My sound will not work. I don't have anything connected to the computer and all of the mute buttons are off. What do I do next? Moved from: Microsoft Edge | Audio and video playback | Windows 11 Locked Question. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question. Kapil Malviya • 145 Reputation points 2025-12-24T06:41:14.9133333+00:00 My laptop sound is not working, so how can i fix it. 700+ votes Report My laptop sound is not working, so how can i fix it. Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2025-12-24T08:07:42.2433333+00:00 Hi Kapil Malviya , Thanks for reaching out and sharing about the issue you're experiencing with your laptop sound not working. I know how inconvenient that can be, and I’m here to help you get this resolved. To better understand what’s happening and guide you more accurately, could you please confirm a couple of things for me? Are you seeing any specific error message or error code when trying to play audio? For example, messages about missing audio devices, drivers, or audio services. Have you already tried the troubleshooting steps shared in this thread? Such as checking the selected audio output device, running the Windows audio troubleshooter, updating the audio driver, or testing with headphones. Once I have this information, I’ll be able to guide you with the next best steps. Looking forward to your reply. We’ll work through this together. 100+ votes Report Hi Kapil Malviya , Thanks for reaching out and sharing about the issue you're experiencing with your laptop sound not working. I know how inconvenient that can be, and I’m here to help you get this resolved. To better understand what’s happening and guide you more accurately, could you please confirm a couple of things for me? Are you seeing any specific error message or error code when trying to play audio? For example, messages about missing audio devices, drivers, or audio services. Have you already tried the troubleshooting steps shared in this thread? Such as checking the selected audio output device, running the Windows audio troubleshooter, updating the audio driver, or testing with headphones. Once I have this information, I’ll be able to guide you with the next best steps. Looking forward to your reply. We’ll work through this together. Ivan B • 120.4K Reputation points • Independent Advisor 2025-12-24T11:09:42.1233333+00:00 Hi , Following the Q&A Assistance procedures didn't work? Is the sound icon showing a red or white X? Thanks 100+ votes Report Following the Q&A Assistance procedures didn't work? Is the sound icon showing a red or white X? Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2025-12-25T08:43:12.65+00:00 Hi Kapil Malviya , If you still have further concerns, please feel free to let me know. 10+ votes Report Hi Kapil Malviya , If you still have further concerns, please feel free to let me know. sonu kumar • 15 Reputation points 2025-12-27T05:29:30.5933333+00:00 SOUND NOT WORK 100+ votes Report Sonia Lal • 0 Reputation points 2025-12-29T05:32:52.47+00:00 I hear cracking sounds whenever I raise the volume high or low ... Please help me to fix it , 1 vote Report I hear cracking sounds whenever I raise the volume high or low ... Please help me to fix it , Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2025-12-29T08:37:40.52+00:00 Hi, For anyone experiencing a similar issue as described in the original thread, please refer to my latest response for the suggested troubleshooting guide. You can also click on “I have the same question ” at the bottom of the thread to receive notifications for any new answers or updates. If your sound problem presents a different symptom from what's covered in the thread, please create a new discussion under the same tag (Windows for home | Windows version 10/11/ Others | Devices and drivers) and mention me so I can assist you directly. Best regards. 2 votes Report For anyone experiencing a similar issue as described in the original thread, please refer to my latest response for the suggested troubleshooting guide. You can also click on “I have the same question ” at the bottom of the thread to receive notifications for any new answers or updates. If your sound problem presents a different symptom from what's covered in the thread, please create a new discussion under the same tag (Windows for home | Windows version 10/11/ Others | Devices and drivers) and mention me so I can assist you directly. Deleted This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information. This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information. Aziz Salehi • 0 Reputation points 2026-02-07T03:26:30.0566667+00:00 I can not scan from my printer 0 votes Report I can not scan from my printer Deleted This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information. This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information. Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2026-02-07T06:38:49.7466667+00:00 Hi Aziz Salehi , Since this appears to be a different issue from the original sound problem, please refer to my previous response above. Best regards. 1 vote Report Hi Aziz Salehi , Since this appears to be a different issue from the original sound problem, please refer to my previous response above. Wan Ahmad nazar Wan Abd hamid • 0 Reputation points 2026-02-19T04:32:37.4466667+00:00 sound problem 1 vote Report Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2026-02-21T07:58:37.9433333+00:00 Hi Wan Ahmad nazar Wan Abd hamid , Kindly check my previous response above for further information. Best regards. 0 votes Report Hi Wan Ahmad nazar Wan Abd hamid , Kindly check my previous response above for further information. Black Queen • 0 Reputation points 2026-02-25T15:07:15.7366667+00:00 I'm also having trouble with getting my sound to work from my laptop I have an HP 1 vote Report I'm also having trouble with getting my sound to work from my laptop I have an HP Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2026-02-26T04:46:28.4733333+00:00 Hi Black Queen , Have you tried updating the audio driver from HP yet? You can do this by going to their website , entering your laptop model, downloading the latest Audio driver, installing it, and then restarting the laptop. *Disclaimer: Microsoft provides no assurances and/or warranties, implied or otherwise, and is not responsible for the information you receive from the third-party linked sites or any support related to technology. Please let me know if this helps. 0 votes Report Hi Black Queen , Have you tried updating the audio driver from HP yet? You can do this by going to their website , entering your laptop model, downloading the latest Audio driver, installing it, and then restarting the laptop. *Disclaimer: Microsoft provides no assurances and/or warranties, implied or otherwise, and is not responsible for the information you receive from the third-party linked sites or any support related to technology. Please let me know if this helps. MANISHA MAGAR • 0 Reputation points 2026-03-11T07:53:56.56+00:00 how to fix my sound problems?????? 0 votes Report how to fix my sound problems?????? Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2026-03-11T08:12:31.68+00:00 Hi MANISHA MAGAR , To help me understand the problem better, could you please share a few more details? For example, is there no sound at all or does it cut out, what device and Windows version you’re using, and when the issue started. Once I have more information, I’ll be happy to help further. 0 votes Report Hi MANISHA MAGAR , To help me understand the problem better, could you please share a few more details? For example, is there no sound at all or does it cut out, what device and Windows version you’re using, and when the issue started. Once I have more information, I’ll be happy to help further. Anthony Pearson • 0 Reputation points 2026-03-11T14:56:37.3366667+00:00 Dell Laptop Latitude 5430 running windows 11 I believe I lost the sound all sound out of the laptop itself as well the input so i can no long speak and dictate any letters or attend a zoom meeting nobody can hear me. i recently learned i can use bluetooth audio from the laptop. the direct audio plug on the side of the computer no longer works either. I have wiped the computer done a complete reset and nothing fixes it i do NOT see any Realtek audio files on my laptop under devices and sound video and game controllers. when I use the trouble shoot audio problems all i get back is you dont have any audio devices installed 0 votes Report Dell Laptop Latitude 5430 running windows 11

I believe I lost the sound all sound out of the laptop itself as well the input so i can no long speak and dictate any letters or attend a zoom meeting nobody can hear me. i recently learned i can use bluetooth audio from the laptop. the direct audio plug on the side of the computer no longer works either. I have wiped the computer done a complete reset and nothing fixes it i do NOT see any Realtek audio files on my laptop under devices and sound video and game controllers. when I use the trouble shoot audio problems all i get back is you dont have any audio devices installed Anthony Pearson • 0 Reputation points 2026-03-11T14:59:31.0166667+00:00 AND YES I DO BELIEVE IT HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER AN OVERNIGHT UPDATE. THAT BEING SAID I WIPED