Audio issues in my laptop

Abdul Hannan 0 Reputation points
2026-10-18T05:09:50.6433333+00:00

Dear Microsoft Support Team,

I am writing to request technical assistance with two major issues on my laptop, a Dell Inspiron 7391 2-in-1 running Windows 11 Pro.

1. Audio Issue After Sound Driver Update

Before updating my sound driver, my laptop's audio was working better. After updating the driver, the sound became significantly quieter than before. I have attempted troubleshooting and driver-related fixes, but the problem has persisted. At one point, Windows also showed that no audio devices were found.

I have checked Device Manager and noticed audio-related devices, including Realtek and Intel Smart Sound Technology. However, I have not been able to restore the original audio performance.

I request your assistance in identifying whether this issue is related to a Windows update, driver compatibility, or an audio configuration problem and in restoring normal audio functionality.

2. Rapid Battery Drain

My laptop's battery drains very quickly, even during ordinary use. I have generated Windows battery and energy reports to investigate the issue, but I am still experiencing poor battery life.

I would appreciate your help in determining whether the battery drain is caused by Windows settings, background processes, power management, or possible battery degradation.

My laptop details:

Device: Dell Inspiron 7391 2-in-1

Operating system: Windows 11 Pro

Processor: Intel Core i7-10510U

RAM: 8 GB

I have already attempted several troubleshooting steps, but neither issue has been resolved. I would appreciate clear, step-by-step instructions specific to my device rather than generic troubleshooting suggestions.

Please help me restore the laptop's audio performance and improve its battery life. If these issues require coordination with Dell or further diagnostics, please advise me on the appropriate next steps.

Thank you for your time and support. I look forward to your response.

Kind regards, Hannan

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers
0 comments

2 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. DaveM121 939.7K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-18T05:45:20.0433333+00:00

    Please provide some more detail on your system and hardware.

    1

    Right click your Start Button and open Device Manager.

    Expand the 'Sound, Video and Game Controllers' section.

    Please provide a screenshot of that full Device Manager window.

    2

    Where did you update the Audio drivers from, was that from Windows updates, or directly from the Dell website?

    3

    Click your Start Button, type winver and hit Enter

    Please provide a screenshot of the resulting dialog.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments

  2. AI answer

    2026-10-18T05:10:12.5133333+00:00

    For the audio issue on the Dell Inspiron 7391 2-in-1, the supported Windows steps are:

    1. Run the automated audio troubleshooter first.
      • On Windows 11, start the audio troubleshooter in the Get Help app.
      • This can automatically diagnose and fix many audio problems.
    2. Check whether the audio device is enabled in Device Manager.
      • Select Start, type Device Manager, and open it.
      • Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
      • If the audio device appears, right-click it and select Enable device if that option is available.
      • If the device does not appear, select View > Show hidden devices, then Action > Scan for hardware changes.
    3. Update the audio driver using Windows tools.
      • In Device Manager, right-click the audio device under Sound, video and game controllers.
      • Select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.
      • Restart the PC after the update.
    4. If the problem started after the driver update, roll back the audio driver.
      • In Device Manager, right-click the audio device and select Properties.
      • Open the Driver tab.
      • Select Roll Back Driver.
      • Restart the device.
      • This is the most relevant step when audio became worse immediately after an update.
    5. If updating or rollback does not help, reinstall the audio driver.
      • In Device Manager, expand Sound, video and game controllers.
      • Right-click the audio device and select Uninstall device.
      • If prompted, confirm the uninstall. In some Windows flows, there is also an Attempt to remove the driver for this device checkbox.
      • Restart the PC.
      • Windows should automatically reinstall the audio driver after restart.
      • Save open work before restarting.
    6. If Windows still does not restore proper sound, install the latest audio driver from Dell.
      • If Windows does not find a newer driver, install the latest audio driver from the device manufacturer’s support site.
      • This is especially relevant because Dell systems can be affected when Windows replaces the OEM audio driver.
    7. If audio stopped working after Windows Update, also check these Windows recovery steps:
      • Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update.
      • Select Check for updates and install all available updates.
      • Restart the device.
      • If the issue began after a recent update, restart audio services:
        • Press Start, type services.msc, and press Enter.
        • Right-click Windows Audio > Restart.
        • Right-click Windows Audio Endpoint Builder > Restart.
    8. If the device is still missing or sound remains abnormal, use the generic Windows audio driver.
      • In Device Manager, right-click the audio device.
      • Select Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers > Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
      • Select the audio device driver and continue with Next.
    9. If the issue started only after Windows updates and rollback is unavailable or ineffective, System Restore is another supported option.
      • Windows creates a restore point when updates are installed.
      • Restoring to that point can help if sound worked before the change.

    For the Dell-specific part of the scenario, the accepted guidance in similar cases is:

    • Reinstall the latest Dell audio driver package directly from Dell support.
    • If reinstalling the Dell driver does not restore sound, update BIOS and chipset drivers from Dell support.
    • If the problem persists after that, contact Dell support for model-specific fixes.

    For the battery-drain issue, no supported battery-specific troubleshooting steps are available in the provided material.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.