The quick checks worth trying yourself
Before anything else, look for a mute button on the keyboard, speakers, or a volume dial, it is surprisingly easy to bump one by accident. Check that the volume icon on the screen is not showing a mute symbol, and if you use external speakers or headphones, confirm the cable is fully plugged into the right jack and the speakers themselves have power.
- Check for a muted volume icon on the screen
- Check any physical mute button on the keyboard or speakers
- Confirm speaker or headphone cables are fully plugged in
- Confirm external speakers are powered on and getting power
- Try a different pair of headphones to rule out the speakers themselves
When the cause is inside the computer
If the simple checks do not fix it, the next likely cause is the sound output device. Computers can have more than one place sound is set to play from, a monitor, a set of speakers, headphones, and if the wrong one is selected, the sound seems to disappear even though it is playing somewhere you cannot hear it. A recent update can also reset this setting without you realizing it.
Outdated or corrupted sound drivers are the other common culprit, especially after a Windows update. This is usually a quick fix once we are looking at the machine directly, but it does take knowing which driver to reinstall and where to get it safely.
Getting it fixed
Many audio problems can be sorted out over remote support, we connect to your screen with your permission and walk through the settings together while you watch. If the cause turns out to be a hardware issue, a bad jack or a failing sound card, we come to your home to look at it directly. Call (615) 852-5565 Monday to Saturday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM and tell us exactly when the sound stopped working, that detail alone often points us straight to the cause.
Need patient, local help?
These Deskside services are the closest match for this guide.