Restore button is available, select it and follow the wizard to pick a date when your sound worked. The restore needs a restart and will remove apps and drivers installed after that date.

Repair Damaged System Files

If the audio service will not start and drivers will not stay installed, damaged Windows files may be the cause. Run these two checks last because they take time. These steps require administrator privileges.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal (Admin). Select Yes at the User Account Control prompt.
2. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. The scan takes several minutes. It ends with a message saying whether it found and repaired problems.
3. If it reports that it could not fix some files, run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. This needs an internet connection and can take a while.
4. Restart the PC when both commands finish.

The progress sometimes appears to stall at a fixed percentage. Leave it running.

Check for a Hardware or BIOS Cause

If the output bar moves in the Sound window, the driver is installed and the service runs, but you still hear nothing, test the hardware itself. Plug in a different pair of headphones, or connect the speakers to another device such as a phone. If they work there, the PC's audio output is at fault.

On a desktop, also check that you are using the correct jack. Front-panel jacks need to be connected to the motherboard, and a loose front-panel cable gives silence on those ports only. Onboard audio can also be turned off in the BIOS or UEFI settings (the low-level setup screen that runs before Windows starts). The setting name and location differ by manufacturer, so check your PC or motherboard manual before you change anything there.

If this didn't work

Connect a USB headset or a Bluetooth speaker. If it plays sound, Windows and its audio stack are fine and the PC's built-in audio hardware or jack has failed. Cut this sentence. Keep the closing to three or four sentences that say what a working USB headset or Bluetooth speaker proves and what to do if nothing plays. If nothing plays sound, including USB devices, note the exact error from Device Manager or the services list and contact your PC maker's support with it. If you rolled back a driver or removed an update, you can reinstall it at any time from Device Manager or Windows Update once a fixed version is available.