When your PC suddenly goes silent, it's tempting to assume the speakers died. Usually they didn't. Most of the time Windows is sending audio to the wrong device, something is muted, or a driver update changed things behind your back. Work through these steps in order; the quick ones come first.
1. Check the obvious things
- Make sure the speakers are powered on, the volume knob is up, and the cable is firmly plugged in. On a desktop, try the green jack on the back instead of the front panel.
- Look at the speaker icon at the right end of the taskbar. If it shows an X, click it and unmute.
- Check your keyboard's mute key (often a speaker icon you press with Fn).
- If you use Bluetooth headphones, make sure they aren't connected to your phone instead.
2. Pick the right output device
Plug in a monitor over HDMI or DisplayPort and Windows may start sending sound to it. If the monitor has no speakers, you hear nothing.
- Open Settings > System > Sound.
- Under Output, choose the speakers or headphones you actually use.
- Click that device and confirm its Volume isn't at 0.
Shortcut: click the speaker icon on the taskbar, then the arrow next to the volume slider to switch devices.
3. Check the volume mixer
If only one app is silent, its own volume may be turned down. Go to Settings > System > Sound > Volume mixer and check that app's volume and output device. In a browser, also make sure the tab isn't muted (right-click the tab and choose Unmute site).
4. Run the audio troubleshooter
Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and select Run next to Audio. On current versions of Windows 11 this opens the Get Help app, which runs automated diagnostics. On Windows 10, the path is Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Playing Audio.
5. Restart the Windows Audio service
- Press Win + R, type
services.mscand press Enter. - Find Windows Audio, right-click it and choose Restart.
- Test the sound again.
6. Reinstall or roll back the audio driver
- Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager.
- Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
- Right-click your audio device (for example, Realtek Audio) and choose Uninstall device, then restart. Windows reinstalls a working driver on boot.
If the problem started right after an update, try Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver on the same device first. You can also download the audio driver from your PC or motherboard maker's support page. Our driver update guide covers where to find official drivers.
7. Turn off audio enhancements
In Settings > System > Sound, click your output device and set Audio enhancements to Off. Some devices misbehave with these effects enabled, causing crackling or silence.
Is the hardware actually broken?
Use our speaker and mic test to play sound through the left and right channels separately. If the same speakers stay silent when connected to a phone or another computer, the problem is the speakers or the cable, not Windows.
FAQ
Headphones work but speakers don't. Why?
Windows may be locked to the headphones as the output device. Select the speakers manually in step 2. On laptops, check the maker's audio app for jack detection settings.
Sound stopped after a Windows update.
A driver probably changed. Roll back the driver in step 6, and if that doesn't help, install the driver from the manufacturer's site.
Only YouTube is silent.
Check the tab mute, the browser's volume in the volume mixer, and the volume slider inside the YouTube player itself.
There's sound, but it crackles.
Turn off audio enhancements, try a different USB port or cable for USB headsets, and update the audio driver.