The lack of sound on the computer is a problem that users encounter very often. Finding out the reason is quite simple: the malfunction usually lies either in the speakers (or other playback device), or in system failures.

Equipment check

The computer sound card has 2 connectors: pink for a microphone and green for speakers or headphones. Make sure the plug is firmly seated in the correct socket. You also need to make sure that the power plug is firmly seated in the outlet or surge protector. Cables also often fail: they are torn and broken. You need to connect another cord and make sure that the reason for the lack of sound is not in it. It is important to check the volume controls, the power button: the controls must be in an active state.

To understand whether the speakers themselves are working is quite simple: you need to connect them to another computer, laptop or smartphone. If the speakers are working, you should connect another playback device to the PC. There is no sound again - you need to check the sound card connectors, the health of a specific computer node or Windows settings.

system configuration

The sound level for each computer is adjusted in the lower right corner of the desktop. If the volume is reduced to zero, no sound will be played.

You can also right-click on the speaker icon and go to the "Open Volume Mixer" menu item. It is necessary to raise the regulators up if they are at a minimum.

By clicking on the same icon, you need to go to the "Open sound parameters" item. On Windows 7 or 10, the audio settings menu looks different. However, the main task is to go into the properties of the output device.

In the "Device Application" column, the speakers must be active. You also need to go through the tabs of the menu that opens and check if the options are disabled. The next step is to go to the properties of the active device and recheck the drivers.

The software version may be out of date or the driver was not installed after updating the operating system. You can download the required program on the official website. Then restart your computer and check if the problem was resolved.

Computer management

Windows Audio is a service that allows you to manage audio settings in applications and the OS itself. Restarting this service may activate sound on the PC. This is done in several ways.

Method 1. Right-click on the "Start" menu and select "Computer Management". Click on "Services" and find Windows Audio in the list that opens. This service can be restarted, started, or suspended. You need to go to the drop-down menu in the "Properties" and check that the startup type is "Automatic".

Then we do it like this:

Method 2. Call the "Run" window by pressing the Win + R keys. In the window that opens, enter the cmd command and click "OK". A command line will appear, where you need to write "net start audiosrv" (without quotes) and press Enter. A simple manipulation launches the Windows Audio service, which should help fix audio problems.

Method 3. Go to the "Task Manager". It is done like this: right-click on the toolbar or simultaneously hold down the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys. In the "Services" tab, you need to find "Audiosrv" and start if it has been disabled. You can try restarting the service.

Equipment check

The sound card is responsible for outputting sound to external speakers. It can also fail, respectively, sound playback does not occur. Neither speakers nor headphones will work when connected to a PC. You need to do the following:

1. Go to the "Device Manager" in any convenient way.
2. View "Sound Devices".
3. If the equipment is defective, an exclamation mark will appear in the corresponding column.
4. Try to install the driver on the sound card.
5. To restart a computer.

It so happens that the sound card is in the system unit, but the computer does not see it. The equipment may be loose or dusty in its slot. You need to clean the system unit, check the cleanliness of the slot under the audio board.

BIOS configuration

Any hardware can be enabled or disabled via BIOS. If you have previously performed any manipulations in the basic I / O system, you need to check if the audio card is activated. BIOS failure can occur without external intervention. You can enter the required software thanks to the prompts that appear when you start the computer: press the indicated button - F1, F2, and most often Delete. Detailed instructions on entering the BIOS are available.

The exact name of the option may differ depending on the BIOS version. The options are HD Audio or High Definition Audio. Usually the desired setting is found in the "Advanced" menu item. The value "Enabled" must be opposite the option. After that, you need to press F10 for the changes to take effect.

One of the suggested methods should help in solving audio problems. If the audio is not played in separate files, then the reason is the lack of the required codecs. If there is no sound in the game or application, but the system sounds work, you need to check the settings for specific software or reinstall it. In this case, the hardware or OS is not related to the malfunction.

A complex of software and hardware is responsible for the reproduction of any sound files in the computer. They work in conjunction, so when one of the components fails, the entire circuit is interrupted, and instead of your favorite song, you hear only annoying hiss or even silence from the speakers.

Before figuring out how to set up sound on a computer, let's look at all the links in the chain, the correct operation of which is the key to audio playback.

