No sound on your Mac? 5 fixes to try

howtosimply.com/guides/no-sound-on-your-mac-7-fixes-to-try/ · Checked October 2026 · MacBook Neo · macOS 27.0.1

5 of 5 steps with real screenshots · 2 official sources below

Device

Mac

Shown on

macOS 27.0.1 (MacBook Neo)

App

System Settings

Real screenshots

5 of 5 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

2 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Check volume and mute

   Press the volume up key, or drag the Output volume slider under System Settings, Sound. On our MacBook Neo, Mute is a tick box just below that slider: make sure it is not ticked.

   Done

2. 

   Choose the right output

   Open System Settings, Sound and click Output. Select the built-in speakers or your headphones. On our MacBook Neo the list shows MacBook Neo Speakers, type Built-in, with a Balance slider below.

   Done

3. 

   Disconnect other audio devices

   Turn off Bluetooth for a moment under System Settings, Bluetooth, and unplug headphones and displays. On our MacBook Neo, Bluetooth shows My Devices: No Bluetooth Devices.

   Done

4. 

   Restart the Mac

   Choose Apple menu, Restart…. On our MacBook Neo, Restart… sits between Sleep and Shut Down….

   Done

5. 

   Update macOS

   Open System Settings, General, Software Update and click Check for Updates. Our MacBook Neo shows Your Mac is up to date: macOS 27 Golden Gate 27.0.1.

   Done

What we saw on our device

• Check volume and mute: On our MacBook Neo, Mute is a tick box just below that slider: make sure it is not ticked.
• Choose the right output: On our MacBook Neo the list shows MacBook Neo Speakers, type Built-in, with a Balance slider below.
• Disconnect other audio devices: On our MacBook Neo, Bluetooth shows My Devices: No Bluetooth Devices.
• Restart the Mac: On our MacBook Neo, Restart… sits between Sleep and Shut Down….

If you do not see this option

• No MacBook Speakers in the list On our MacBook Neo the Output list names the built-in speakers MacBook Neo Speakers, type Built-in. Select that row.
• Headphones not in the Output list Apple's macOS 27 guide: for Bluetooth headphones, choose Apple menu, System Settings, Sound, click Output and select the device. Connect them under Bluetooth first. Source: Connect a Bluetooth device with your Mac

If this does not work

• Sound only fails in one app Play sound in another app, such as Music. If that works, check the first app's own volume. In Safari, a webpage with audio may be muted: Apple's speaker article says to click the Audio button in the search field at the top of the window. Our Mac plays alert sounds through the Selected Sound Output Device: the play button next to Alert sound tests that output. Source: If the internal speakers on your Mac aren't working
• Sound goes to a Bluetooth device Disconnect it: Apple's guide says hold the pointer over the device in System Settings, Bluetooth and click Disconnect. Source: Connect a Bluetooth device with your Mac

About this guide

Silence on a Mac can come from the wrong output device: sound going to a display, a Bluetooth speaker or headphones that are not in use.

Screenshots: MacBook Neo, macOS 27.0.1, dark mode.

Good to know

Alert sounds have their own volume under System Settings, Sound, Sound Effects. On our MacBook Neo the alert sound is Boop.

If the built-in speakers still make no sound after these steps, contact Apple Support.

In short: Volume up, unmute, System Settings, Sound, Output, pick the right device.