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To turn on sound in Windows 11, select the speakers under Settings > System > Sound > Output and check that they are not muted. If the speakers are disabled or missing from the list, use the matching steps below: selecting an output, enabling a disabled playback device, and restoring a missing device are different fixes.
Select the speakers as the sound output
- Open Start > Settings > System > Sound.
- Under Output, select the device you want Windows to use. Its name may be a manufacturer or device name rather than “Speakers.”
- Alternatively, select the sound control on the taskbar and choose the intended output from the connected-device list.
Windows sends sound to the selected output. If a monitor, headphones, or another device is selected, change the output to the speakers. This can matter with USB or HDMI audio connections; an external monitor may appear as an output even if it has no speakers. See Microsoft’s speaker and headphone audio troubleshooting guide.
Check mute, volume, and the app
- In Sound settings or the taskbar sound control, raise the system output volume and confirm it is not muted.
- Open the Volume mixer and check the affected app’s volume. If other apps play sound, check the app’s own volume and its output selection too.
- If you use external speakers, check their power, physical volume and mute controls, and cable connection.
Microsoft’s Windows audio troubleshooting guide covers system and app volume checks as well as output selection.
Re-enable a disabled playback device
- Open Settings > System > Sound.
- Select More sound settings.
- In the classic Sound window, open the Playback tab, select the speaker device, and choose Properties.
- On the device properties window, check Device usage. If available, set it to Use this device (enable), then select Apply and OK.
If you want this device to be the default, select it in More sound settings > Playback and choose Set as default. In Settings, choosing the device under Output also makes it the current output.
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Run Windows’ audio troubleshooter
If the speakers are selected and enabled but sound still does not work, Microsoft recommends starting with the automated Audio troubleshooter in the Get Help app on Windows 11. Follow the prompts to check the detected output and apply any suggested fixes. You can also select the output device in Sound settings and turn Audio enhancements off to see whether that resolves the issue. These steps may help with software or configuration problems, but cannot establish that the speaker hardware is working.
See Microsoft’s audio troubleshooting guidance for the troubleshooter and enhancement setting.
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If the speakers do not appear in Output
A missing output can indicate that Windows is not detecting the audio device. Microsoft notes: “Windows may not detect an audio output device if the required audio driver is missing, outdated, disabled, or not loading correctly.” Try these detection and driver checks:
- Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
- Expand Sound, video and game controllers. If the audio device is listed, check whether an option to enable it is available.
- If it is not listed, use Device Manager’s View > Show hidden devices option, then choose Action > Scan for hardware changes.
- If the driver is missing or incompatible, get the driver for your Windows version from the computer manufacturer or sound-card manufacturer. Install it and restart the PC.
For the full procedure, see Microsoft’s instructions for missing or undetected audio output devices.
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