General information

Let's start with the hardware. Two components stand out here:

Now let's consider what software components must be in the system for the sound to be played correctly:

1. Drivers of connected devices.
2. Windows Audio Service - Responsible for playing sound in the system and in applications.
3. Audio codecs are functional tools for encoding / decoding audio data. Responsible for reading and processing files in different formats.
4. Various utilities for managing sound.

Why is there no sound?

When answering this question, you must clearly define when the sound disappeared and in which programs. So, if there was no sound initially:

There was a sound, but then suddenly it disappeared:

1. Hardware malfunction.
2. Damage to system files responsible for audio playback.
3. Viral infection.

If there is no sound only in individual applications, you need to check if they are installed and configured correctly.

In addition, the application may be incompatible with the system - usually this is reported in a special window when you try to install an unsuitable program.

These are the main reasons why audio playback problems occur. Now let's see step by step how to check your system, and what you need to configure to restore sound on Windows 7 or another version of the OS from Microsoft.

Before proceeding with the restoration of sound, make sure that you have connected the headphones to the computer (speakers to the laptop, etc.) correctly.

Headphones and speakers are connected to the sound card through the green port (line out).

If possible, connect headphones or speakers to another computer, tablet or player. The equipment you are trying to connect may be defective.

Checking the volume controls

If you plugged in a sound card, then plugged your speakers into your computer, but only received silence in return, check the volume controls. You can open them by clicking on the speaker-shaped icon near the clock.

Click on it with the left button and check that the slider is not pushed all the way down or that the "Off" checkbox is not checked.
Then right-click on the speaker icon and select "Open Volume Control".
Make sure all options are turned on.

Sounds and audio devices

Find through the "Control Panel" the section that is responsible for configuring the parameters of the audio equipment. Check that the installed device has the status "Running".

In Windows XP, you must additionally make sure that the correct default device is set. In addition, on the "Volume" tab, check that the "Mute sound" item is not checked.

Open the "Device Manager" through the "Control Panel". In Windows XP, you can start it as follows:

1. Right-click on the "My Computer" icon and select "Properties".
2. Go to the Hardware section and click the Device Manager button.

You can also use the "devmgmt.msc" command entered through the "Run" menu.

Make sure that your audio device is recognized by the system correctly. Open its "Properties" - there should be a picture like this:
If you see a yellow exclamation mark next to your audio hardware or it is marked as “Unknown device,” reinstall the drivers.

Reinstalling Drivers

Checking BIOS settings

If you are using an integrated sound card, check if it is enabled in the BIOS.

Restart your computer and press the Del key (F2, F8. F10 depending on your motherboard model) when the system starts up.
Find a list of connected devices. It is usually found on the Advance tab. Check that the parameter with the type name “High Definition Audio” is set to “Enabled”.

Only after checking all the above parameters can you think about purchasing and connecting a new sound card.

But first, try the last option - Microsoft Fix It Solution Center. It can help you find solutions to the most common Windows problems.

Often users are faced with such a problem when the sound suddenly disappears on Windows 7. The reasons can be completely different. Depending on them, the methods of fixing the problem themselves differ. It is important to understand that any information related to your computer will help you solve it. Faced with this problem often:

1. We tried to update the drivers for the sound card or any other.
2. We connected other speakers to the device.
3. Reinstalled the Windows operating system.
4. We made changes in system settings, registry.
5. Installed additional software to improve your computer.

If your sound card worked fine before reinstalling Windows, but now it fails, then the problem is most likely in the drivers. At the same time, the volume icon may well be displayed in the tray, and after reinstalling Windows it will notify you that it has installed all the drivers. However, this does not mean that the drivers have been installed correctly and are suitable for your sound card.

To fix this problem, you need to do the following:

1. If you have a laptop, then just go to the manufacturer's official website and download the latest drivers for your model (this is a whole update package, so you don't have to look for a specific driver);
2. You can also look for a disc with all the drivers, which usually comes with a computer and other discs (for example, for installing Windows).
3. If you have a stationary computer, then you need to find out the model of the motherboard.
4. Then go to the official website of the motherboard manufacturer (that is, not your sound card or audio chip) and download the driver package from there.
5. After the steps taken and the drivers are installed, do not forget to restart your computer.

