No sound in Windows 11? Check these settings first

A silent PC does not automatically mean a broken speaker. Windows may be sending sound to a monitor, headset, or another output. Work through these checks with one short audio clip, testing again after each change.

1. Choose where the sound should play

Open Settings → System → Sound and choose the intended output device. Connecting a display or headset can change where audio goes. Check the PC volume, the app’s volume, and any physical mute or volume control on your speakers. Start at a modest volume.

2. Check the physical connection

Confirm powered speakers are switched on and cables are secure. Try another USB port for a USB headset. Unplug headphones when testing built-in speakers. If a monitor is selected, check whether that model actually has speakers.

Microsoft’s Windows audio guide explains output selection and hardware checks in more detail. It also links to help for missing devices, driver problems, and audio failures after an update.

3. Find out whether one app is affected

Try sound in a second app. If it works there, investigate the first app’s mute and output settings. For a meeting app, check its speaker selection separately from its microphone selection: hearing other people and being heard are different problems.

Keep a simple note of the result: “Headphones work in the browser; meeting app stays silent.” That gives you a much more useful starting point than changing every sound setting at once.

4. Run the audio troubleshooter

Open the Get Help app and run its audio troubleshooter. Follow the prompts and test the same clip again. If it cannot resolve the problem, use the relevant issue-specific instructions linked from Microsoft’s audio guide.

When to get extra help

If the problem began after a specific change, record what changed and when. Have your PC model, headset or speaker model, and any error message ready for support. On a work computer, ask your IT team before altering managed drivers or software.

If the whole PC is struggling, our slow Windows PC guide can help you investigate that separately. Before more substantial repair work, review your backup basics.