Start with the simplest checks first
Sound stops working on a computer for one of a handful of reasons, and most of them take less than a minute to rule out. Before you assume the hardware is broken, check whether the volume is muted, whether the speakers are plugged in, and whether the right audio device is selected as the output.
Open your volume mixer—on Windows, right-click the speaker icon in the system tray at the bottom right of your screen; on Mac, click the volume icon in the menu bar at the top. Look for a mute button or a slider turned all the way down. If the volume is at zero or muted, turn it up. If you have external speakers or headphones, make sure the cable is fully plugged into the audio jack or USB port, and that the speakers themselves are powered on if they need to be.
Next, check that your computer is actually sending sound to the device you want to hear it from. In the volume mixer, you should see a list of audio outputs—this might say "Speakers," "Headphones," "HDMI," or the name of your audio device. Click on the one you want to use. If you only see one option and it is not the device you plugged in, your computer may not recognize the new device yet.
Key Takeaways
- Check the volume level and mute button in your volume mixer before assuming anything is broken.
- Make sure external speakers or headphones are plugged in fully and powered on, and that your computer recognizes them as an audio output device.
- Restart your computer—this fixes sound problems caused by software glitches about half the time.
- If sound works in some programs but not others, the problem is usually a program setting or a browser permission, not your hardware.
- Updating or reinstalling your audio driver can restore sound when the device is recognized but produces no audio.
Restart your computer to clear temporary software problems
A restart clears out temporary glitches that prevent sound from working even though your hardware is fine. Shut down your computer completely, wait ten seconds, and turn it back on. Do not use sleep mode or restart—actually power it all the way off.
While your computer is restarting, Windows or macOS will reload the audio drivers, which are the software that tells your computer how to use your sound hardware. If a driver crashed or got stuck, a restart usually fixes it. After your computer boots back up, try playing sound again—a video, music, or a system sound like a notification beep.
Check whether sound works in all programs or only some
If you have sound in some programs but not others, your hardware is working and the problem is specific to that program. The most common cause is that the program's volume is turned down separately from your system volume, or the program does not have permission to use your speakers.
In Windows, open Settings, go to Volume and device preferences, scroll down to Advanced, and click Volume mixer. You will see a list of programs with their own volume sliders. Find the program that has no sound and turn its volume up. On Mac, some programs have their own volume controls in the menu bar or in the program's preferences—check there first.
If the program is a web browser like Chrome or Firefox, the website itself may have muted audio. Look for a speaker icon with a line through it on the browser tab, or in the address bar. Click it to unmute. Some websites also ask permission to play sound the first time you visit—if you clicked "Block," you need to change that permission in your browser settings.
Update or reinstall your audio driver if your device is recognized but silent
If your speakers or headphones show up in your volume mixer and the volume is turned up, but you still hear nothing, your audio driver may be outdated or corrupted. The driver is the software that translates what your programs want to play into signals your hardware understands.
On Windows, right-click the Start button, select Device Manager, and look for Sound, video and game controllers. Expand that section and right-click your audio device—it might say Realtek, Conexant, Intel, or the name of your sound card. Select Update driver and let Windows search for the latest version online. If that does not work, select Uninstall device, restart your computer, and Windows will reinstall the driver automatically.
On Mac, audio drivers are built into the operating system and update automatically with macOS updates. If you have no sound after a recent macOS update, restart your computer first. If that does not work, go to System Settings, Sound, and check that your output device is selected and the volume is up.
Check your audio hardware for physical damage or loose connections
If you have tried restarting, checked the volume, and updated your driver, the problem may be physical. Look at the audio jack on your computer or the cable on your speakers for bent pins, corrosion, or debris. If the jack looks dirty, use a dry cotton swab to gently clean it. Do not use water or liquid cleaners.
If you use a USB audio device like USB headphones or a USB speaker, try plugging it into a different USB port. Some ports on older computers do not provide enough power for audio devices. If you have a laptop, also check whether the audio jack is blocked by a protective cover or cap that you need to remove.
Try your speakers or headphones on another device—a phone, tablet, or different computer. If they work elsewhere, your computer's audio hardware may be failing. If they do not work on any device, the speakers or headphones themselves are broken.
Disable audio enhancements that can cause sound to cut out
Windows includes audio enhancement features that sometimes interfere with sound instead of improving it. These can cause crackling, distortion, or complete silence even though everything else is set up correctly.
On Windows, right-click the speaker icon in the system tray and select Open Volume mixer. Scroll down to Advanced and click App volume and device preferences. Find the program that has no sound, click it, and look for an Advanced option. If you see Spatial audio or other enhancements turned on, try turning them off. Alternatively, right-click your audio device in Device Manager, select Properties, go to the Advanced tab, and uncheck Enable audio enhancements.
On Mac, go to System Settings, Sound, and check whether any audio effects or enhancements are turned on. Most Macs do not have these by default, but some third-party audio software adds them.
Disconnect and reconnect your audio device to force your computer to recognize it
If you plugged in headphones or speakers and your computer does not show them in the volume mixer, the device may not be recognized. Unplug the device completely, wait five seconds, and plug it back in. On Windows, you should see a notification that a new device was found. On Mac, the device should appear in the Sound settings automatically.
If the device still does not appear, try a different cable or a different USB port. Some cables are damaged even though they look fine, and some USB ports are not fully functional. If you have a USB audio device, also try plugging it into a port on the back of a desktop computer rather than the front, since front ports sometimes have power issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my sound work in some browser tabs but not others?
The website itself may have muted audio, or your browser may have blocked that site from playing sound. Look for a speaker icon with a line through it on the browser tab. Click it to unmute. If the icon does not appear, go to your browser settings, find the Privacy or Permissions section, and check whether audio is blocked for that website.
My headphones are plugged in but my computer still plays sound through the speakers. How do I fix this?
Open your volume mixer and look at the list of audio outputs. Select your headphones from that list instead of the speakers. If your headphones do not appear in the list, unplug them, wait five seconds, and plug them back in. Your computer should recognize them and add them to the output list.
Sound stopped working after a Windows update. What should I do?
Restart your computer first—this fixes most sound problems after updates. If that does not work, go to Device Manager, find your audio device under Sound, video and game controllers, right-click it, and select Update driver. If updating does not help, uninstall the device, restart, and let Windows reinstall it automatically.
Can a virus cause my sound to stop working?
A virus can disable audio drivers or change audio settings, but it is rare. If you suspect a virus, run a full scan with Windows Defender or your antivirus software. More often, sound stops working because of a driver problem, a muted program, or a loose cable. Check those first.
My audio device is recognized but produces only crackling or distorted sound. What causes this?
Crackling usually means your audio driver is outdated, your cable is damaged, or audio enhancements are turned on and conflicting with your device. Try updating your driver first, then try a different cable, then disable audio enhancements in your sound settings.