THE ENTIRE UNIT AND REINSTALLED WINDOWS EVEN THAT DID NOT BRING BACK REALTEK OR HOWEVER THAT IS SPELLED SO I WENT ON THEIR SITE TO DOWNLOAD NEW AUDIO DRIVERS IT DID DOWNLOAD SOMETHING BUT IT NEVER FIXED ANYTHING AND ITS STILL NOT ON MY LAPTOP THE SPEAKER LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF DESKTOP HAS A WHITE X OVERLAYING THE SPEAKER INDICATING ITS NOT HAPPY 0 votes Report AND YES I DO BELIEVE IT HAPPENED RIGHT AFTER AN OVERNIGHT UPDATE. THAT BEING SAID I WIPED THE ENTIRE UNIT AND REINSTALLED WINDOWS EVEN THAT DID NOT BRING BACK REALTEK OR HOWEVER THAT IS SPELLED SO I WENT ON THEIR SITE TO DOWNLOAD NEW AUDIO DRIVERS IT DID DOWNLOAD SOMETHING BUT IT NEVER FIXED ANYTHING AND ITS STILL NOT ON MY LAPTOP THE SPEAKER LOWER RIGHT CORNER OF DESKTOP HAS A WHITE X OVERLAYING THE SPEAKER INDICATING ITS NOT HAPPY lindsay mccormack • 0 Reputation points 2026-03-12T00:11:34.0233333+00:00 i have no sound since i did a windows update 0 votes Report i have no sound since i did a windows update MOOJ ALI • 0 Reputation points 2026-03-12T16:07:46.02+00:00 I CANT UNDERSTAND SETTING YOU HELP ME 0 votes Report I CANT UNDERSTAND SETTING YOU HELP ME Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2026-03-13T02:15:13.65+00:00 Hi MOOJ ALI , Please take a moment to review the sound troubleshooting steps shared above, as they cover the most common causes and are written to guide you step by step. If the instructions are still hard to follow or the issue continues, I recommend contacting Microsoft Support directly so they can provide more personalized, one‑on‑one assistance. They’ll be able to walk you through it in real time and help get this resolved more easily. 0 votes Report Please take a moment to review the sound troubleshooting steps shared above, as they cover the most common causes and are written to guide you step by step. If the instructions are still hard to follow or the issue continues, I recommend contacting Microsoft Support directly so they can provide more personalized, one‑on‑one assistance. They’ll be able to walk you through it in real time and help get this resolved more easily. mashuda bhanu • 0 Reputation points 2026-04-20T10:36:29.05+00:00 My sound will not work. I don't have anything connected to the computer and all of the mute buttons are off. What do I do next? 0 votes Report My sound will not work. I don't have anything connected to the computer and all of the mute buttons are off. What do I do next? Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2026-04-22T09:27:11.72+00:00 Hi mashuda bhanu , Please have a look through the previously shared guidelines to see if any of them help in your situation. If the issue still persists, I recommend contacting the Microsoft Support team directly as per the instructions above. 0 votes Report Hi mashuda bhanu , Please have a look through the previously shared guidelines to see if any of them help in your situation. If the issue still persists, I recommend contacting the Microsoft Support team directly as per the instructions above. Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2025-12-24T02:28:59.07+00:00 Hi keith pruitt , Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum and I’m really sorry to hear that you’re running into sound issues on your Windows 11 device. Just to help us pinpoint the cause, do you recall if this started after a Windows update or anything new was installed? Besides, when you open Settings > System > Sound > Output , do you see your audio device listed there, or does Windows show “No output device found”? This detail helps us determine whether Windows recognizes your audio hardware. In the meantime, here’s one important step you can try, which is updating your audio driver directly from your device manufacturer’s website. Please visit the official support site for your computer or motherboard manufacturer and download the latest audio driver for your specific model. Installing the manufacturer‑provided driver often resolves issues caused by outdated or incompatible versions bundled with Windows. If possible, please also try plugging in an external speaker or a pair of headphones. This helps confirm whether sound works through another device, which can tell us if the issue is hardware‑related or only affecting the built‑in speakers. Let me know what you find, and we’ll take the next step together. Thank you for your patience. If the answer helps, click "Accept answer" and vote "upvote". If you have additional questions about this answer, please click "Comment". Note: If you want to receive email notifications about this thread, follow the steps in our documentation to enable email notifications. 