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Regularly updating Windows is crucial. While it may sometimes feel inconvenient when updates occur while you're in the middle of something, overall, it's beneficial for your computer. So, imagine you've just updated the operating system and you're ready to work or watch your favorite TV show, only to realize there's no sound. So what do you do when your computer loses sound after updating Windows 10?
Computer Sound Loss After Updating Windows 10
Fixing Computer Sound Loss After Updating Windows 10
1. Verify Updates
One of the first things you need to do is ensure that the downloaded updates have actually been installed.
- Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.
- Here, pay attention to two things: You're up to date and Updates are available.
- If you see the second option, click on Install Now.
- Restart your PC and check if everything is working fine.
You should restart your computer, even if you receive a notification that everything has been updated, just to be sure. The sound may return. In more cautious cases, you should turn off Windows 10 updates.
2. Check Connection Cables
Before panicking and suspecting that the cause is the Windows 10 update, it's best to check the connection cables, plugs, and speakers. Here are some things you can do:
- Look for loose wires and cables. Not everything may be securely connected.
- Ensure the power is on and the volume is not at the lowest level.
- Sometimes the mute function is turned on. Some speakers and apps have their own volume controls.
- Try connecting the speakers or headphones to a different USB port.
3. Check Sound Settings
You should also check the audio devices and ensure they are turned on.
- Right-click on the speaker icon and select Open Volume mixer.
- When you see the volume controller, make sure everything is turned on.
4. Fix Sound Driver
Being one of the potential issues, faulty and outdated drivers are the cause of most hardware problems. If you hear nothing, ensure your sound driver is updated and proceed with an update if necessary. But if that doesn't work, uninstall the sound driver. It will then reinstall automatically. You can also restore the sound driver.
4.1. Automatic Audio Driver Update
- Type device manager in the search box on the Taskbar and then select it from the results.
- Click on Sound, video and game controllers.
- Right-click on your audio device like headphones or speakers, select Update driver > Search automatically for updated driver software. Then, just follow the instructions and complete the update process.
4.2. Uninstalling Audio Driver
- Type device manager in the search box on the Taskbar and then select it from the results.
- Click on Sound, video and game controllers.
- Right-click on your audio device and choose Uninstall device > Delete the driver software for this device > Uninstall.
- Restart your computer. The restart will force the PC to automatically reinstall the audio driver.
4.3. Restore Audio Driver
- Type device manager in the search box on the Taskbar and then click on the displayed result.
- Right-click on Sound, video and game controllers.
- Select the Driver tab > Roll Back Driver.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and choose Yes to restore your audio driver.
5. Try Different Audio Formats
Another thing you can do to fix sound issues that may occur after updating Windows 10 is to try different audio formats.
- Navigate to Control Panel.
- Select Hardware and Sound > Sound.
- When you see the Playback tab, right-click on Default Device and choose Properties.
- On the Advanced tab, under Default Format, change this setting and click OK.
- Check the audio device. If it still doesn't work, go back and try changing this setting again.
6. Privacy Settings
If you're experiencing sound issues on Windows 10 due to a malfunctioning microphone, it's possible that your privacy settings aren't configured correctly.
- Go to Start > Settings > Privacy.
- Select Microphone from the menu.
- Under Allow access to the microphone on this device, choose Change. Ensure the switch is turned on.
- If you're experiencing sound issues with a specific app, scroll down to Choose which Microsoft Store apps can access your microphone and make sure the switch next to the mentioned app is also turned on.
Encountering no sound issue on Windows 10 can be quite disappointing. And sometimes, it's challenging to pinpoint the root cause of the problem. The best approach is to try various methods, and if lucky, you'll Resolve sound loss in Windows 10 or fix sound loss in Windows 11 quickly.
- Explore more: How to Fix Sound Loss in Windows 11
