Windows 11 update AUDIO device not installed

Fraser Macmillan 0 Reputation points
2026-08-07T15:03:26.75+00:00

Since installing Windows11, when I hover the cursor over the volume icon in the bottom left corner of the screen, it says "No Audio device installed". It wont allow me to move the volume control up or down.

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers
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  1. Kapil Arya 38,496 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-08-07T18:15:52.2366667+00:00

    Please 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.

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  2. David-M 127.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-07T15:37:47.06+00:00

    Hi. I'm David, and I'm happy to help you.

    To be able to assist you better, please clarify the following:

    • Are you trying to play audio via internal speakers, external speakers, or headphones?
    • If it is an external speaker or headphones, does it have a standard audio connector (Jack connector) or a USB connector, or is it connected via Bluetooth?

    Also, share a screenshot of your system information.

    • Press "Windows + R", type msinfo32 and press Enter.

    Maximize the window and use the shortcut "Windows + Shift + S" to use the screenshot tool.

    Looking forward to your reply.

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  3. AI answer

    2026-08-07T15:03:50.75+00:00

    This usually means Windows 11 is not detecting the audio device or its driver. A practical recovery path is:

    1. Check that the audio device is enabled and not muted.
      • Right-click the Speakers icon on the taskbar.
      • Select the arrow next to the volume slider to open the list of audio devices.
      • Open More mixer settings.
      • Make sure the device is not muted.
      • Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound > More sound settings.
      • On the Playback tab, select the device, choose Properties, and confirm Device usage is set to Use this device (enable).
    2. Set the correct default output device.
      • Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound.
      • Under Output, select the speakers or headphones that should be used.
      • If an external monitor is selected as default and it has no speakers, audio will not play.
    3. Install pending Windows updates and restart.
      • Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update.
      • Select Check for updates and install available updates.
      • Restart the PC.
      • If Start > Power shows Update and restart, use that option.
    4. Update the audio driver.
      • Open Device Manager.
      • Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
      • Right-click the sound device and select Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.
      • Restart after the update.
    5. If updating does not help, reinstall the audio driver.
      • In Device Manager, under Sound, video and game controllers, right-click the audio device and select Uninstall device.
      • If shown, select Attempt to remove the driver for this device.
      • Restart the PC.
      • Windows should reinstall the driver automatically.
      • Save open work before restarting.
    6. If Windows still shows no audio device, install the latest driver from the PC manufacturer.
      • Go to the PC manufacturer’s support site.
      • Search for the exact device model.
      • Download and install the latest Windows 11 audio driver.
      • Restart the PC.
    7. If the problem started immediately after Windows Update, try rolling back the driver.
      • In Device Manager, right-click the audio device > Properties.
      • Open the Driver tab.
      • Select Roll Back Driver if available.
    8. If the device listed is IDT High Definition Audio CODEC, try the manual driver switch.
      • In Device Manager, right-click IDT High Definition Audio CODEC.
      • Select Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers > Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
      • Select High Definition Audio Device and continue.
    9. If needed, restart the audio services.
      • Search for services and open it.
      • Restart these services:
        • Windows Audio
        • Windows Audio Endpoint Builder
        • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

    The most likely fixes for this specific symptom after moving to Windows 11 are reinstalling the audio driver or installing the latest OEM audio driver from the device manufacturer.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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