On the Windows taskbar, the sound icon may have a red X on it sometimes. When you move the cursor over it, it tells you that there is no speaker or that headphones are plugged in. This error can happen if there are problems with the audio driver or the audio services in Windows.
Run the built-in audio troubleshooter to fix the error. This tool can find and fix common audio problems with the sound device. If not, you can either do an audio driver rollback or reinstall the driver by hand to get sound back on your system.
Fix: No Speakers or Headphones Are Plugged in Error
Re-Enable your Sound Card
- Press Windows + R keys on your keyboard. This will bring up a utility called Run.
- Type in devmgmt.msc and hit the OK button. By doing this, you’re launching Windows 10’s Device Manager.
- Expand Sound, video, and game controllers by clicking on the arrow in front of it.
- Right-click on your sound card and select Disable device.
- Restart your computer or laptop. This is very important for your changes to finalize.
- When your device turns back on, repeat steps 1 to 3.
- Right-click on your sound card and select Enable device.
Update your driver from Windows itself
- Press and hold the Windows key, then press R. This will launch the Run application.
- Type in devmgmt.msc and hit OK to bring up the Device Manager.
- Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers section by clicking on the arrow icon.
- Right-click on your audio driver and select Update Driver.
- Click on Search automatically for updated driver software.
- If Windows can find an updated driver, it will automatically download and install the update to your computer.
- Restart your PC and test if the issue is solved.
With command prompt to Fix No Speakers or Headphones Are Plugged in Error
- Open command prompt as administrator.
- Now, type the following command given below and hit enter.
net localgroup Administrators /add networkservice Next type the command given below in command prompt and hit enter.
net localgroup Administrators /add localservice
- close the command prompt window.
- Restart your PC.
Check Hardware for Damage
- Test: Connect the audio device to another computer and check if the error occurs.
- If error occurs, disassemble the audio device.
- Repair any loose or broken connections.
- Perform the same check on your computer.
- If there is any physical damage in the connection port, repair or replace the damaged components.
- If the device has a valid warranty, repair the device or exchange it for a new one.
FAQs
Check the cables, connections, and other components related to your audio device before connecting it to your PC. Default Device Not Selected: If your PC is not detecting any audio, it could be because the default device for audio playback has not been set. You have to select the default device to get audio output.
Why is Android phone stuck in headphone mode? The most likely cause is that a software malfunction or hardware fault is causing your phone to think that the headphones are plugged in, even though they are not.
If your microphone isn’t detected after updating Windows 10, you may need to give your apps permission to use it. To let apps access the microphone, select Start ,then select Settings > Privacy > Microphone . Select Change, then turn on Allow apps to access your microphone.
Check if the applications can access your microphone: Go to Start → Settings → Privacy → Microphone. Click Change to enable microphone access for the device in use. Under “Allow apps to access your microphone”, switch the toggle to the right to allow applications to use the microphone.