Laptop Speakers Not Working? Try these 7 fixes

Updated on June 10, 2023

Laptop is an integral part of your daily life. Not only do you spend hours working on the screen. But it also serves your entertainment needs.

However, one of the frustrating issues you may encounter with your laptop is when the in-built speakers suddenly stop working, or the sound fades away. 

This can become a hectic issue if you heavily rely on your laptop. 

Why is your laptop speaker not working?

The answer can be as simple as a technical glitch, software or hardware conflicts, or system disruption. 

Regardless of your expensive investment, your laptop is a device bound to have errors and issues. 

However, there is always a solution lying next to it. If your laptop speaker is acting up and you are wondering why? Here is everything you might want to know. 

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Check Volume Settings

Trust me, it’s always better to start with the basics. You might not have noticed but sometimes we mistakenly press keys, which leads us to wonder why is this not working. 

To have it on the checks, begin by verifying the volume settings on your laptop to ensure that it’s not accidentally muted. 

Adjust the volume slides or press the mute button on your keyboard to ensure the sound is enabled and at an audible level. 

If you are getting very low audio. Try using volumebooster.io and other sound boosters application to increase the audible level.

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Check your Headphone connections

While laptop speakers are in-built and connected internally, your volume setting is fine on the check. 

You might want to assure your headset connectivity is working fine. Most of us avidly use external audio devices for convivence like smart headphones and earplugs. 

if you’re using wired earphones, check it is correctly plugged into the port, similarly for the smart headset, check if they are connected properly to your device. 

If not make sure you have a secure Bluetooth connection. 

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Update your Audio Drivers

If none of the above solves your problem, it’s time for some extra work. Outdated or faulty audio drivers can often cause issues with your laptop speakers. 

The simple solution is to update your audio drivers, and if you are wondering how then, check the following steps.

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  • Go to the device manager on your laptop.
  • You can usually access it by right-clicking on the start button sitting on the left corner of the taskbar. 
  • In the device manager, locate the “sound, video, and game controller” category and expand it. 
  • Right-click on the audio device listed and stream down to “update driver”
  • Follow on-screen instructions to update the driver. 
  • However, if there are no updates available. Uninstall the driver then, reinstall it. 

Run Audio Troubleshooter. 

If you have stretched till here, it means your problem is still unsolved. Well, the next step is to troubleshoot. 

Your laptop provides you with an in-built troubleshooter to help resolve common sound issues. If you have never used them, here is how to do it.

For Windows

  • Go to your Windows settings.
  • Click on the “System” and then select “Sound” from the left-hand menu.
  • Under the “Related settings” scroll down to “Troubleshoot”
  • Select the prompt from the troubleshooting related to your problem and proceed. 

For MacOS

  • Select “System Preferences” on the Apple menu in the top left corner.
  • Select “Sound” and navigate to the “Output” tab
  • Scroll down to the “Troubleshoot” 
  • Follow the given instruction to identify and resolve your issue.

Check for Software Conflicts

If your speaker problem persists it might be a software glitch. 

Certain software applications or background processes can interfere with your laptop’s audio functionality. To pickle out the potential software conflicts, follow these steps to configure.

  • Close all the running programs and applications in the background.
  • Too many applications running at the same time can make your system lag, infusing trouble in the system’s functionality including speakers. 
  • Restart your laptop and test the speakers.
  • If the speakers work after restarting, gradually reopen your applications to identify if any specific program was causing the issue. 
  • Update or reinstall the problematic software, and check if it resolves the speaker problem. 

Perform a System Restore. 

If the above methods fail to fix the speaker issue, you can consider performing a system restore

This will allow you to revert your laptop’s setting back to a previous state when the speakers were functioning correctly.

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System restore points are created automatically, but you can also manually create one before encountering any problems. 

Keep in check, that a system restore will undo any recent software updates or installations. 

Seek Professional Help

If you are tired and tried everything, but your laptop speaker refuses to work it’s better to leave the job to the experts now. Consulting a qualified technician or contacting the manufacturer’s support service can provide you with expert assistance. 

They can help diagnose complex issues and offer appropriate solutions that are beyond the scope of regular troubleshooting. 

While this may involve additional cost, it can save you time, effort, and further damage to your laptop. 

Factors that May Cause Your Laptop Speaker to Dysfunction

  • Operating system issues can potentially affect your speaker problems. System updates, software glitches, or incorrect audio settings can lead to speaker problems.
  • Another factor is the malware threats, in some cases malware and virus can disrupt the audio settings and drivers on your laptop, resulting in speaker issues. Running through an antivirus scan can help detect and remove any malicious software.
  • Basic input/Output system (BIOS) problems with the BIOS or firmware can also influence the functioning of the laptop speakers. Updating the BIOS or the firmware to the latest version may help resolve the issue. 

Conclusion

It is an inconvenience when your laptop speaker stops working, it disrupts your daily tasks and entertainment. 

By following the mentioned troubleshooting steps. You may outline the issue disrupting your speaker functionality. 

You can often identify and resolve the underlying issues that cause sound malfunction. Before checking the complexity, ensure that the basic sound settings of your system are working fine. 

Keep your laptop in a safe space away from moisture and water. If your basic troubleshooting didn’t resolve the issue, consider getting technical support to curb any other potential damage. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Are laptop speakers repairable?

Ans: Yes, laptop speakers are generally repairable. In what case you should consider repairing your laptop speaker? 

  1. If your laptop speaker is producing a distorted or crackling sound. This may happen due to a loose wire connection or a damaged speaker driver.
  2. If your laptop speaker is completely silent and produces no sound at all. Ensure that the system volume setting is not on mute.
  3. If your laptop has been accidentally dropped or exposed to liquid. Physical damage can affect the internal components of the speaker. 

Q2. How do I get the sound back on my laptop?

Ans: If you are facing issues with your laptop sound. Crosscheck that the volume on your laptop is not muted, or set at a very low level. Test different audio resources, restart your laptop, it may be a glitch, or troubleshoot audio on your laptop. 

Q3. How do Laptop Speakers last?

Ans: Laptop speakers are typically connected internally and have a shelf life of 3-4 years if used in moderation and with care. Initially, they last as long as you want it depends on your use. 

Q4. Does the laptop need speakers?

Ans: All laptop comes with in-built speakers with a limited frequency and sound range. If you wish to experience dynamic sound effects while watching videos or movies, you can buy external speakers to enhance your audio quality. 

Q5. What damages Laptop speakers?

Ans: Multiple factors promote damage to laptop speakers, one being moisture and liquid contact, accidental drop, software or driver issues, and malware and virus. 

Article by:
Kenny Trinh
While he’s not editing articles on the latest tech trends, he likes to discuss business and entrepreneur. His writing has been featured in national publications such as Forbes, RD, Yahoo Finance, HackerNoon among others.

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