there is no audio device is installed onto my computer

Question

I turned on my computer and I have no audio device installed. Never had an issue in the last 30 years

Answer 1

Try this:

Open Device Manager, and make sure you've audio drivers installed and properly working.

If no audio driver is listed, you can visit your device manufacturer's website to download and install audio drivers for your system model.

If audio driver is present, you can try updating audio drivers to latest version.

Or if you've already updated them, try to roll back previous version to see if that works.

Also, run Playing Audio troubleshooter from Settings app > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. Let us know what it reports back.

Answer 2

Hi,

If no audio driver is installed, your best option is to go to your PC manufacturer’s support website. From there, download and install the audio driver for your model, then restart your computer. If it is still not working, look for the chipset driver and do the same.

If you need help finding it, what is the exact make and model of your computer?

Answer 3

Use the following steps in order; test audio after each step.

1. Check sound settings

• Right-click the Speakers icon on the taskbar → Open Volume mixer.
• Make sure none of the volume sliders are muted (no red circle with a line through it).
• Go to Start → Settings → System → Sound.
• Under both Output and Input, select the device and choose Device properties.
• Ensure the Disable checkbox is not selected for either output or input.

2. Set the correct default audio device

• Type control panel in the taskbar search and open it.
• Go to Hardware and Sound → Sound.
• On the Playback tab, right-click your speakers/headphones and select Set as Default Device → OK.
• If an external monitor (without speakers) is set as default, change it to your actual speakers.

3. Update or reinstall the audio driver

• Type device manager in the taskbar search and open it.
• Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
• Right-click your sound card or audio device → Update driver → Search automatically for updated driver software.
• If no newer driver is found, visit your PC or motherboard manufacturer’s support site and install the latest Windows 11 audio driver for your model.
• If updating doesn’t help:
  • In Device Manager, right-click the audio device → Uninstall device.
  • If offered, select Delete the driver software for this device → Uninstall.
  • Restart the PC so Windows reinstalls the driver automatically.

4. Try the generic Windows audio driver

• Open Device Manager → Sound, video and game controllers.
• Right-click the audio device → Update driver → Browse my computer for drivers → Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
• Select High Definition Audio Device (the generic driver) → Next and complete the wizard.

5. Run the built-in audio troubleshooter

• Open Settings → System → Sound.
• Under Output, select Troubleshoot (or go to Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Playing Audio) and follow the prompts.

6. If “No audio output device is installed” still shows

• Confirm in Device Manager that at least one audio device appears under Sound, video and game controllers.
• If nothing appears there, or reinstalling the driver does not bring it back, this can indicate a hardware or OEM-specific driver issue. In that case, download the latest audio driver from the PC manufacturer’s support site for Windows 11 and install it, or contact the manufacturer’s support if the device still does not appear.

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References:

• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows
• Update Audio drivers in Windows
• How to fix this. no audio device is installed - Microsoft Q&A