Operating System

Troubleshooting Guide: How to Fix Sound Problems in Windows 10

When you update the latest version of Windows 10, you can have great features and fixes. Besides, you may face some problems. One of the most typical problems with Windows 10 is no sound. Thus, you need to know how to fix sound problem in Windows 10.

about How to Fix Sound Problem in Windows 10?

In this article, we will tell you how to fix this problem in different ways, and you can choose which method is suitable for you.

Check Volume Sliders

If you face a problem with your sound, the first thing you should do is check Volume Mixer, and check whether anything has changed. To do so, follow the steps below:

  1. Look at your taskbar and find speaker icon.
  2. Right-click on the speaker icon.
  3. Select Open Volume Mixer.
  4. Check your sliders, and ensure that they are normal.

Note: Some sliders may be low and need fixing to solve the problem of sound and volume.

Check Speaker Settings

  1. At the bottom right corner of the desktop, right-click the sound icon.
  2. Select Playback devices.
  3. In the tab of Playback, make sure there is a green tick on Speakers which shows that the speakers are the default playback device.

Note: It makes your problem double if your speakers are not set as the default. To solve this problem, just select them, choose Set Default, and then click OK.

  • Enter the Advanced tab.
  • In the Default Format part, choose a different sample rate and bit depth.
  • Select Test.
  • Repeat the process until finding a format that work.
  • Select OK.

Uninstall Audio Driver

Sometimes you are not able to hear any sound from the speaker. To solve this problem, follow the steps below to uninstall your audio driver:

  1. Hold Windows + X to reach the quick access.
  2. Select Device Manager.
  3. Right-click on your sound card in the Device Manager.
  4. Select Uninstall.
  5. If it asked you to confirm the uninstallation, tick the box of Delete the driver software for this device.
  6. Select OK.
  7. Restart your system.

Reinstall Audio Drivers

Whenever your audio driver is damaged, you may need to reinstall it to fix the problem. There are some options to solve the problems of the driver in the Device Manager. You can find Device Manager from Start Menu or by holding Win + X.

You can try to restore the driver to the last perfect form. To do so, you should expand Audio inputs and outputs in the Device Manager. Follow the steps below to restore the driver to the last good configuration:

  1. Right-click on the Audio Device.
  2. Choose Properties.
  3. Have a look at the Driver tab.
  4. Select the Roll Back Driver to start the process of using the prior driver version.

Note: If you cannot restore the driver, you should choose to Update or Uninstall it.

Update Audio Driver

There are two ways that you can update audio driver, manually and automatically.

Update audio driver manually – Open the manufacturer website, and look for the recent correct driver for sound card and variant in Windows 10.

Update audio driver automatically – You can use Driver Easy to update audio driver automatically. To use it, follow the steps below.

  1. Download Driver Easy and install it.
  2. Run Driver Easy.
  3. Select Scan Now to allow Driver Easy to scan and detect problems.
  4. Next to the flagged audio driver, choose Update icon to download and install the correct version of driver automatically, or select Update All to update all the drivers that are missed or outdated. 
  5. Restart your computer.

Restart Audio Services

Follow the steps below to restart audio services:

  1. Hold Win + R to revoke the run box.
  2. In the run box, type services.msc.
  3. Right-click on Windows Audio.
  4. Click on Restart.
  5. Restart your system.

Disable Audio Enhancements

One of the reasons which cause problems with audio is audio enhancements. Therefore, to solve this problem, you need to turn the audio enhancements off. To do so, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to Control Panel.
  2. Observe by small icon, and choose Sound.
  3. Choose one Default Device.
  4. Choose Properties.
  5. Click on Disable all enhancements on the Enhancements tab.
  6. Select OK.
  7. Check whether the problem is fixed or not.

Note: If you have several default devices, just follow the steps above until the problem will be fixed.

Check Audio Cables

Sometimes you need to check all the physical connections. Thus, ensure that all audio cables are plugged into your computer. Unplug and reconnect everything to ensure that you did not lose your connections, and check whether the cables are plugged into the right parts. Normally, we can say that the audio cables must plug in the green port. If any of your cables are old or damaged, it is useless. You might require to move it to have a good connection, or it is better to change the damaged cables with new ones.

