Why is my Windows sound not working?

Windows sound may stop working due to incorrect output device selection, muted volume, outdated or corrupted audio drivers, disabled audio services, or recent system updates.

How do I fix no sound on Windows 10 and Windows 11?

You can fix no sound on Windows 10 and 11 by checking the correct playback device, running the audio troubleshooter, restarting Windows Audio services, updating sound drivers, and checking sound settings.

Does restarting Windows Audio service fix sound issues?

Yes. Restarting the Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder services can often restore sound when audio stops working unexpectedly.

Can Windows updates cause sound problems?

Yes. Some Windows updates may change audio drivers or sound settings, which can result in no sound until the correct driver or settings are restored.

How do I reinstall audio drivers to fix sound?

Open Device Manager, uninstall the audio driver under Sound, Video and Game Controllers, restart your PC, and let Windows reinstall the correct driver automatically.

Why is sound not working only on headphones or speakers?

This usually happens due to incorrect default playback device selection, faulty audio jack detection, disabled output device, or hardware issues with the headphones or speakers.

Complete Guide: How to Fix Windows Sound Not Working (2026)

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Understanding Windows Sound Problems

When Windows audio stops working, it can be caused by over 20 different issues ranging from simple volume settings to complex driver conflicts. Understanding the audio chain in Windows helps diagnose problems systematically.

💾

Driver Issues

Corrupted, outdated, or missing audio drivers

⚙️

Service Problems

Windows Audio services stopped or disabled

🎧

Device Conflicts

Wrong playback device selected

🔌

Hardware Failures

Speakers, cables, or sound card issues

⚠️ Important Diagnostic Steps

Before diving into complex fixes: Test your audio with multiple sources (YouTube, system sounds, music player). Check if the issue affects all applications or just specific ones. This helps narrow down the root cause.

Common Audio Symptoms & Causes

Symptom	Likely Cause	Priority Fix
No sound at all	Muted audio, wrong device, driver failure	Check volume & playback device
Crackling/distorted sound	Driver issues, sample rate mismatch	Update drivers, adjust format
Sound works then stops	Power saving, driver timeout	Disable power management
Only specific app silent	App volume mixer, exclusive mode	Check app-specific settings
Headphones not detected	Jack detection disabled, driver issue	Enable jack detection

Part 1: 5-Minute Quick Fixes

Test Your Audio First

Click below to play a test sound. If you hear it, your audio is working.

Basic Audio Checks

These simple checks resolve 60% of all sound problems.

1 Check Physical Connections:

Ensure speakers/headphones are properly plugged in
Check power cables for powered speakers
Try different USB/audio ports
Test with different headphones/speakers

2 Volume & Mute Check:

Click speaker icon in system tray → Ensure volume is up and not muted

Master Volume: 50%

3 Correct Playback Device:

Right-click speaker icon → Open Sound settings → Ensure correct output device is selected

Current Device: Speakers (Realtek Audio)

4 App-Specific Volume:

Right-click speaker icon → Open Volume mixer → Check each app’s volume level

Restart Audio Services

Windows Audio services can sometimes stop or crash.

Windows Audio Services Status

Windows Audio

Windows Audio Endpoint Builder

Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

1 Press Win + R → Type services.msc → Enter

2 Find these services:

Windows Audio
Windows Audio Endpoint Builder
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

3 Right-click each → Restart

4 Double-click each → Set Startup type to Automatic

Part 2: Driver & Software Solutions

Driver Diagnostic Tool

How is your audio device shown in Device Manager?

Shows correctly with no warnings

Yellow exclamation mark or error code

Not listed or shows as Unknown Device

Update Audio Drivers

Outdated or corrupted drivers are the #1 cause of Windows sound issues.

Method A: Automatic Update via Device Manager

1 Press Win + X → Device Manager

2 Expand Sound, video and game controllers

3 Right-click your audio device → Update driver

4 Select Search automatically for updated driver software

Method B: Manual Driver Installation

1 Identify your audio chipset:

Common: Realtek, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA
Check Device Manager for exact model

2 Visit manufacturer website:

Manufacturer	Website	Common Models
Realtek	realtek.com	ALC892, ALC1200, ALC897
Intel	downloadcenter.intel.com	Smart Sound Technology
AMD	amd.com	HD Audio, HDMI Audio
NVIDIA	nvidia.com	HD Audio, RTX Audio

Rollback or Reinstall Drivers

If a recent driver update caused the problem, roll it back.

Rollback Driver

Uninstall Driver

Reinstall Driver

1 Driver Rollback:

Device Manager → Right-click audio device → Properties → Driver tab → Roll Back Driver

2 Complete Uninstall:

Device Manager → Right-click audio device → Uninstall device → Check “Delete the driver software” → Restart

3 Clean Installation:

After uninstall, use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) in Safe Mode for complete cleanup

Part 3: Advanced Audio Settings

Audio Format & Sample Rate Configuration

Incorrect audio formats can cause no sound or distortion.

16-bit, 44100 Hz (CD Quality)

24-bit, 48000 Hz (Studio Quality)

24-bit, 96000 Hz (High-Res)

24-bit, 192000 Hz (Studio Master)

1 Right-click speaker icon → Sounds → Playback tab

2 Select your playback device → Properties

3 Advanced tab → Default Format

4 Try different combinations:

Start with: 24-bit, 48000 Hz
If issues: Try 16-bit, 44100 Hz
Test each format with test button

Disable Audio Enhancements

Audio enhancements can sometimes cause conflicts or distortion.

1 Sound settings → Device properties → Additional device properties

2 Enhancements tab → Check Disable all enhancements

3 Also disable:

Spatial sound (Off)
Exclusive mode (uncheck both boxes)
Loudness Equalization
Virtual Surround

4 Click Apply → Test sound

Power Management Settings

Windows power saving can disable audio devices to save power.

1 Device Manager → Sound, video and game controllers

2 Right-click audio device → Properties → Power Management

3 Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power

4 Also check USB Root Hub power settings if using USB audio

Part 4: System Repair & Recovery

Windows Audio Troubleshooter

Windows includes built-in audio troubleshooting tools.

1 Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters

2 Run Playing Audio troubleshooter

3 Follow prompts → Apply recommended fixes

4 Alternative: msdt.exe -id AudioPlaybackDiagnostic

💡 Advanced Troubleshooting Commands

# Reset Windows Audio components
net stop Audiosrv
net stop AudioEndpointBuilder
net start Audiosrv
net start AudioEndpointBuilder

# Re-register audio DLLs
regsvr32.exe /s %windir%\system32\mmdevapi.dll
regsvr32.exe /s %windir%\system32\AudioSes.dll

System File Checker & DISM

Corrupted system files can break audio functionality.

1 Open Command Prompt as Administrator

2 Run System File Checker:

sfc /scannow

3 If SFC finds errors, run DISM:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

4 Restart computer after completion

System Restore & Reset Options

When all else fails, restore Windows to a working state.

1 System Restore:

Search “Create a restore point” → System Restore → Choose restore point when audio worked

2 Windows Reset (Keep Files):

Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC → Keep my files

3 Clean Windows Installation:

Last resort: Backup data and perform clean Windows install

Select your symptoms:

No sound at all Crackling/distorted sound Sound works then stops Only specific apps silent Headphones not detected

Basic Volume/Device Check	85%
Restart Audio Services	70%
Driver Update	65%
Disable Enhancements	45%
Format/Sample Rate	40%
System Restore	75% (drastic)