No Sounds on Windows 10? Here's How to Fix It

Sound is important, so get yours working again

Photo of an audio speaker

Martin Koller / Getty Images 

by Stefanie Fogel
Stefanie Fogel has written about technology since 2009. Her work has appeared on Variety, Engadget, Polygon, and many other online publications.
Updated August 20, 2019

There's nothing worse than firing up a video game or Netflix movie on your Windows 10 device only to find the sound isn't working. If you're having audio problems, there are a number of things you can try. Here are several suggestions for diagnosing and fixing the issue.

Cause of No Sound on Windows 10

While hardware issues are sometimes to blame for sound failures, software is most often the culprit. Big Windows 10 updates add lots of new features, for example, but they can also add new problems. The patch can conflict with older audio drivers or with your sound card manufacturer's software.

How to Fix Audio Not Working on Windows 10

  1. Check your cables and volume. Make sure your speakers or headphones are plugged into the proper jacks and the volume is turned up. Then, check your volume levels. To do this: right-click the speaker icon in your system tray, then select Volume Mixer from the list of options.

    Some speakers or headphones have their own apps with volume controls. You might need to check there as well.

  2. Make sure your audio device is the default. If your speakers or headphones use a USB or HDMI port, you might need to make that device your default. To do that:

    1. Type "Sound" in the Windows 10 search box, then select Sound from the list of results.
    2. Select the Playback tab (if you're not there already), then select your audio device.
    3. Select Set Default.
    Screenshot of the Sound properties window in Windows 10
    ​

  3. Restart your PC after an update. A lot of Windows 10 updates want you to restart your device after installation, and if you haven't done so yet it could be causing your audio issue. So, save your work, close all of your applications, and give your computer a quick reboot.

  4. Try a System Restore. If you still have no sound after installing the updates, you could try going back to a previous system restore point. Windows creates one whenever it installs an update on your device, just in case there's a problem.

  5. Run the Windows 10 Audio Troubleshooter. It can diagnose and fix a variety of common sound problems. To use it:

    1. Type "audio troubleshooter" into the Windows 10 search box.
    2. Select Find and fix audio playback problems.
    3. When the troubleshooter appears, simply follow the on-screen prompts.
    Screenshot of the Windows 10 search bar

  6. Update your audio driver. If your sound still isn't working, updating your Windows 10 audio driver could resolve the issue.

    1. Type "Device Manager" into the search box, then select it from the list of results.
    2. Double-click Sound, video and game controllers, then double-click your sound card.
    3. Select the Driver tab, then select Update Driver.
    Screenshot of audio properties tab in Windows 10
    ​

    If Windows can't find you a new driver, you'll have to get one from the sound card manufacturer's website.

  7. Uninstall and reinstall your audio driver. If updating your Windows 10 audio driver doesn't work, you can try uninstalling and reinstalling it. Find your sound card in the Device Manager again, then right-click it and select Uninstall. Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver after you restart your computer.