my laptop spectre says no audio devices are installed but it was working one month ago

Maria Fiora 0 Reputation points
2026-11-06T02:59:12.16+00:00

My laptop suddenly lost its audio sound it says nothing is installed . But it was one month ago, and now i have no sound

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Settings
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  1. AI answer

    2026-11-06T02:59:53.08+00:00

    Open Device Manager and rescan for the missing audio hardware; if it remains absent, install the Windows 11 audio driver for your exact HP Spectre model.

    1. Restore or detect the audio device

    1. Select Start, type Device Manager, and open it.
    2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
    3. If the audio device appears:
      • Right-click it and select Enable device, if that option is available.
      • Otherwise, select Update driver → Search automatically for drivers.
    4. If the audio device does not appear:
      • Select View → Show hidden devices.
      • Select Action → Scan for hardware changes.
    5. Restart the laptop using Start → Power → Restart, then check Settings → System → Sound for an output device. These are Microsoft’s specific recovery steps for the “No audio output device is installed” condition.^1^

    2. Reinstall the driver if the device is listed

    If scanning finds the audio device but sound remains unavailable:

    1. In Device Manager, expand Sound, video and game controllers.
    2. Right-click the audio device and select Uninstall device.
    3. Confirm the uninstall.
    4. Restart Windows—not merely shut down and power on. Windows should reinstall the driver during startup.^2^

    If Windows does not reinstall it:

    1. Identify the exact Spectre model by pressing Windows+R, entering msinfo32, and checking System Model.
    2. Go to HP’s support website and search for that exact model.
    3. Download its latest Windows 11 audio driver rather than a generic driver from an audio-chip vendor.
    4. Install it and restart the laptop. Microsoft recommends the PC manufacturer’s driver when Windows cannot supply a suitable one.^2^

    3. If this began immediately after an update

    Only if the timing matches a Windows or driver update:

    1. Open Device Manager → Sound, video and game controllers.
    2. Right-click the audio device → Properties → Driver.
    3. Select Roll Back Driver, then restart.

    The button is available only when Windows retained an earlier driver version.^3^

    Also open Settings → Windows Update → Check for updates, install all available updates, and restart. A pending update can replace missing audio components.^3^

    4. If the device appears but Windows still reports no output

    1. Press Windows+R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
    2. Right-click Windows Audio → Restart.
    3. Right-click Windows Audio Endpoint Builder → Restart.
    4. Test the speakers again.^3^

    If the audio hardware remains completely absent from Device Manager after the hardware scan and installation of the exact HP driver, the next step is HP hardware diagnostics or HP support, because Windows is still not detecting the laptop’s audio controller.

    References

    1. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/audio/fix-missing-or-undetected-audio-output-device-in-windows)
    2. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/audio/update-audio-drivers-in-windows)
    3. [Windows 11](https://support.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/audio/fix-audio-stops-working-after-a-windows-update-in-windows)
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  2. Estrella721 47,570 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-11-06T03:39:02.59+00:00

    In the meantime, please try the following methods that usually fix audio issues:

    Use an older driver or uninstalling then reinstalling the driver:

    1. Press the Windows key + X and select Device Manager.
    2. Expand Sound, Video, and Game Controllers.
    3. Right-click on your audio driver(Realtek HD Audio, AMD High Definition Audio, etc.)and choose Update driver.
    4. Choose "Browse my computer for driver software"
    5. Click "Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer."
    6. Select an older driver from the list and click 'Next.'
    7. Follow the onscreen instructions.
    8. if the problem continues, repeat 1-3 and hit uninstall device instead.
    9. Restart your computer(not shutdown) then check if the issue is resolved.

    Enable Windows Audio:

    Press the Windows key + R, type services.msc and press Enter.

    Scroll through the list and double-click "Windows Audio."

    Click the "Start" or 'Restart' button to enable Windows Audio.

    Double Click Windows audio, Choose Automatic from the Startup type, click Apply then Ok.

    If the issue pesists, what is the exact make and model of your device?

    1. In the search bar, type MSINFO32 and hit Enter.

    Please share a screenshot of that window.

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  3. Kapil Arya 38,701 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-11-06T08:02:28.5+00:00

    Please try this:

    Open Device Manager, and make sure you've audio drivers installed and properly working.

    If no audio driver is listed, you can visit your device manufacturer's website to download and install audio drivers for your system model.

    If audio driver is present, you can try updating audio drivers to latest version.

    Or if you've already updated them, try to roll back previous version to see if that works.

    Also, run Playing Audio troubleshooter from Settings app > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. Let us know what it reports back.

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