How to Fix Sound Not Working After Windows update

You’ve just finished installing a Windows update, but when you go to play a video or listen to music, you’re met with silence. It’s a frustratingly common problem: a routine update accidentally disrupts your audio settings or drivers. The good news is that this is almost always fixable.

This guide will walk you through the most effective methods to fix your audio, starting with the simplest checks and moving to the more definitive solutions. As someone who has troubleshooted this exact issue many times, I can assure you that following these steps systematically will give you the best chance of getting your sound back quickly.

First, a Few Basic Checks (Don’t Skip These!)

Before diving into system settings, let’s rule out the simple culprits. In a moment of panic, it’s easy to overlook these, but they solve the problem more often than you’d think.

• Check the Volume: Click the speaker icon in the bottom-right of your taskbar. Ensure the volume is not muted (there should be no ‘X’ next to the speaker) and that the slider is turned up.
• Check Physical Connections: If you use external speakers or a headset, make sure the cables are securely plugged into the correct audio port (usually the green one). Try unplugging and plugging them back in.
• Select the Correct Playback Device: A Windows update can sometimes change your default audio device.
  1. Right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar.
  2. Select Sound settings.
  3. Under the Output section, you will see a dropdown menu for “Choose where to play sound.”
  4. Click the menu and make sure your primary speakers or headphones are selected. It might have been switched to a monitor or another connected device.

If these basics don’t restore your sound, it’s time to dig a little deeper.

Method 1: Use the Built-in Windows Audio Troubleshooter

Windows has an automated tool designed specifically to find and fix common audio problems. This should always be your first major troubleshooting step.

1. Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar.
2. Select Troubleshoot sound problems.
3. The troubleshooter will launch. Follow the on-screen prompts, selecting the audio device that is giving you trouble.
4. The tool will check for issues with drivers, services, and settings and attempt to apply a fix automatically.

Method 2: Fix Your Audio Drivers

The most common reason for sound not working after an update is that the update installed a faulty or incompatible audio driver. We can address this using the Device Manager.

How to Open Device Manager:

Right-click on the Start Menu and select Device Manager from the list. Once it’s open, click the arrow to expand the Sound, video and game controllers category. You’ll see your audio device listed here (e.g., “Realtek High Definition Audio,” “NVIDIA High Definition Audio”).

Option A: Roll Back the Audio Driver

If your sound was working perfectly before the update, rolling back to the previous driver is the quickest potential fix.

1. In Device Manager, right-click your audio device and select Properties.
2. Go to the Driver tab.
3. Click the Roll Back Driver button.
4. Choose a reason for rolling back and click Yes.
5. If this button is grayed out, it means there is no previous driver to roll back to. In that case, proceed to the next option.

Option B: Manually Reinstall the Audio Driver (Most Effective)

This method involves completely uninstalling the driver, forcing Windows to do a clean reinstallation after a restart. This often resolves stubborn conflicts.

1. In Device Manager, right-click your audio device and select Uninstall device.
2. A confirmation box will pop up. Important: If you see a checkbox that says “Attempt to remove the driver for this device,” leave it unchecked for your first try. Click Uninstall.
3. After the device disappears from the list, restart your computer.
4. When your PC boots up, Windows will automatically detect the “new” hardware and reinstall a fresh driver. Check if your sound is working.

If the sound is still not working, repeat the process, but this time, check the box to “Attempt to remove the driver for this device” before uninstalling. After restarting, if sound is still not working, your best bet is to visit the support website for your PC manufacturer (e.g., Dell, HP, Lenovo) or your motherboard manufacturer (e.g., MSI, ASUS) to download and install the latest official audio driver for your specific model.

Method 3: Check Windows Audio Services

For sound to function, certain background services need to be running. An update can occasionally stop them.

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type services.msc and press Enter.
3. In the Services window, scroll down and locate these two services:
   • Windows Audio
   • Windows Audio Endpoint Builder
4. For both services, ensure their Status is “Running” and their Startup Type is “Automatic.”
5. If a service isn’t running, right-click it and choose Start. If its startup type isn’t “Automatic,” right-click it, select Properties, change the Startup type to Automatic, and click OK.

Method 4: Disable Audio Enhancements

Sometimes, software “enhancements” designed to improve sound can conflict with a new driver or update. Disabling them can restore basic audio functionality.

1. Right-click the speaker icon and go to Sound settings.
2. Scroll down and click on More sound settings.
3. In the new window, go to the Playback tab.
4. Right-click your default device (the one with the green checkmark) and select Properties.
5. Go to the Enhancements tab.
6. Check the box that says Disable all enhancements or Disable all sound effects.
7. Click Apply and OK.

By working through these steps methodically, you can diagnose the root cause of your audio issue and get your sound working again, turning a frustrating problem into a solved one.