Fix no sound in Windows 11
Open Settings, System, Sound and check that the right speakers or headphones are selected under Output and are not muted. If they are, run the Audio troubleshooter, switch off Audio enhancements, and then update, reinstall or roll back the audio driver in Device Manager.
Checked October 30, 2026 against the manufacturer's own pages.
The short version
What to install and where it comes from. Every link goes to the manufacturer or Microsoft, never to a copy.
Official files only, nothing bundled
Step by step
Choose the correct output
Select the speaker icon on the taskbar, then the arrow next to the volume slider, and pick your speakers or headphones. In Settings, System, Sound you can do the same under Output and confirm the device is not muted.
Set the default playback device
In Settings, System, Sound, open More sound settings. On the Playback tab, right-click the device you want to hear and choose Set as default.
Run the Audio troubleshooter
Go to Settings, System, Troubleshoot, Other troubleshooters and press Run next to Audio. Follow its prompts and apply any fix it suggests. The Get Help app also has an audio troubleshooter.
Turn off Audio enhancements
Under Settings, System, Sound, select your output device, scroll to Advanced settings and set Audio enhancements to Off. Microsoft lists this as a fix for silent speakers and headphones.
Repair the audio driver
Check Windows Update first. Then in Device Manager expand Sound, video and game controllers and right-click your audio device. Choose Update driver, or Uninstall device with Attempt to remove the driver ticked and restart. If sound broke after an update, use Roll Back Driver under Properties, Driver.
Restart the Windows audio services
Search the taskbar for services and open it. Right-click Windows Audio and choose Restart, then do the same for Windows Audio Endpoint Builder.
Rule out the simple causes
Check the cable is pushed fully into the right socket, usually the green one on a desktop. Press the mute key on the keyboard or the speakers. Some apps have their own volume, so test with a video in a browser and with a system sound. If headphones work but speakers do not, the speakers, their power or the output choice is the problem, not the driver.
Laptops and Realtek audio
Most laptops use a Realtek or similar audio chip with a driver customised by the laptop maker. If Windows Update and the steps above do not bring sound back, install the audio driver listed for your exact model on the laptop maker’s support site. Use Realtek’s own downloads only as a fallback when the maker has nothing for your model.
Questions
Sound stopped after a Windows update.
Roll back the audio driver in Device Manager under Properties, Driver, then check Windows Update again for any newer fixes. Microsoft has a separate guide for audio that fails after an update.
Can I use Microsoft's generic driver?
Yes. In Device Manager choose Update driver, Browse my computer for drivers, Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer, and select the audio device listed there.
Bluetooth headphones connect but are silent?
Check that the headphones are chosen as the output device, not the laptop speakers. If they are, turn Bluetooth off and on again and reconnect them.