This article explains how to solve the most common problems that can afflict the sound system of a computer running Windows and prevent the correct reproduction of sound effects and audio files. It should be noted that the specific problem of your computer may be too serious or complex to be diagnosed and solved in total autonomy. In this case you will need to contact a specialized assistance and repair service.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Check the Volume Level
Step 1. Check that the main volume level of your computer
is not too low or even turned off.
Locate the speaker icon displayed on the right side of the taskbar (usually located on the left of the system clock). If a small "X" is visible to its right, it means that the computer speakers are disabled. To restore the sound system, repeatedly press the key (or key combination) to increase the overall volume or click on the speaker icon and drag the slider that will appear from left to right. An indicator will appear on the screen showing the current volume level.
- If the computer sound system icon is not visible on the taskbar, click on it with the right mouse button, click on the item Taskbar settings, click on the link Select the icons to be displayed on the taskbar and finally activate the cursor located on the right of the "Volume" item by moving it to the right on the "Activated" position.
- Many laptop keyboards have a key that allows you to directly control the volume level and turn speakers on or off. In many cases these keys are shared with other keyboard functions. For example the directional arrow keys ← + → + ↑ + ↓ may be marked with the volume level icon. In order to use the so-called "second function" of a key on the keyboard, you must hold down the special key Fn before pressing the one in question (to increase the volume or to reactivate the speakers).
Step 2. Click on the Windows volume icon
with the right mouse button and choose the option Open Volume Mixer.
It is located in the lower right corner of the desktop.
Step 3. Use the sliders displayed within the "Volume Mixer" window to adjust the volume level of the computer speakers
Each application currently running on your computer will have a dedicated slider for adjusting the volume. If the slider is positioned at the bottom of the "Volume Mixer" window, it means that the volume is at zero.
- If you want to increase the overall volume level of your computer, move the "Speakers" slider up.
- If this solution ends your problem, click on the icon X located in the upper right part of the "Volume Mixer" window to close it.
Step 4. Check the connection of external speakers or headphones
If there is no sound from the speakers or headphones you connected to your computer, make sure you have connected them correctly to the correct port (for example, make sure you have not used the audio port reserved for the microphone). brings.
- If the external speakers you connected to your computer have their own volume control, make sure it is set to the correct level and that the speakers are powered correctly and turned on.
- You may also need to select the correct audio device for playing sounds.
Step 5. Restart your computer
Before examining any of the other methods described in the article, try to restore the correct functioning of the sound system by restarting the computer. If after restarting the problem has been solved, you will not need to continue reading the article.
Method 2 of 5: Automatic Windows Troubleshooting Procedure
Step 1. Click on the "Start" menu icon
with the right mouse button and choose the item System from the menu that will appear.
The computer settings window will appear.
The "Troubleshooting" tool in the audio compartment represents a guided procedure consisting of several steps whose purpose is to guide the user towards the solution of the most common problems that can prevent the computer from reproducing sounds correctly. You will be prompted to change the settings on the "Enhancements" tab, enable or disable certain features, or allow changes in volume levels. This Windows diagnostic tool should be able to fix most problems with your computer's audio compartment
Step 2. Click on the Audio tab
It is located at the top of the left sidebar of the "Settings" window.
Step 3. Click the Troubleshoot button
It is displayed below the "Master Volume" slider located at the top of the "Audio" panel. The operating system will try to automatically detect all problems related to the audio sector.
Step 4. Select the audio playback device you want to examine
If your computer has multiple sound-playing devices, you will be prompted to select the one to investigate to find the problem. Select your computer's default device for audio playback before continuing.
Step 5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Windows troubleshooting steps
If the problem persists, continue reading the article.
Method 3 of 5: Disable Audio Effects
Step 1. Click on the "Start" menu icon
with the right mouse button and choose the item System from the menu that will appear.
The computer settings window will appear.
Step 2. Click on the Audio tab
It is located at the top of the left sidebar of the "Settings" window.
Step 3. Scroll down the page and click on Audio Control Panel
It is displayed within the "Related Settings" section.
Step 4. Click on the default device for audio playback (normally they are the "Speakers" of the computer) and select the Properties item
Step 5. Click on the Enhancements tab
If the card under consideration is not visible, there will most likely be cards related to specific audio enhancements, for example the card Dolby audio.
Step 6. Disable the available audio enhancements
If the option Disable all sound effects is present, select it immediately. If not, you will have to disable any active sound effects and check if the sound system has started working properly again. If this solution does not solve the problem, re-enable any sound effects that you have disabled and continue reading the article.
Method 4 of 5: Change the Speaker Properties
Step 1. Click on the "Start" menu icon
with the right mouse button and choose the item System from the menu that will appear.
The computer settings window will appear.
Step 2. Click on the Audio tab
It is located at the top of the left sidebar of the "Settings" window.
Step 3. Select the Speakers option from the "Choose Output Device" drop-down menu
The latter is displayed at the top of the "Output" section of the "Audio" tab. If there is more than one item in the "Choose output device" menu, select the computer's built-in speakers and not the external speakers you have connected to the system.
Step 4. Click Device Properties
It is located under the "Choose output device" drop-down menu.
Before continuing, make sure the "Disable" checkbox appears at the top of the page Not is selected.
Step 5. Click Additional Device Properties
It is displayed within the "Related Settings" section. The "Properties - Speakers" dialog box will be displayed.
Step 6. Click on the Advanced tab
It is displayed at the top of the dialog that appears.
Step 7. Click on the drop-down menu displayed inside the "Default Format" box
The currently selected option should be similar to "24-bit, 44100 Hz (Professional quality)" or "16-bit, 48000 Hz (DVD quality)".
Step 8. Click on a new menu item
If the initially selected audio format was "24-bit", try choosing a "16-bit" one (or vice versa).
Step 9. Click the Test button
It is located to the right of the drop-down menu in question. A series of test sounds will play and if the speakers are active you should hear them clearly.
Step 10. Repeat the test with all available audio formats
If you can hear the test sounds by choosing one of the present formats, it means that you have identified and solved the problem.
Click on the button OK to close the dialog. At this point your work is done.
Method 5 of 5: Update the Sound Card Drivers
Step 1. Press the key combination ⊞ Win + S to open the Windows search window
You can access the same window by clicking on the circular or magnifying glass icon on the right of the "Start" menu.
Step 2. Type the device manager keywords into the search bar
A list of results that match the searched criteria will be displayed.
Step 3. Click the Device Manager icon
A list of all devices connected to the computer will be displayed.
Step 4. Scroll down the list and click on the small arrow next to Sound, video and game controllers
Step 5. Click on your computer's sound card with the right mouse button, then choose the Properties option
Your computer's integrated sound card will most likely have a name similar to "Realtek High Definition Audio".
Step 6. Click on the Driver tab
It is displayed at the top of the dialog box.
Step 7. Click the Update Driver button
It is displayed within the "Driver" tab.
Step 8. Click the Automatically search for an updated driver option
It is displayed at the top of the dialog that appears. This way the operating system can search for a new video card driver update directly on the web.
Step 9. Install the new drivers if prompted
You may need to confirm your action by clicking on the button Yup or Install even though the updated drivers will be downloaded automatically.
If no updates are found for your sound card drivers, manually check the device manufacturer's website for new updates
Step 10. Restart your computer
Once the new drivers have been installed, you will need to restart your computer to complete the update. If outdated drivers were the cause of the problem, your computer's audio compartment should now be working properly again.
