[Windows 10, 8, 7, XP etc.] RonPeters:
Run the audio troubleshooter

For help fixing audio or sound problems, try the audio troubleshooter. It might be able to fix audio problems automatically.

To run the troubleshooter: select the Start button, type audio troubleshooter in the search box, select Find and fix audio playback problems from the list of results, and then select Next. You'll be prompted to choose the device to troubleshoot.

Audio device troubleshooter

If running the troubleshooter doesn't help, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

Fix your audio driver

Update your audio driver

Select the Start button and type device manager in the search box, then select it from the list of results.

Select the arrow next to Sound, video and game controllers to expand it.

Right-click (or press and hold) your sound card, then select Properties.

Select the Driver tab, and then select Update Driver.

If Windows doesn't find a new driver, look for one on the device manufacturer's website and follow their instructions.﻿﻿﻿﻿

Uninstall your audio driver

In Device Manager, right-click (or press and hold) the audio driver, and then select Uninstall.

Restart your device and Windows will attempt to reinstall the driver.

If those didn't work, try using the generic audio driver that comes with Windows. Here's how:

In Device Manager, right-click (or press and hold) your audio driver.

Then select Update driver > Browse my computer for driver software > Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer, select High Definition Audio Device, and select Next.

Follow the instructions to install it.

If these steps didn't work, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

Check cables, volume

Try these steps:

Check your speaker and headphone connections for loose cables or the wrong jack.

Check your power and volume levels, and try turning all the volume controls up.

Some speakers and apps have their own volume controls, and you might have to check them all.

Connect to a different USB port.

Remember that your speakers probably won't work when headphones are plugged in.﻿

If your cables and volume are okay, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

Set default device

If you're connecting to an audio device using USB or HDMI, you might need to set that device as the default.

Select the Start button, type Sound in the search box, and then select Sound from the list of results.

On the Playback tab, select a device, then Set Default.

If setting your default device doesn't help, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

Turn off Audio Enhancements

Follow these steps:

Select the Start button, type Sound in the search box, and then select Sound Control Panel from the list of results.

On the Playback tab, right-click (or press and hold) the Default Device, and then select Properties.

On the Enhancements tab, select the Disable all enhancements checkbox and try to play your audio device.

If that doesn't work, select Cancel and, on the Playback tab, select another default device (if you have one), select the Disable all enhancements checkbox, and try to play audio again. Do this for each default device.﻿﻿

If turning off Audio Enhancements don't help, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

Try different audio formats

Try these steps:

Select the Start button, type Sound, and then select Sound Control Panel from the list of results.

On the Playback tab, right-click (or press and hold) the Default Device, and then select Properties.

On the Advanced tab, under Default Format, change the setting, and then retest your audio device. If that doesn't work, try changing the setting again.﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿

If trying different audio formats doesn't help, see the next sections for additional troubleshooting.

Restart to apply installed updates

Many updates require you to restart your device. Save your work and close all open applications.

Then, select the Start button, go to Power, and select either Update and restart or Update and shut down. Need help with Windows Updates? Learn how to Troubleshoot problems updating Windows 10.

If restarting doesn't help, see the next section for additional troubleshooting.

If you have no sound after installing updates

If you're experiencing audio problems after a recent update, you can try rolling back your audio driver to a previous version that was working.

Rollback your audio driver

Start your PC in safe mode.

Select the Start button, type device manager in the search box, and then select it from the list of results.

Under Sound, video and game controllers, right-click (or press and hold) your sound card, then select Properties.

Select the Driver tab, then select Roll Back Driver.

Restore your PC from a system restore point

When Microsoft installs updates on your system, we create a system restore point in case problems arise. Try restoring from that point and see if that fixes your sound problems.

Hope that helps!