No sound on Windows 11? 7 fixes to try

2 min read · 7 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Short answer

Click the speaker icon on the taskbar, check the volume is up and not muted, and choose the correct output device from the list. Then check the app's own volume in the Volume mixer and run the audio troubleshooter in Get Help.

Silence on a Windows PC is most often the wrong output device: the sound is going to a monitor, a headset or a Bluetooth speaker that is not in use. The first two steps fix that.

Step by step

  1. Check volume and mute

    Click the speaker icon at the right end of the taskbar. Drag the slider up and make sure the speaker symbol has no cross on it. Check the mute key on the keyboard and any volume wheel on your speakers or headset.

  2. Choose the right output device

    In the same panel, click the sound output button to the right of the volume slider. Pick your speakers or headphones from the list. Monitors with HDMI often appear here and take over the sound.

  3. Check the cable and the socket

    Speakers and wired headphones go in the green socket or the one marked with a headphone symbol. Make sure external speakers are switched on and plugged in.

  4. Open the Volume mixer

    Right-click the speaker icon and choose Open volume mixer. Each app has its own slider, and one may be at zero or muted.

  5. Run the audio troubleshooter

    Open the Start menu, type Get Help, and enter "audio troubleshooter". Follow the steps.

  6. Restart the PC

    A restart reloads the audio service and drivers.

  7. Update or reinstall the audio driver

    Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager. Open Sound, video and game controllers, right-click your audio device and choose Update driver. If that does not help, choose Uninstall device and restart; Windows installs it again.

Good to know

No sound in one browser tab only? Right-click the tab and check that the site is not muted.

Bluetooth headphones sometimes connect as a "Hands-Free" device with poor sound. Choose the entry marked Stereo, or without Hands-Free, in the output list.

If sound stopped after a Windows update, installing the audio driver from your PC maker's website usually restores it.

In short: Volume up and unmuted, right output device, Volume mixer, troubleshooter, driver.

Sources
  • Microsoft Support: Fix sound or audio problems in Windows

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