1 comment Show comments for this answer Report Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2025-12-25T08:42:34.25+00:00 Hi keith pruitt , Is there any update from you? If yes, please feel free to let me know. 3 votes Report Hi keith pruitt , Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A forum and I’m really sorry to hear that you’re running into sound issues on your Windows 11 device. Just to help us pinpoint the cause, do you recall if this started after a Windows update or anything new was installed? Besides, when you open Settings > System > Sound > Output , do you see your audio device listed there, or does Windows show “No output device found”? This detail helps us determine whether Windows recognizes your audio hardware. In the meantime, here’s one important step you can try, which is updating your audio driver directly from your device manufacturer’s website. Please visit the official support site for your computer or motherboard manufacturer and download the latest audio driver for your specific model. Installing the manufacturer‑provided driver often resolves issues caused by outdated or incompatible versions bundled with Windows. If possible, please also try plugging in an external speaker or a pair of headphones. This helps confirm whether sound works through another device, which can tell us if the issue is hardware‑related or only affecting the built‑in speakers. Let me know what you find, and we’ll take the next step together. Thank you for your patience. If the answer helps, click "Accept answer" and vote "upvote". If you have additional questions about this answer, please click "Comment". Note: If you want to receive email notifications about this thread, follow the steps in our documentation to enable email notifications. Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2025-12-25T08:42:34.25+00:00 Hi keith pruitt , Is there any update from you? If yes, please feel free to let me know. 3 votes Report Hi keith pruitt , Is there any update from you? If yes, please feel free to let me know. Ivan B • 120.4K Reputation points • Independent Advisor 2025-12-23T16:05:18.4866667+00:00 Hi , If it is a laptop or desktop, if possible, could you provide the laptop model or your desktop configuration? Access the device manager, take a screenshot, and post it here. Thanks 1 comment Show comments for this answer Report Ivan B • 120.4K Reputation points • Independent Advisor 2025-12-25T09:07:08.8633333+00:00 Hi , Did you manage to solve the problem? Thanks 0 votes Report If it is a laptop or desktop, if possible, could you provide the laptop model or your desktop configuration? Access the device manager, take a screenshot, and post it here. Ivan B • 120.4K Reputation points • Independent Advisor 2025-12-25T09:07:08.8633333+00:00 Hi , Did you manage to solve the problem? Thanks 0 votes Report Did you manage to solve the problem? AI answer 2025-12-23T15:32:03.3566667+00:00 To troubleshoot the sound issue on your computer, you can follow these steps: Check Audio Connections : Ensure that your speakers or headphones are properly connected to the audio jack. If you are using a USB audio device, try connecting it to a different USB port. Check Sound Settings : Go to Settings > System > Sound and ensure that the correct output device is selected. You can also check the volume levels here. Show Disabled Devices : In the Sound Control Panel, right-click in the background and select "Show Disabled Devices" to see if your audio device is disabled. If it is, enable it. Update Drivers : Make sure your audio drivers are up to date. You can do this through Device Manager by right-clicking on your audio device and selecting "Update Driver." Run the Audio Troubleshooter : Windows has a built-in troubleshooter that can help diagnose and fix audio problems. You can find it in Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Playing Audio . Restart Audio Services : Open the Run dialog (Windows + R), type services.msc , and press Enter. Find "Windows Audio" and "Windows Audio Endpoint Builder," right-click each, and select "Restart." System File Checker : If you suspect system files might be corrupted, you can run the System File Checker tool. Open Command Prompt as an administrator and type sfc /scannow , then press Enter. If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider checking for Windows updates or reinstalling your audio drivers. References: USB audio device not playing Troubleshooting Audio Testing AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information. Report To troubleshoot the sound issue on your computer, you can follow these steps: Check Audio Connections : Ensure that