Bass Not Working

Rene Garcia 0 Reputation points
2026-07-22T18:53:17.4566667+00:00

I play music videos.  I have sound, but the bass stopped working recently on this laptop. How do I get bass back on my laptop?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers
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  1. Hendrix-V 17,520 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-07-23T02:41:37.08+00:00

    Hi Rene Garcia,

    If the bass issue started recently, it may be related to the audio processing software or the audio driver profile rather than the speakers themselves.

    If the bass issue started recently, it may be related to the audio processing software or the audio driver profile rather than the speakers themselves.

    You could try the following:

    1. Open your audio management app (such as Realtek Audio Console, DTS Audio Processing, Waves MaxxAudio, Nahimic, or Dolby Access) and check whether the Bass Boost or audio preset settings have changed.
    2. If available, reset the audio app to its default settings and test the sound again.
    3. Test with a pair of headphones. If bass is present through headphones but not through the built-in speakers, the issue may be related to the device's audio tuning software or speaker configuration.

    If you can share your PC model and audio device (for example, Realtek or Conexant), the community may be able to provide more specific guidance.

    Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-07-22T18:53:45.6133333+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Check the selected output device.
      • Select the Speakers icon on the taskbar.
      • Open the list of audio devices.
      • Make sure audio is going to the laptop speakers or the correct headphones/speakers, not another output.
    2. Check hardware and volume.
      • Make sure speakers or headphones are connected correctly.
      • If using external speakers, confirm power is on.
      • Check that mute is off and all volume controls are turned up, including app-specific volume controls.
      • If headphones are plugged in, unplug them and test again.
    3. Turn off audio enhancements.
      • Open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound.
      • On the Playback tab, right-click the Default Device and select Properties.
      • On the Enhancements tab, select Disable all enhancements or Disable all sound effects, then select OK.
      • Test audio again.
    4. Check sound settings.
      • In Windows 11: right-click the Speakers icon on the taskbar, open the device list, then open More mixer settings.
      • In Windows 10: right-click the Speakers icon and open Volume mixer.
      • Make sure the device is not muted.
      • Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound and confirm the audio device is enabled.
    5. Set the correct default audio device.
      • In Windows 11: go to Start > Settings > System > Sound, then under Output select the device to use for playback.
      • In Windows 10: open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound, then on the Playback tab right-click the correct device and select Set as Default Device.
    6. Run the audio troubleshooter.
      • In Windows 11, run the automated audio troubleshooter in the Get Help app.
      • In Windows 10, go to Start > Settings > Update & security > Troubleshoot > Playing audio > Run the troubleshooter.
    7. Update or reinstall the audio driver.
      • Open Device Manager.
      • Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
      • Right-click the audio device and select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.
      • If that does not help, uninstall the audio device and restart the PC so Windows reinstalls it automatically.
      • Save open work before restarting.
    8. If the issue started recently after updates, check for Windows updates and install any available updates, then restart.

    References

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