Checking the correct connection and functionality of the speakers

To understand why the sound disappeared on the computer, although it was only yesterday, we will consider a few main points. First, check if your speakers or headphones are turned on correctly. It is possible that someone in your family accidentally turned off the speakers or plugged the plug into the wrong socket.

In any case, check again if the speakers and other equipment on the computer are connected correctly.

If you are sure that everything is connected correctly, try checking the speakers themselves. To do this, connect them to another device: a player, phone or TV. If they work, then the problem is with the computer itself.

Windows settings

The next thing to do is find the volume icon in the tray and right-click on it. A context menu will appear. In it, you must select the line "Playback devices".

In the window that opens, check which of the devices is used as audio output (that is, playback devices, not recording devices). By default, these should be your computer's speakers. All the necessary information about the sound card on the computer will also be indicated here. If you are using an additional audio card (USB), then it is probably currently used as the default device, so change it to external speakers.

If the device for playback is selected correctly, then select the speakers in the list and go to the "Properties" tab. Here's a close look at each individual tab:

1. general (information about the audio card will be indicated here, and by clicking "properties" and going to the "drivers" tab, you can check the availability and date of the installed software), make sure that in the item "device application" it is worth "use";
2. levels (check that the volume sliders are not at the very minimum);
3. improvements (it is advisable to disable all effects);
4. SRS Audio Enhancement;
5. additionally (here click on the green triangle "check", an audio signal should appear, check that the default format is "16 bit, 44100 Hz").

If all the settings are correct, but there is still no sound on the computer, then we look for the root of the problem further. In addition, if you are using special software to configure your audio system, then check all the settings there.

The playback devices are empty

If you go to the playback devices on your computer and find that there are absolutely no devices there, then you need to do the following:

• Right-click on an empty space.
• A context menu will appear.
• Check two boxes: show disconnected and disconnected devices.

After the done actions, all your audio devices with the mark "disabled" should appear in the window. Therefore, right-click on the speakers and select "enable".

We carry out similar actions with other devices, for example, headphones. If you managed to do everything correctly, then there should be no problems.

Playback devices are on, but there is no sound

It also happens that a green check mark is displayed in front of the playback devices, notifying that the device is working, but there is still no sound. Reconnect other headphones or speakers to the computer. There is still no audio signal? So the problem is definitely not in the columns. We continue to search further. The drivers for the audio card may have been installed incorrectly. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to delete them and reinstall them. In order to do this, you need to get into the device manager. So open start and type in "device manager".

Alternatively, open the toolbar, go to the "hardware and sound" block, and then "device manager".

The "Device Manager" itself will open. Here you need to remove all sound drivers installed on your computer. To do this, right-click on them and select "delete".

After removing all audio drivers, restart your computer. Immediately after turning on, it should automatically start searching for missing drivers and installing them.

Usually, this procedure will help bring the sound back. You can also solve this problem by performing a system restore.

In the device manager, incomprehensible characters

The next problem is when the user has installed Windows 7 on his computer and everything except audio works fine. If you start Device Manager, the following icons will appear next to the drivers.

This usually means that outdated drivers are installed (you have Windows 7, and the drivers were installed for XP). If you are unable to download other drivers, then to fix the problem, you need to do the following:

Turn on sound in BIOS

It also happens that a virus or any other malfunction simply turns off the sound card in the BIOS settings. To make sure everything works, you need to do the following:

Checking the health of services

The next thing to check if the Windows Audio service is running on your computer. To do this, you need:

• Open "start" - "control panel".
• Select the "system and security" block.
• Open "administration" - "services".

For a more convenient search, sort the services by name. Find the line "Windows Audio".

Make sure this service is enabled. To do this, look at the information in the "state" column - it must be "running", as well as the start type "automatically". If something of this is indicated differently, then right-click on it and change the parameters we need.

After that, don't forget to restart your computer. If this does not help, then we turn to desperate measures and try to use the built-in Windows utility for finding problems.

Windows Diagnostics

Many users are quite critical of this feature. However, it cannot be underestimated. Especially when nothing seems to be working. To start diagnostics, you need to do the following:

An additional dialog box will open where you can select a specific area for troubleshooting. Since we are now trying to adjust the sound, we select the appropriate block "sound and equipment".

Then the item "play".

You will be presented with a built-in service for troubleshooting Windows problems. In order for the utility to start working, you just have to click "next" and wait for its results.

