How to Fix Sound Problems on Windows 10 (5 solutions)

Checking the volume and sound settings, updating sound drivers, checking for Windows updates, and troubleshooting the hardware help fix the problem

Regular windows updates are important to secure and optimize your system performance. But few users report recent windows 10 2022 update version 22H2 break audio on their laptop. An incompatible or Outdated sound driver is the main cause of this issue, again Misconfigured audio settings, or if audio service is disabled or the Output sound device not correctly connected you may experience Sound not working problem. Changing the default sound format, Restarting certain audio services or update the sound driver most probably fix the Audio not working problem in Windows 10.

No Audio After Windows 10 Update

If you’re having audio issues after installing windows updates, apply the solutions listed below.

First Check your speaker and headphone connections for loose cables or the wrong jack. New PCs these days are equipped with 3 or more jacks. microphone jack, line-in jack and line-out jack.

These jacks connect to a sound processor. So make sure your speakers are plugged into the line-out jack. If unsure which is the right jack, try plugging speakers into each of the jacks and see if it produces any sound. In addition, Ensure that the power is turned on and that the volume is not all the way down.

Try connecting your speakers or headphones to a different USB port, In addition, performing a restart has been the most common advice for fixing a tech-related issue. Let’s restart your PC and check if the sound problem persists.

Check Your Sound Settings

Check your audio device is configured properly, and check the volume level on the volume mixer.

  • Right-click on the speaker icon on the system tray and select open volume mixer,
  • Here check the volume levels and make sure none of them are muted. (if any of the options are muted you will see a red circle with a line through it.

Windows volume mixer

In addition open device properties and ensure that they were not disabled accidentally.

  • Press the windows key + x and select settings,
  • Go to the system then sound, Select your device and change the volume level 100
  • Next click on the “Device properties” (for both input and out devices)

sound device properties

  • And Make sure that the Disable check box is cleared.

Restart the windows audio service

Windows audio service manages all the audio devices on your computer. If due to any reason, windows audio or its related services stopped or stuck running you may experience Audio not working problem on windows 10.

  • Press the Windows key + R, type services.msc and click ok to open the windows service console,
  • Scroll down to locate windows audio service right click on it select restart,
  • If the service not started, then double-click on windows audio service to open its properties,
  • change the startup type automatic and click start next to service status,

In the Services window, make sure that the following services have Running Status and their Startup Type is set to Automatic.

Windows Audio
Windows Audio Endpoint Builder
Plug and Play
Multimedia Class Scheduler

windows audio service

Check after performing these steps, if the audio started working or not. Also, check this post If you find the Microphone not working after install windows 10 version 22H2.

Run the audio troubleshooter

If the problem still exists, Run the built-in audio troubleshooter that allows Windows 10 to identify and fix issues on its own. Let’s run the troubleshooter and let windows do the things for you before you dive in deeper.

  • Press the Windows key + X and select settings
  • Go to update and security then troubleshoot and click on the additional troubleshooters link
  • This will display the available troubleshooter list, locate and Click on playing audio and run the troubleshooter
  • Follow on Screen instructions To complete the troubleshooting process. This will check for audio problems if found anything fixes itself.
  • You’ll see what fixes the troubleshooter applied, if any when it’s done. Restart your PC and check the audio problem is solved.

playing audio troubleshooter

Check the status of the Speakers

If due to any reason you have disabled the audio device, then you might not see it under the list of playback devices. Or especially if the problem started after the recent windows 10 upgrade there is a chance due to an incompatibility issue or bed driver windows automatically Disable the audio device, then you might not see it under the list of playback devices.

  • To, do this type Sound on Start menu search and select sound settings from the list of results,
  • Here Under the Playback tab, right-click on the empty area and make sure “Show Disabled Devices” has a checkmark on it.
  • If headphones/Speakers are disabled, it will now show up in the list, Right-click on the device and Enable it Click OK.
  • Select your speaker audio device, and click Set Default, If your device has been the default device, you’ll see a green check mark next to your device.

show disabled devices

Installing Default Sound Drivers

Windows 10 might have lost or corrupted your audio driver during the update. You will have to update or reinstall the audio driver to fix the no sound issue. You can update audio driver from the device manager or download the audio driver for windows 10 and install it manually.

  • Right-click on the Start menu and select Device manager to open it.
  • This will display all installed device driver list, locate and expand Sound, video and game controllers.
  • Right-click your audio device and then select Update driver.

update audio driver

  • Select update automatically to allow Windows to automatically find and install the correct audio driver for your device.
  • If it can’t find a suitable driver, you will need to manually install the driver by selecting it based on its model (Usually we will install the Realtek High Definition Audio).
  • Click on Browse my computer for driver software, then select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
  • Select Realtek High Definition Audio and follow the on-screen instructions.
  • After that restart windows and check the Audio/sound is started on your laptop.

If still having the issue, Visit the device manufacturer’s website, and look for the latest available audio driver for your (Laptop, Desktop) Download and save the driver on your local system.

  • Again open the device manager and Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
  • Right-click on the installed audio driver and select uninstall.
  • Restart windows and install the latest driver previously download from the manufacturer’s website.

Did these solutions help to fix the “Windows 10 Audio, no sound” problem? Let us which option worked for you,

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