There’s only one problem – no sound. Wait, the sound was working yesterday. What happened? Problems that seem to appear randomly are an unfortunate staple of Windows, but that doesn’t mean they’re unsolvable. Also: Top 4 fix-it strategies of tech pros And with a snafu like no sound, there are a few ways to troubleshoot the issue, including resetting your audio settings. Here’s how to pull this off in both Windows 10 and 11.
How to reset your audio settings in Windows
Hopefully, by going through these different Windows troubleshooting steps, you’ll be able to get sound back. To do this in Windows 10, right-click the audio icon in the System Tray and select Open Sound Settings in Windows 10. Click the drop-down menu for Choose your output device and switch to the other source. In Windows 11, right-click the audio icon in the System Tray select and Sound Settings. Click the entry for Choose where to play sound and select the other source. After choosing your output device, try playing audio again. Also: How to force-quit applications in Windows Right-click the audio icon in the System Tray and select Troubleshoot sound problems. In Windows 10, the Get Help app will ask for permission to proceed with the diagnostics and try automated steps to fix the problem. Click Yes. The Windows 10 troubleshooter will then your system for audio issues. It may try to play a tone and ask if you can hear it. It might also try to update your audio driver. Allow it to take the suggested steps. If the troubleshooter is able to resolve the glitch, great. If not, it will tell you that it couldn’t fix the issue and offer some Microsoft support articles that might help. In Windows 11, the troubleshooter cuts to the chase and automatically starts the quest to detect audio-related problems. Depending on your audio setup, you may be asked which device to troubleshoot. Choose the correct device and let the troubleshooter proceed on its mission. Also: How much RAM does your Windows 11 PC need? The troubleshooter may offer some suggestions along the way. Again, if the troubleshooter is successful, hooray. If not, it will likely tell you that it couldn’t identify the problem. In Windows 10, click the Troubleshoot button under Master Volume. In Windows 11, click the link for Output devices in the section for Troubleshoot common problems. In both cases, the Get Help app pops up seeking your permission to troubleshoot the issue. In Windows 11, right-click the System Tray Audio icon and select Open Volume mixer. Also: What graphics card do I have? How to check your GPU and drivers Select your default audio source and click Configure. Click the Test button to hear if any sounds come out. Finish the test. If there’s still no sound, select the Properties button. Also: How to automatically keep your Windows applications updated Scroll down the Services window until you see the entry for Windows Audio. Right-click it and select Stop. Right-click it once more and select Start.