If Windows manages to find the source of the problem, then it will automatically download the missing drivers or return the default settings. You just have to restart your computer.

Malfunction of the audio card

If none of the above steps help, then most likely your audio card or other hardware is out of order. You can try to perform a system restore or a complete reinstallation of Windows. Especially if you are sure that nothing could have happened to the computer, and the problem appeared after you installed a new operating system. Do not forget that an audio card is exactly the same part of a computer as RAM or a processor. Therefore, it has its own limited duration. Perhaps the fact that you have lost sound indicates that it is time to change it.

In contact with

The advent of the first computers did not imply any possibility of playing sound files, let alone recording and processing them. These computers were intended mainly for solving other problems - processing large amounts of data and performing various mathematical operations. The only sound the user could hear was the unpleasant beeping of the built-in system speaker. It usually announced the presence of some kind of error during the loading of the operating system.

Reasons for no sound on PC

Faced with a similar situation, many, most likely, were in a hurry to call a specialist who solved the problem. But any specialist costs money, which, as usual, is not enough. Therefore, it is best to learn how to fix intermittent malfunctions ourselves.

Note that there are many reasons for the sudden absence of sound. These can be both systemic problems and technical ones related to the performance of the sound card.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the necessary steps if you suddenly lost sound on your Windows computer.

When this problem occurs, you need to determine the cause. To do this, you should start with the simplest steps, namely, from the volume control icon located in the system tray.

Volume icon location

Volume control

Check where the volume slider is. For the sound to be heard normally, it should be located approximately in the middle position.

It is possible that due to some oversight the slider was moved to its initial position, so the sound is not fed to your computer speakers.

In addition, the sound can be turned off completely. In this case, you will see a prohibition icon next to the speaker icon. It can look like a red circle with an oblique stripe inside, or a cross.

The sound on the computer is muted

In order to turn on the sound, you need to left-click on the speaker emblem. If this was the problem, you will hear the long-awaited sound of the speakers again.

Volume mixer

If you encounter no sound on your computer, check your sound mixer settings.

To open it, move the mouse cursor over the speaker icon located in the system tray and right-click.

In the menu that appears, select the topmost item - "Open Volume Mixer".

Mixer open menu item

In the mixer window that opens, check that all sliders are in the middle position - these are the default settings. Also, keep all speaker icons on.

After these manipulations, the sound should appear. If this did not happen, proceed to the next steps.

Checking playback devices

The next step, if the sound disappears, will be to check the devices that are responsible for this.

In order to go to the tab responsible for the playback of devices - again click on the speaker icon. In the menu that appears, you must select the appropriate item, namely - "Playback devices".

Menu item "Playback devices"

After selecting this item, the "Sound" window will open, containing all the sound devices available on your computer.

Find the "Speakers" - "Sound" section, which is responsible for connecting external speakers to the system, and make sure that this device is defined by default and functions normally. In this case, a green circle with a check mark inside will be present near the speaker icon.

Confirming that the speakers are working properly

If this confirmation is absent, you should right-click on the item "Speakers" and select the item Use as default.

Default Device Usage Menu

If the speakers connected to the computer are installed by default, but are not active - they are gray - you will need to activate (turn on) them. To do this, use the right mouse button again and select the "Enable" item in the menu that appears.

Turn on inactive speakers

It may be like this - when you open the window of devices responsible for playback - the item "Speakers" will be completely absent. This means that the device that plays sound is disabled for some reason.

What to do in this case?

And you just need to select a free (empty) space in this window and, by clicking on it, select the item Show Disabled Devices.

Disabled devices display

After the speakers appear in the Sound Devices window, you will need to enable them and set them as the default device.

Then you can enjoy the sound that appears.

It is possible that after that the speakers will remain silent. In this case, proceed to the next step of the check.

Sound card control

At this stage, you should check the sound card available on your computer. It is no secret that she is directly responsible for the appearance of sound.

Sound cards are currently classified into the following types:

• cards that are built into the motherboard - integrated;
• separate cards designed for installation in PCI or PCIe ports - internal;
• independent devices that are connected to a personal computer via a USB connector are external.

Each of these cards differs not only in resource consumption, but also in the quality of the output sound.

Integrated cards are the simplest ones and you simply won't be able to get very high-quality sound from them. In addition, they load the processor well.

