Monday, September 1, 2025

How to Fix No Sound Issue in Windows 10













Problem Overview

Many Windows 10 users face the “No Sound” issue, where:

  • Speakers/headphones don’t produce sound

  • The sound icon shows a red X

  • The audio service is not running

  • The wrong playback device is selected

  • The audio driver is corrupted

✅ Solution 1: Check Physical Connections

Steps:

  1. Ensure speakers/headphones are properly connected.

  2. Try plugging into a different audio port.

  3. If using Bluetooth, check if the device is paired & connected.

  4. Test sound with another device (phone/laptop) to rule out hardware issues.

✅ Solution 2: Unmute and Adjust Volume

Steps:

  1. Click the Speaker icon in the taskbar.

  2. Make sure the volume is not muted.

  3. Increase volume and test again.

✅ Solution 3: Select the Correct Playback Device

Steps:

  1. Right-click the Speaker icon → Open Sound settings.

  2. Under Choose your output device, select the correct device (e.g., Speakers/Headphones).

  3. Test by clicking Device properties → Test.

✅ Solution 4: Run Audio Troubleshooter

Steps:

  1. Press Windows + I → Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot.

  2. Click Additional troubleshooters.

  3. Select Playing Audio → Run the troubleshooter.

  4. Follow the recommendations.

✅ Solution 5: Restart Windows Audio Services

Steps:

  1. Press Windows + R, type:

    services.msc

    → Press Enter.

  2. Find these services:

    • Windows Audio

    • Windows Audio Endpoint Builder

    • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

  3. Right-click → Restart.

  4. Ensure their Startup Type is set to Automatic.

✅ Solution 6: Update or Reinstall Audio Driver

Steps:

  1. Press Windows + X → Device Manager.

  2. Expand Sound, video, and game controllers.

  3. Right-click your audio device → Update driver.

  4. Select Search automatically for drivers.

👉 Ifthe  problem persists:

  • Right-click → Uninstall device → Restart PC.

  • Windows will reinstall drivers automatically.

✅ Solution 7: Roll Back Driver (if issue started after update)

Steps:

  1. Open Device Manager → Audio Device → Properties.

  2. Go to the Driver tab.

  3. Click Roll Back Driver (if available).

✅ Solution 8: Set Audio Format Correctly

Steps:

  1. Right-click the Speaker icon → Sounds.

  2. Go to Playback tab → Select device → Properties.

  3. Under the Advanced tab, set format to 24-bit, 44100 Hz or 16-bit, 48000 Hz.

  4. Click Test → Apply.

✅ Solution 9: Disable Audio Enhancements

Steps:

  1. Right-click the Speaker icon → Sounds.

  2. Under the Playback tab, select your device → Properties.

  3. Go to the Enhancements tab.

  4. Tick Disable all enhancements → Apply → OK.

✅ Solution 10: Check HDMI/DisplayPort Audio

If using monitor speakers via HDMI/DisplayPort:

  1. Go to Sound settings.

  2. Set Monitor/TV (HDMI/DP) as the default output device.

  3. Update graphics drivers (since they include audio drivers).

✅ Solution 11: Reset Windows Sound Settings

Steps:

  1. Go to Settings → System → Sound.

  2. Scroll down → App volume and device preferences.

  3. Reset sound output for each app.

✅ Solution 12: Use Windows 10 System Restore (if sound worked before)

Steps:

  1. Press Windows + R, type:

    rstrui

    → Enter.

  2. Select a restore point when the sound was working.

  3. Follow instructions to restore Windows.

Final Note

Most No Sound issues in Windows 10 are caused by driver problems, wrong output device selection, or disabled audio services. Try each fix step by step; in most cases, sound will return without needing hardware replacement.