iamtheit
Back Share
Fix

No sound on laptop

Step 1 of 3

Check the speaker icon at the bottom right

See a cross on it? Click the icon, then slide the volume to the right.

The simulation shows Windows in English, like most laptops.

  1. Check the speaker icon at the bottom right

    See a cross on it? Click the icon, then slide the volume to the right.

  2. Choose the right speaker

    Click the speaker icon, click the arrow next to the volume, then choose Speakers.

  3. Restart the laptop

    Click Start, then the Power icon, then Restart.

    StartPowerRestart
Technician fixes (advanced)

The simple steps didn’t help? A technician would try these next, in this order. Stop as soon as the problem is fixed. Commands marked “as administrator”: right-click Start › Terminal (Admin).

  1. Restart the Windows sound services (as administrator)

    Both services must say Running. Restarting AudioEndpointBuilder also restarts Windows Audio and fixes sound that vanished after sleep.

    Get-Service Audiosrv, AudioEndpointBuilder | Select-Object Name, Status
Restart-Service AudioEndpointBuilder -Force

  2. Check the classic Sound panel

    Press Win + R and run this. On the Playback tab, right-click › Show Disabled Devices; enable the speakers if they are disabled, and Set as Default. Then speakers › Properties › Advanced: choose 24 bit, 48000 Hz, untick both “Exclusive mode” boxes and untick Enable audio enhancements.

    mmsys.cpl

  3. Fix the driver chain

    Device Manager › System devices: “Intel Smart Sound Technology” (newer Intel laptops) must have no yellow mark, because the Realtek driver depends on it. Then Sound, video and game controllers: if the sound device has a mark, reinstall the audio driver from the laptop maker’s site, or switch to “High Definition Audio Device” (see the driver guides).

  4. Test the hardware

    Plug in headphones. Sound in headphones but not from the speakers → the speakers or their cable are faulty (repair shop). No sound anywhere, even with a USB headset → a Windows/driver problem; run sfc /scannow as administrator. Also try the BIOS: some laptops have a built-in speaker test in their diagnostics (often F12 or Esc at start-up).

Technical details (for the curious)

The sound chain in Windows

App › Windows Audio service › audio driver › sound chip › speakers. If one link breaks, there is no sound. Picking the “right speaker” decides where Windows sends the sound (laptop speakers, headphones, HDMI, Bluetooth).

Check the driver

Device Manager › Sound, video and game controllers and Audio inputs and outputs. A yellow mark or a missing device means a driver problem. See the guide “No sound after an update: switch the audio driver”.

Troubleshooter

Settings › System › Sound › Troubleshoot common sound problems checks the service, the default device and sound effects automatically.

Coming soon

Still not fixed?

In the next update you can tell us what happened, and our AI helper will suggest another way. Until then, restart the device and go through the steps once more.