No sound from my PC

Christopher Dew 0 Reputation points
2026-11-04T10:20:35.6466667+00:00

no sound from YouTube, Spotify, BBC, test bleep etc

Windows for home | Other | Devices and drivers
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  1. AI answer

    2026-11-04T10:21:00.03+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Check the selected output device and volume.
      • Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound.
      • Under Output, select the correct speakers or headphones.
      • Make sure sound is not muted and the volume slider is up.
    2. Set the playback device as default.
      • Windows 11: Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound > More sound settings > Playback.
      • Windows 10: Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound > Sound Control Panel.
      • Select the correct audio device and set it as the default playback device.
    3. Turn off audio enhancements.
      • Windows 11: Start > Settings > System > Sound > Output device > Advanced settings > Audio enhancements > Off.
      • Windows 10: Start > Settings > System > Sound > playback device > Properties > Enhancements > Disable all enhancements > OK.
      • If there is no Enhancements tab in Windows 10, open Advanced and turn off available audio effects.
    4. Run the automated Audio troubleshooter in the Get Help app.
      • This can automatically diagnose and fix common no-sound problems.
    5. If no apps have sound at all, check app volume.
      • Right-click the Volume icon on the taskbar.
      • Select Open Volume mixer.
      • Make sure apps such as the browser or Spotify are not muted and their volume sliders are up.
    6. Restart Windows audio services.
      • Select Start, type services.msc, and press Enter.
      • Right-click Windows Audio and select Restart.
      • Right-click Windows Audio Endpoint Builder and select Restart.
    7. Check whether the audio device is detected.
      • Open Device Manager.
      • Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
      • If the device appears, right-click it and select Enable device if that option is available.
      • If it does not appear, select View > Show hidden devices, then Action > Scan for hardware changes.
    8. Update or reinstall the audio driver.
      • In Device Manager, expand Sound, video and game controllers.
      • Right-click the audio device and select Update driver.
      • If audio stopped working after a recent Windows update, open the device Properties > Driver tab and use Roll Back Driver if available.
      • If the driver is missing or incompatible, install the latest audio driver from the PC or sound card manufacturer, then restart the PC.
    9. Check Windows Update and restart.
      • Windows 11: Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
      • Windows 10: Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.
      • Install available updates and restart the PC.

    If the issue is specifically that Windows shows no audio output device installed, focus on Device Manager detection and reinstalling the manufacturer audio driver first.

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  2. Emma1-N 14,895 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-11-05T00:25:00.6233333+00:00

    Welcome Christopher Dew,

    Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I understand that your PC has no sound at all, including YouTube, Spotify, BBC and the Windows test sound.

    To help narrow this down, could you share:

    • Which Windows version you are on, and whether this is a desktop or a laptop?
    • What you use for sound (built-in speakers, wired speakers or headphones, a monitor or TV through HDMI or DisplayPort, or a USB or Bluetooth headset), and did the sound stop after a specific change, such as an update or connecting new hardware?

    Please make sure you already tried the Q&A Assist steps. In addition, please try the following:

    1, Test a different output path

    • If you use wired speakers, plug headphones directly into the PC. On a desktop, try both the front and rear audio jacks.
    • If sound goes through a monitor or TV, check the volume and mute setting in the monitor's own on-screen menu, and make sure its audio input matches the cable in use.
    • If you use USB speakers or a USB headset, try a different USB port, preferably one directly on the PC rather than a hub.

    2, Change the audio format and exclusive mode settings

    • Press Windows + R, type mmsys.cpl and press Enter.
    • On the Playback tab, right-click your device and select Properties.
    • Open the Advanced tab and change Default Format to 16 bit, 48000 Hz (DVD Quality), then select Test.
    • If there is still no sound, try 24 bit, 48000 Hz.
    • Under Exclusive Mode, clear both checkboxes, then select Apply and OK.

    3, Turn off mono audio and spatial sound

    • Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio and turn off Mono audio.
    • Go to Settings > System > Sound, select your output device and set Spatial sound to Off.

    4, Check the manufacturer's audio app

    • If your PC has an audio app such as Realtek Audio Console, Dolby Access, Nahimic or MaxxAudio, open it.
    • Make sure the output isn't muted there and the correct device or jack is selected.
    • In Realtek Audio Console, under Device advanced settings, try turning off front panel jack detection or turning on the option to separate front and rear output devices.

    5, Rule out third-party software with a clean boot

    • Press Windows + R, type msconfig and press Enter.
    • On the Services tab, select Hide all Microsoft services, then select Disable all.
    • Open Task Manager, go to the Startup apps tab and disable all items.
    • Restart the PC and test the sound.
    • If the sound works, re-enable items a few at a time to find the cause (virtual audio tools, voice changers and some antivirus apps can interfere). When you're done, go back to msconfig and select Normal startup.

    Looking forward to your update.

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