No Sound at All
Total silence is a different problem from quiet audio, and it is usually simpler: the audio is going somewhere you are not listening. Output routing accounts for the large majority of no-sound cases.
In order of likelihood
Check the output device
Your computer may be sending audio to a monitor over HDMI, a Bluetooth device in another room, or a virtual device installed by conferencing software. Open your sound settings and confirm the selected output is the one you are listening to.
Check for mutes
System mute, application mute, per-tab mute in a browser, and a physical mute switch or key on a keyboard or headset. Several of these can be active at once.
Check physical connections
Confirm the plug is fully seated and, for powered speakers, that they are switched on and set to the correct input.
Restart the audio service or device
On Windows, restarting Windows Audio in Services often resolves it. A full restart is the blunt version and frequently works.
Reinstall or roll back the driver
If sound stopped after an update, rolling back the audio driver in Device Manager is usually the fix.
Frequently asked questions
Sound works in one app but not another. Why?
That application is muted, set to zero in the volume mixer, or configured to use a different output device internally. Many applications have their own device picker.
No sound after a Windows update?
Usually a driver replaced during the update. Roll back the audio driver in Device Manager, or install the manufacturer's package rather than the generic Microsoft one.
Related pages
- TroubleshootingTroubleshootingSymptom-first diagnostics for volume and sound problems.
- TroubleshootingVolume too lowThe general diagnostic: source, app, system or hardware.
- TroubleshootingWindows too quietDucking, mixer levels and drivers — the Windows-specific causes.
- TroubleshootingBrowser too quietPer-app volume and per-tab settings, not the browser itself.
- DevicesDevicesThe system settings that actually raise output level on each platform.
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