When laptop sound not working is your problem, the cause is far more often a setting than broken hardware. Windows may be sending audio to a device that is not there, the volume may be muted for one app, or the audio driver may have crashed after an update.
Start with the quick checks, because they solve most cases in under two minutes. The later steps cover drivers, the headphone jack and the services that run Windows audio. If one headphone works and the other is silent, or the speakers crackle, the sections after the steps explain what that points to.
Common causes
1Volume muted or turned very low
How to tellA speaker icon with a cross on the taskbar, or the volume bar sits at zero
What fixes itPress the mute key again and raise the volume in the taskbar and in the app
2Wrong output device selected
How to tellSound plays after you plug in headphones, or a TV or Bluetooth device is chosen
What fixes itPick the laptop speakers from the speaker menu on the taskbar
3Audio driver crashed or got replaced
How to tellStarted after a Windows update, and the sound icon shows a red cross
What fixes itUse Device Manager to roll back, update or reinstall the audio driver
4Windows Audio service stopped
How to tellMessage says no audio output device is installed, though the speakers are fine
What fixes itRestart the Windows Audio service from Services
5Headphone jack detects a plug that is not there
How to tellSpeakers stay silent even with nothing plugged in, headphones work fine
What fixes itPlug in and pull out headphones a few times; clean the jack with dry air only
6Sound enhancements or exclusive mode conflict
How to tellSound works in one app but not another, or cuts out when an app opens
What fixes itTurn off enhancements and exclusive mode in the device properties
7Damaged speaker or loose cable
How to tellCrackling, one side dead, or silence after a drop, with settings all correct
What fixes itTake the laptop to a service centre for a speaker test
How to fix it, step by step
Check mute and the volume mixer
Press the mute key on the top row, or Fn + the speaker key, then drag the taskbar volume up. Right click the speaker icon and open the volume mixer. A single app, like your browser or video player, can be muted there even when the main volume is high.
Choose the right output device
Click the small arrow next to the taskbar volume slider and pick the laptop speakers. If you see a TV, monitor or Bluetooth name selected, switch it. A wrongly chosen device is the top reason for silence after using a headset.
Unplug everything and restart
Remove headphones, USB audio, HDMI cables and turn off Bluetooth for a minute. Then restart the laptop with Start, Power, Restart. A full restart, not shutdown, reloads the audio driver properly on laptops that use fast startup.
Run the built-in audio troubleshooter
Open Settings, then System, then Sound, and choose the troubleshoot option for your output device. On older versions use Control Panel, then Troubleshooting, then Playing Audio. It fixes simple service and format problems on its own.
Test the speakers with a test tone
In Sound settings open your speakers' properties and press the test button. If you hear a tone here but nowhere else, the hardware is fine and the problem sits inside an app. If there is no tone, move on to the driver.
Update or roll back the audio driver
Right click the Start button, open Device Manager, expand Sound, video and game controllers, and right click your audio device. Choose Update driver and search automatically. If the silence began right after an update, open the device Properties and look for the rollback option under its Driver section.
Uninstall the audio device and restart
In Device Manager, right click the audio device, choose Uninstall device, then restart. Windows installs a fresh driver on its own at start up. Do not tick the option to delete driver software unless the maker's website gives you a replacement.
Restart the Windows Audio service
Press Windows + R, type
services.mscand press Enter. Find Windows Audio, right click it and choose Restart. Do the same for Windows Audio Endpoint Builder. Set both to start Automatically if they are not.Turn off enhancements
In Sound settings open the speakers' properties and look for enhancements or audio effects. Switch them off, and under Advanced untick the exclusive mode options. This helps when sound disappears whenever a video call app opens.
Why laptop sound not working happens out of the blue
Windows treats every sound output as a separate device: speakers, headphones, a monitor with speakers, Bluetooth earbuds. Each time something connects, Windows may quietly make it the default. When that device goes away, the default can stay pointed at nothing, and you hear silence.
You use a video call with a headset, pull the plug and the call ends. Later a song plays in total silence while the volume bar moves. The taskbar shows the headset as the output. Pick the laptop speakers and the song returns.
Headphones, jack and one side only
If the headphones work but the speakers do not, the jack may be stuck in headphone mode. If speakers work and headphones do not, check the headphones on a phone first, since cables wear out. When only one earphone works on the laptop, a loose plug or the balance setting is the likely cause.
- Open the speakers' properties and look at the balance under Levels, so left and right are equal.
- Push the plug fully in; a worn jack feels loose.
- Test with a USB or Bluetooth headset. If those work, the 3.5 mm jack is the weak part. Related help is on Bluetooth not working and the laptop microphone page, since the jack carries both.
Sound problems only in one app, such as a call or a headphone jack fault
If a call or meeting app has no audio but the music player works, open that app's own audio settings and select the speaker. Browsers can also mute a single tab, shown by a speaker icon with a line through it on the tab. Right click the tab to unmute. For screen recording with no audio, check that the recorder is set to capture system sound, which is a separate switch from the microphone.
When to get the laptop repaired
Crackling at every volume, a rattling buzz, or one speaker dead while headphones work points to the speaker or its cable. If a test tone is silent after a clean driver reinstall, the audio chip or board may have failed. Repair cost depends mainly on whether it is a speaker swap or a board level job, and on how easy the model is to open.
Opening a laptop can void its warranty. If it is still covered, go to the maker's authorised centre. Other hardware faults are covered on the laptop not working hub.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my laptop speaker not working but headphones work?
Windows may think headphones are still plugged in, or the speakers are not selected as the output. Pick the speakers in the volume menu, then plug and unplug the headphones. If that fails, the speaker or its cable may be damaged.
How do I fix sound not working in Windows 10 after an update?
Open Device Manager, find your audio device and roll back the driver. If there is no rollback, uninstall the device and restart so Windows installs a fresh driver.
Why does my laptop show no audio output device installed?
The audio driver or the Windows Audio service is not running. Restart the service from Services, then reinstall the driver in Device Manager if the message stays.
Why is there no sound in Chrome only?
The tab may be muted, or the volume mixer may have the browser set low. Right click the tab, choose unmute, and check the mixer entry for the browser.
Can a virus cause laptop sound problems?
It is rare. Drivers, wrong output choice and muted apps are far more common. Run the built-in Windows Security scan if sound problems come with other strange behaviour.