no audio device installed

Question

Computer says no audio device installed. This is a new computer and I could not hear or speak on Zoom call today.

Answer 1

Hi Richard,

That message means your computer doesn’t see any sound hardware. On a new machine this usually happens because the audio driver isn’t installed yet. The quickest fix is to go to the manufacturer’s website (for your laptop or motherboard) and download the latest audio driver, then install and restart. After that, check under Settings > System > Sound to confirm the speakers and microphone show up. If nothing appears even after installing the driver, you should check in the BIOS that onboard audio is enabled. Once the device shows up in Windows, Zoom will let you pick it as your speaker and microphone.

Harry.

Answer 2

Follow these steps to resolve the “no audio device installed” issue and get audio working for Zoom on the new computer.

1. Confirm Windows sees any audio device

• Right-click the speaker icon on the taskbar.
• Select Open Sound settings (or Sound settings).
• Under Output, check if any device (e.g., Speakers/Headphones, Realtek, etc.) is listed.
  • If nothing is listed, the audio driver is likely missing or not working.

2. Check hardware and basic volume settings

• Verify speakers/headset are firmly plugged in and powered on.
• If using a wired headset/speakers, try a different audio jack or USB port.
• Make sure nothing is muted:
  • Right-click the speaker icon → Open Volume mixer.
  • Ensure no device or app has volume at 0 or a mute “x” icon.

3. Run the Windows audio troubleshooter

• Go to Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
• Find Audio and select Run.
• Apply any fixes it suggests and test sound again.

4. Verify the device is not disabled

• Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound.
• Under Advanced, select More sound settings.
• On the Playback tab, select the expected speakers/headset and choose Properties.
• Next to Device usage, ensure Use this device (enable) is selected.
• Repeat on the Recording tab for the microphone.

5. Set the correct default audio device

• In Settings > System > Sound, under Output, select the device that should play sound (e.g., Speakers/Headphones). Selecting it sets it as default.
• If using USB or HDMI audio, make sure that device is selected, not a monitor with no speakers.

6. Update or reinstall audio drivers If Windows reports “no audio device installed” or the device has a warning icon in Device Manager:

• Open Device Manager (search for “device manager” from Start).
• Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
  • If an audio device is listed:
    1. Right-click it → Update driver → Search automatically for drivers and complete the wizard.
    2. If that does not help, right-click the device → Uninstall device → check Attempt to remove/Delete the driver software for this device → Uninstall.
    3. Restart the PC so Windows reinstalls the driver automatically.
  • If nothing is listed under Sound, video and game controllers, download and install the latest audio driver from the computer manufacturer’s support site for this exact model, then restart.

7. Try the generic Windows audio driver If the manufacturer driver still fails:

• In Device Manager, under Sound, video and game controllers, right-click the audio device → Update driver.
• Choose Browse my computer for drivers → Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
• Select High Definition Audio Device and click Next.

8. Restart Windows audio services

• Press Win + R, type services.msc, press Enter.
• Find and restart these services (right-click → Restart):
  • Windows Audio
  • Windows Audio Endpoint Builder
  • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

9. Test with Zoom Once Windows shows a working output and input device:

• Open Zoom → Settings → Audio.
• Under Speaker, select the same default output device used in Windows and click Test Speaker.
• Under Microphone, select the correct input device and test it.

If, after driver reinstall and using the generic driver, there is still no audio device listed at all, this may indicate a hardware or image issue with the new PC. In that case, contact the device vendor or IT admin for replacement or reimaging.

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References:

• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows
• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows – Step 2. Check your audio hardware and volume controls
• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows – Step 5. Check sound settings
• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows – Step 6. Set default audio device
• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows – Step 9. Update or reinstall audio drivers (Windows 11)
• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows – Step 9. Update or reinstall audio drivers (Windows 10)
• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows – Step 10. Check for IDT High Definition Audio CODEC in Device Manager
• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows – Step 11. Try different audio formats in Windows Sound settings
• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows – Step 12. Restart Windows Audio Services
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