your speakers or headphones are properly connected to the audio jack. If you are using a USB audio device, try connecting it to a different USB port. Check Sound Settings : Go to Settings > System > Sound and ensure that the correct output device is selected. You can also check the volume levels here. Show Disabled Devices : In the Sound Control Panel, right-click in the background and select "Show Disabled Devices" to see if your audio device is disabled. If it is, enable it. Update Drivers : Make sure your audio drivers are up to date. You can do this through Device Manager by right-clicking on your audio device and selecting "Update Driver." Run the Audio Troubleshooter : Windows has a built-in troubleshooter that can help diagnose and fix audio problems. You can find it in Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Playing Audio . Restart Audio Services : Open the Run dialog (Windows + R), type services.msc , and press Enter. Find "Windows Audio" and "Windows Audio Endpoint Builder," right-click each, and select "Restart." System File Checker : If you suspect system files might be corrupted, you can run the System File Checker tool. Open Command Prompt as an administrator and type sfc /scannow , then press Enter. If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider checking for Windows updates or reinstalling your audio drivers. USB audio device not playing Troubleshooting Audio Testing VARADHARAJAN K • 9,711 Reputation points • Volunteer Moderator 2026-03-11T15:48:19.1366667+00:00 @keith pruitt Try to reinstall the audio driver once 0 comments No comments Report Try to reinstall the audio driver once Clary-N • 14,630 Reputation points • Microsoft External Staff • Moderator 2026-03-12T01:49:42.1366667+00:00 Hi all, If the issue still persists after completing the basic audio/sound troubleshooting , you may want to consider performing an in‑place upgrade (repair install) of Windows, which can help repair system components without removing your files or apps. *Disclaimer: Let’s try performing an in-place install or in-place upgrade which will refresh your Windows files and operating system without removing files or applications. That being said, we always recommend that if you have important data, you should back it up before making large system changes. If you want to back up your data first, please do so. Once you are done backing up, you can follow the steps in the following guides: How to run In-place upgrade in Windows 11 - Microsoft Q&A If that doesn’t resolve the problem, a clean installation of Windows would be the next step to rule out any deeper system corruption. *Disclaimer: At this point, we have exhausted all troubleshooting and I recommend that we try to perform a clean install to get your computer back into a working condition. Please ensure that you backup any important data, including Documents, Pictures, Videos, and more. Should the sound issue continue even after a clean install, it’s very likely that the cause may be hardware‑related (such as the audio chip, speakers, or related components). In that case, I’d recommend having the device checked by an authorized service provider or qualified technician. Best regards. 0 comments No comments Report If the issue still persists after completing the basic audio/sound troubleshooting , you may want to consider performing an in‑place upgrade (repair install) of Windows, which can help repair system components without removing your files or apps. *Disclaimer: Let’s try performing an in-place install or in-place upgrade which will refresh your Windows files and operating system without removing files or applications. That being said, we always recommend that if you have important data, you should back it up before making large system changes. If you want to back up your data first, please do so. Once you are done backing up, you can follow the steps in the following guides: How to run In-place upgrade in Windows 11 - Microsoft Q&A If that doesn’t resolve the problem, a clean installation of Windows would be the next step to rule out any deeper system corruption. *Disclaimer: At this point, we have exhausted all troubleshooting and I recommend that we try to perform a clean install to get your computer back into a working condition. Please ensure that you backup any important data, including Documents, Pictures, Videos, and more. Should the sound issue continue even after a clean install, it’s very likely that the cause may be hardware‑related (such as the audio chip, speakers, or related components). In that case, I’d recommend having the device checked by an authorized service provider or qualified technician. Best regards.