No Audio Output Device Showing – No Sound on Windows

Question

Hello,

I’m facing an issue on my Windows system where no audio output device is showing. In the taskbar, the speaker icon has a small down arrow on it. When I click on the icon, it doesn’t show any available output device – the list is completely empty.

Because of this, there’s no sound at all on my PC. I believe the system is not detecting any output device (like speakers or headphones), possibly due to a driver problem or something else in the audio settings.

Please guide me on how to fix this issue. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Hi Muhammad Talha,

Thank you for reaching out Microsoft Q&A. I understand you're encountering an issue where your Windows system isn't detecting any audio output devices and I’ll do my best to help you resolve it quickly.

To better assist you, could you please let me know when you first noticed this issue? For example, did it begin after a Windows update, driver installation, or hardware change?

In the meantime, here are a few steps you can try to resolve the issue:

• Step 1: Run Windows Troubleshooter

Go to Settings → System → Sound → Troubleshoot. Follow the prompts to let Windows detect and fix common audio issues.

• Step 2: Check Windows Audio Services

-Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.

-Ensure that both Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder are running and set to Automatic.

• Step 3: Enable Disabled Devices

Right-click the speaker icon → Sounds → Playback tab → Right-click in the empty area → Show Disabled Devices → Enable any listed devices.

• Step 4: Reinstall Audio Drivers

Open Device Manager (Win + X) → Expand Sound, video and game controllers → Right-click your audio device → Uninstall device (check "Delete the driver software" if available) → Restart your PC.

You can also download the latest drivers from the manufacturer’s website, or if you prefer, feel free to share the exact model of your motherboard or PC with me. I’ll be happy to help you locate the correct audio drivers and support resources.

• Step 5: Test with a New User Profile

Follow the steps below to create a new local user account then check if audio devices appear. This helps rule out profile-specific corruption.

-Go to Settings > Accounts > Other users. 

-Click Add account → choose Add a user without a Microsoft account. 

-Enter a username and password → click Next. 

-Sign out and log in to the new account. 

 For more detailed instructions, please refer to the official Microsoft support page at: How to create a Local account in Windows 11 - ARTICLE - Microsoft Q&A 

Please let me know the results after trying these steps. If the issue persists, I’ll be happy to assist you further.

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Warm regards,

Clary | Microsoft Q&A Support Specialist

Answer 2

Hi, I am an Independent Advisor, and welcome to Microsoft Q&A.

I understand you are having problems with your audio.

When was the last time it worked fine?

Please follow the steps below to help get this problem fixed.

Please hover your mouse over the sound icon at the lower right-hand corner, then right-click it and click Troubleshoot Sound. Let the troubleshooter finish its task, then this should either resolve the problem or display an error message.

If that doesn't work, we need to remove the Audio driver from the Device Manager and restart the PC to reinstall it.

Here are the steps to completely remove a Device from your computer.

Step 1. Use shortcut keys Windows key + X.

Step 2. Select Device Manager.

Step 3. Expand the entry Sound, Video, and Game Controllers. Right-click the problematic device, which is either Realtek Audio, or AMD High-definition Audio, or High-Definition Audio this depending on the audio device installed in your PC, and select Uninstall device.

Step 4. You need to check the option Delete the driver software for this device and then click the Uninstall button.

Step 5. Reboot the computer.

After the reboot, please see if the problem is fixed.

If that still does not work, please visit the support website of your laptop or desktop and then download and install the latest Audio driver then restart the PC.

Answer 3

Hi,

If the previous steps do not resolve the audio issue, my next recommendation is to perform an in-place upgrade of the operating system. This process will repair any corrupted system files and refresh core components while keeping your apps and data intact.

Steps to perform an in-place upgrade:

1. Download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft’s official website.
2. Run the tool and select Upgrade this PC now.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions and choose Keep personal files and apps when prompted.
4. Allow the upgrade process to complete and restart your PC.

*Disclaimer: Let’s try performing an in-place install or in-place upgrade which will refresh your Windows files and operating system without removing files or applications. That being said, we always recommend that if you have important data, you should back it up before making large system changes. If you want to back up your data first, please do so. Once you are done backing up, you can follow the steps in the following guides:   

How to run In-place upgrade in Windows 11 - Microsoft Q&A 

How to perform a Windows 11 In-place upgrade | Microsoft - YouTube 

Please keep me posted on how it goes, and feel free to reach out if you need any further assistance.