No sound on computer: how to find the cause

Start with a quick test

Open the speaker test and press play with the volume at a low level. It plays a test sound in the browser, so it does not depend on a particular video, song or app.

• The test plays but your app does not: the problem is in that app, its own volume or its output setting.
• The test plays through the wrong device, for example a monitor or a Bluetooth speaker in another room: change the output device.
• Nothing plays anywhere: follow the steps below in order.

For headphones, the headphone test also checks left and right separately.

Check the output device

Computers send sound to one output at a time. A monitor with speakers, a dock, a USB headset or Bluetooth earbuds can take over without you noticing.

• Windows 11: open Settings > System > Sound. Under Output, choose the device you want to hear, check that it is not muted and raise the volume slider. To make it the default, open More sound settings, go to the Playback tab, right-click the device and choose Set as default.
• Mac: unplug headphones and external speakers, open System Settings > Sound and click Output. Select your Mac's speakers, make sure the output volume slider is not all the way to the left and that Mute is not ticked.

If you use Bluetooth earbuds or speakers, turn them off for a moment: if the sound comes back on the computer's speakers, it was simply going to them.

Mute, volume keys and app volume

• Press the volume up key and the mute key once: many laptops have a mute key with a small light, and it is easy to press by accident.
• Check the volume inside the app: video players, browsers, games and call apps all have their own controls.
• On Windows, the volume mixer can set a different volume for each app. If one app is silent while others play, check its level there.
• A browser tab can be muted. Look for a crossed-out speaker icon on the tab.

Check cables, ports and Bluetooth

• Wired speakers and headphones: make sure the plug is fully pushed in and in the right port (the output, not the microphone input). External speakers need power and often have their own power switch and volume knob.
• USB speakers or headsets: try another USB port. On a Mac, Apple suggests checking that USB speakers appear in System Information under USB; if they do not, unplug and plug them in again.
• Monitors and TVs over HDMI or DisplayPort: the sound goes to the display. Raise the display's own volume or pick a different output.
• Bluetooth: check that the device is connected and charged. Removing it and pairing it again fixes many connections that look fine but play nothing.

Windows audio troubleshooter and enhancements

If the right device is selected and nothing is muted, Microsoft suggests these steps on Windows 11:

1. Turn off audio enhancements: in Settings > System > Sound, select your output device, scroll to Advanced settings and set Audio enhancements to Off.
2. Run the audio troubleshooter: Microsoft provides an automated audio troubleshooter in the Get Help app, which runs checks and tries to fix common problems.
3. Check the driver: if the sound device is missing or shows an error, Microsoft has separate guides on updating audio drivers and on missing or undetected output devices. Use Windows Update or the computer maker's support site; avoid driver download sites.

A restart after an update is also worth trying before anything more complex.

When it is probably hardware

If the speaker test plays through headphones but not through the built-in speakers, with the speakers selected and the volume up, the built-in speakers may be faulty. If no output works at all, including headphones and Bluetooth, the problem is more likely in the system or the sound hardware. Apple notes that built-in speakers which still do not work after these checks may need service; for Windows laptops, contact the computer maker. A web page can show whether sound reaches a device, but it cannot repair speakers or drivers. More checks for audio and cameras are on the audio and video tests page.