Run the Audio Troubleshooter

Windows 10 has a complete audio troubleshooter which checks and checks all the problems related to it, and it provides some solutions. Because of its ability to find problems automatically, it is a good idea to run it. To do so, follow the steps below:

  1. Search Troubleshooter in the search box. In the result of your search, select Troubleshoot Settings.
  2. In the opened window, select Get Up and Running part.
  3. Click on Playing Audio.
  4. Choose Run the Troubleshooter.
  5. Select the icon of Troubleshooter.
  6. Now, you can see different types of connected speakers like headphones and built-in speakers. Usually, you need to choose your default speakers, but it is also possible to customize it for your device.
  7. Click on Next.
  8. Allow the Troubleshooter to run.

Note: Troubleshooter will tell you what to do to develop the quality of sounds and find the problems with your drivers. Thus, test its suggestions to fix the problems you face.

Check Updates Continuously

Windows 10, in some cases, needs to be updated to fix the problem. Updating the driver is all you need to do to fix the problem, but it takes some time. Some drivers, like Realtek, can directly fix the problems related to sound cards. Therefore, you need to check the updates from time to time, or you can call the manufacturer of the sound card to check the availability of updates. If you use an outdated device, updates may not work. Thus, buy a new device with suitable drivers.

Check Output Device

For the situation that you do not have any sound at all, maybe it is because Windows try to output sound to an old device, such as some headphones you forgot to connect or a Bluetooth speaker which is not turned on. To check whether Windows is sending the right sound to the correct device, follow the steps below to check your output:

  1. In the bottom-right corner of your screen, next to the calendar and clock, select the small Up Arrow.
  2. Right-click the icon of Speaker.
  3. Click on Open Sound Settings.
  4. Look at the top entry that reads Choose Your Output Device.
  5. In the drop-down menu, check whether the correct device is selected.

Use a Public High-Definition Audio Device Driver

Try the generic audio driver if the sound card software does not work. It can usually find a way to find problems and restore sound sufficiency to Windows activities. To do so, follow the steps below:

  1. Open the Device Manager.
  2. Find Audio Driver.
  3. Right-click the driver, and select Update Driver.
  4. Choose Browse My Computer for Driver Software instead of allowing to search for it automatically.
  5. Click on Let Me Pick From a List of Device Drivers on My Computer to view a list which includes High Definition Audio Device. That is the generic Windows 10 driver.
  6. Select and install generic Windows 10 driver.

Fix Cortana and Microphone Problems

You give commands through voice with Cortana, which is a built-in vocal assistant in Windows 10. If Cortana does not respond, you might have a problem with your microphones. Ensure that your computer has a microphone. Thus, Cortana can hear you. A microphone is a feature for laptops, but it is not warranted. If you do not have a microphone, you should use a microphone jack or an external device. To use Cortana, follow the steps below:

  1. In the Windows search bar, click the icon of Cortana to open it.
  2. In the bottom-left corner, click on the Settings Cog icon to control the options of what voice assistant can do.

Note: Ensure the option of listen for Hey Cortana command is on. Your voice commands will not work if she is not listening.

If your microphone and settings of Cortana are OK, but still you have a problem hearing, it is better to check your recording settings again. To do so, follow the steps below:

  1. In the bottom-right corner of your screen, next to the clock and date, select the Up Arrow.
  2. Right-click the Audio icon.
  3. Choose Open Sound Settings.
  4. Ensure that your desired microphone is selected in the Input section of the settings page.
  5. Select Device Properties to check the volume settings again.
  6. Go to the Levels tab.

Note: they should be at least 50, but up to 100 is fine.

Update BIOS

Installing the updated Windows or the hardware conflict can lead to stopping working. In these situations, you should change something in BIOS or update it. To update BIOS, follow the steps below:

  1. Restart your computer.
  2. Press F2, F12, or Del to open the BIOS.
  3. Find the Setting that let you activate or deactivate the sound card, and ensure it is enabled.

Note: If you find it enabled already, check the version of BIOS and compare it with the latest version in the website of manufacturer to check whether you need to update it or not.

Conclusion

If you face a sound problem in Windows 10, this article provides different methods to fix the problem efficiently. Have you ever confronted a sound problem? What did you do to solve the problem? Were these methods helpful for you? Do you know any other method to fix the sound problem in Windows 10?

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