Integrated sound card

Internal cards have their own processor and allow high synchronization of audio streams.

Internal card

Despite the variety of sound-reproducing devices, users are often faced with the lack of sound reproduction.

First go to "Device Manager" and check if the sound card is shown in the list present there.

To do this, right-click on the "My Computer" icon located on the desktop. In the menu that appears, select the lowest item - "Properties".

Selecting the "Properties" item

In the system window that opens, select the item "Device Manager", on the tab of which find the line "Sound, video and game devices".

Device manager window

Expand the list and see if your sound card appears there. If it is displayed but inactive, enable it. To do this, click on its name and in the menu that appears, activate the "Enable" item.

It may be that there is no sound card in the section of sound and game devices. In this case, you should look for it in the section "Other devices".

Section with other devices

There is nothing wrong with that, just your audio device is located on the bus. If it is inactive, turn it on in the same way as described above.

If you see that near the name of the audio device there is an icon in the form of a yellow circle with an exclamation mark inside - the problem is not with the device itself, but with the drivers installed on it. In this case, you will need to do their reinstallation.

Installing sound drivers

Due to the "crooked" installed or outdated drivers, a situation often arises when the sound on the computer has disappeared.

And you need to do the following - install missing or reinstall existing drivers. Old drivers do not need to be removed, as they will be updated anyway when new ones are installed.

First, determine which one requires installation. To do this, open the Device Manager tab again and select your existing sound card. Double-click the left mouse button on its name to open the properties window.

Sound card properties window

In this window, go to the "Details" tab and in the drop-down list of properties select the value "Equipment ID"... The "Value" section will display the hardware ID. Select and copy the first one.

Details tab

Then you need to use the Internet and open the site devid.Info, which will search for drivers for the audio device.

Site for searching drivers by device type

Difficulties in working with this site should not arise, since it supports the Russian language. In the search field located at the top of this resource, you need to paste the copied ID of your sound device and click the "Search" button. At the end of the search, a window with its result will open.

A floppy disk icon will be displayed in the lower right corner of this window, by clicking on which you can save the found driver on your computer. After its download is complete - click on "Exe" file in order to start the installation process.

Running the installation file

It may happen that the downloaded file does not have the extension "Exe"... Do not be alarmed - its installation is carried out by updating the drivers.

To do this, open again "Device Manager" and double click on the name of the sound card. In the window of its properties that opens, go to the "Driver" tab and click on the "Update" button.

The "Driver" tab of the sound card properties window

After that, a driver update window will open in front of you, in which select the item "Search for drivers on this computer".

Selecting a driver search option

Then you will need to specify the location of the previously downloaded file. This is done using the "View" button in the update window.

After installing the new driver, be sure to restart your computer for all changes to take effect. If you then open the properties window of the sound card, you can see that the sound driver has been updated.

Windows Audio Service

Another reason for the absence of sound on the computer is the disabled state of the service. Windows Audio.

In order to enable it, you need to go to the "Services" tab.

First of all, open "Control Panel".

Services Tab

If this service is in a disabled state - double-click on it with the left mouse button. After that, the properties tab of this service will open, where it is necessary to enable it.

In the Status option, click the Run button and then Apply for the changes to take effect.

Windows Audio service properties tab

If you do not want to constantly start this service manually, set the parameter in the "Startup type" section "Auto".

Installing an additional program

In the fight against the disappearance of sound, a small auxiliary program called Realtek High Definition Audio Driver.

However, this "program" is suitable only for those who have a Realtek sound card installed. Although, to be honest, it is installed on most computers.

First you need to download and install it on your PC.

Download

The appearance of the Realtek program.

During the installation process, the program copies the files necessary for operation and reboots the computer. After that, the installation continues. After its completion, the computer must be restarted - only in this case the changes made can take effect.

If the installation was successful, a speaker icon will appear next to the standard speaker icon in the system tray.

Realtek software icon

By clicking on it, you will be taken to the tab of this program, where you can configure it.

Realtek HD Manager Window

The most common reason for no sound is to mute it or set the volume to minimum. If your computer is not playing audio, hover over the speaker icon in the tray (right corner of the taskbar). A tooltip will indicate the current volume value. If the sound is not played in a separate application, check its settings. If enabled in the settings, audio playback in a specific program may be limited in the mixer. To check, right-click on the speaker icon and select "Open Volume Mixer". There you can turn on the sound and adjust the volume level for each program running on your computer.

Check the volume on the playback devices themselves: headphones or speakers. When using speakers, also make sure that they are connected to the power supply and that the power button is in the active position. Checking your speakers or headphones is pretty easy. To do this, it is enough to connect any other device instead of a computer to the audio output: a smartphone, a player.

Important! Also check your speaker settings. To do this, go to "Playback devices", and in the context menu of speakers or headphones, click "Properties".

Incorrect operation of audio drivers

Another common reason why your computer might not have sound is missing or damaged audio drivers. Hover over the audio icon in the tray to identify this issue. If you see “No Audio Output Device Installed”, the audio drivers are causing the problem.

To eliminate these difficulties, right-click on the same icon and select "Detect problems with sound" from the context menu.

This will open a troubleshooting window. Wait while the sound diagnostics run on your computer. Depending on the speed of the device, the process can take from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. If the determination of the cause of the malfunction stops in one place, click "Cancel".

When the audio diagnostics are complete, the system will prompt you to choose which device you want to troubleshoot. In this case, it is necessary to mark the device used based not on its type, but on the location of the audio input. For example, if your speakers are connected through the audio input on the front of your computer, check the second box, even though headphones are listed there.

If there is a hardware failure, the diagnostic result will be the following window. It may indicate damage to speakers or headphones, but the most common cause of difficulty in audio devices is broken or damaged connecting cables.

At the last step of the sound diagnostics, the result of its execution will be displayed. If the issues are resolved, close the troubleshooter. If the diagnostics did not help, click "View additional options". You can also view help information about the causes of the malfunction by clicking on the link "View more information".

Incorrect connection or installation of the device

Sound may not work due to improper connection or installation of sound devices. To resolve this issue, check if the correct input is selected to connect the device to the computer. Speakers or headphones may be connected to the microphone input and will not work.

Go to "Control Panel -> Device Manager" and check the status in the "Sound, game and video devices" menu. If a yellow mark with an exclamation mark is displayed next to the name, the cause of the problem is an incorrect installation or malfunction of the device.

Note! If the audio hardware does not appear in the manager at all, update the configuration from the Actions menu.

Right-click on the audio hardware and select Properties, then go to the Driver tab in the window that opens. To update the configuration, click the Update button. Here you can uninstall the driver for its subsequent reinstallation.

In the next step, choose where you want to search for sound drivers. Two options are offered: an automatic search, which includes searching your computer and the Internet, and a simple search for drivers. We recommend that you select the first option to detect drivers.

Important! If the sound card is outdated and its driver is on a separate disk, first copy it to your computer.

The scan will take about 20-30 seconds, after which a message will be displayed in the search window about the successful installation of the new audio drivers. If the device already has the latest available driver installed, the configuration will not be updated.

If the driver update did not bring the desired result and the device still does not work, it is recommended to remove it from the system. To do this, right-click on the name and select "Delete". Confirm the deletion in the dialog box by clicking "OK".

After that, in the "Action" menu, you need to update the list of equipment. A search will be performed for devices connected to the computer. If the desired device does not appear after searching, restart the manager.

When the speakers are found, installation starts automatically. This process can take several minutes. When finished, a message will appear stating that the speakers are successfully connected and ready to use.

Damaged connecting cables

Standard 3.5 mm connectors may fail as a result of mechanical damage. Usually breakage occurs at the base of the connector - at the point where it connects to the audio cable. The break can also be on the cord itself. The cause of damage is most often pinching by furniture (table legs, chair wheels). Pets can also chew on the cable. You can diagnose a breakdown visually or by connecting another cable to the speakers.

Physical breakdown of audio equipment

Even if the speakers or headphones you are using fail, you may not hear sound from your computer. It is not difficult to determine this - it is enough to connect another audio device to the same audio input. If it works, the reason is the broken speakers and not the computer settings.

Disabled Windows Audio Service

Another common reason for no sound is the disabling of the Windows Audio service. This background process is responsible for processing sound data and is always running on a running computer by default. However, when making changes in the system parameters, incorrect Windows Audio settings may be indicated. Also, the service can be disabled by malware.