Laptops are not the best when it comes to their sound quality. The speakers are already never enough with their volume, yet sometimes they get a fault of their own, making it a little more challenging for you to operate. What should be done when speakers are not working on a laptop?
Luckily, several things can be done if your laptop speakers stop functioning or somehow have some trouble functioning. As the speakers vary with different laptops, we will be covering almost every laptop that there is.
In this article, we will have a detailed discussion about laptop speakers not working; what can be done? And how to fix it?
Laptop Speakers Not Working: HP, DELL, ACER, LENOVO, MAC, ETC!
We have written a general guide to fixing laptop speakers. If you are looking for a more specific guide depending on your laptop, we have that as well.
- For a detailed guide regarding HP laptop speakers not working.
- For a detailed guide regarding Lenovo laptop speakers not working.
- For a detailed guide regarding Toshiba laptop speakers not working.
- For a detailed guide regarding MacBook speakers not working.
- For a detailed guide regarding Chromebook speakers not working.
- For a detailed guide regarding Acer laptop speakers not working.
- For a detailed guide regarding Alienware speakers not working.
- For a detailed guide regarding dell laptop speakers not working.
How To Fix It When Laptop Speakers Not Working?
There can be several problems that can stop the speakers on your laptop from working. Mostly, the problems are with sound settings and configurations, but much more can also go wrong.
There can be a fault in the device drivers, or worse, some mechanical or wiring issue in your laptop speakers. While some of these things can be corrected by one’s own self, you might need a little professional help in the others.
Since diagnosing the problem is not always easy, I recommend trying all the easy things once. Most people sort out the issue in just that and are good to go in under 5 minutes. However, this may not be it for some as the issues might be deeper with their laptop speakers.
Common issues with laptop speakers:
Here are some of the most common reasons why your laptop speakers are not working. There can be some other things that would also disturb the functioning of your speakers, but usually, that’s not the case, as that would be a rare event.
Sound settings:
Sometimes, all you have to do is to go to the settings and unmute your speakers. I know how basic this sounds, but many people start panicking way too early and do not check if the speaker is simply on mute or not.
Every time you face any issue with your speakers, you should first check the settings of the laptop and ensure the speakers are not on mute.
Configuration:
People usually fear the word configuration, but it is not as scary as it sounds. The speaker configuration is another common issue many people fail to address when laptop speakers malfunction.
It can be a little more complicated than just going to the settings and unmuting the laptop speakers, but it is not the most difficult task one can do.
Sometimes, the laptop is configured to an audio output other than the speakers. The laptop speakers are usually the default audio output configuration.
In short, double-check what your laptop audio is being set to. If it is not the speakers of the laptop, change this little setting and soon you’ll be able to enjoy the sound as always.
Audio drivers:
An audio driver is a software responsible for transmitting audio from the operating system to the audio devices (speakers).
Two things can commonly happen to your audio drivers: they can get outdated and stop functioning or be corrupted due to some error.
Either way, replacing them with new and latest drivers can get you the sound of your speakers back.
Faulty Speakers:
This is the worst of all, because it would mean you’ll have to replace the speakers. It is mostly a hardware issue that causes the speakers to be damaged or faulty.
Sometimes, the speakers can also be repaired. This depends upon the extent of damage your speaker has suffered. For this, I recommend you seek professional help.
DIY Fixing of Laptop Speakers:
Fixing the speakers of your laptop is a challenging task, but it is just as rewarding. There is nothing better than the satisfaction of a successful DIY tech project.
Fixing the laptop, yourself would mean that mostly you’ll only use the equipment you have at home. So as long as you have to correct the equipment, you are good to go.
We have a step-by-step guide that will teach you how to fix the speakers yourself.
Check the laptop settings and make sure the speakers aren’t mute. As mentioned above, this is probably one of the most common issues people face.
Even if you don’t remember muting the speakers yourself, chances are that you might have accidentally pushed the shortcut to it.
Using Windows on your laptop, you need to go to the speaker icon in the Windows system tray. The speaker icon is next to an X; this means the speakers have been muted. You can undo it by clicking on the X.
If this hasn’t worked, then we need to ensure the laptop’s audio output is functioning. Simply plug in the headphones, if you can listen to a sound through them then the audio drivers or the hardware of the speaker is most likely faulty.
Another trick is to ensure the laptop’s sensor is not bothered. When headphones are installed, the laptop does not play the sound on the speakers. Sometimes, this sensor gets jammed and continues to ignore playing the music through the speakers.
This can be simply corrected by inserting the headphones and removing them multiple times. Also, try and twist them a little to make sure the sensor gets activated when they are removed.
The configurations of your laptop are essential. If you have used wireless headphones or a monitor with the laptop, the settings might remove the speakers from the default audio output. For this, you simply need to check the speaker’s configuration.
In case it is set to anything other than the speakers, you change it back to the speaker and hopefully, the problem will be resolved. This setting is named under the playback device in windows.
If you are using windows, you are in a lot of luck right now. The troubleshooter checks in for the faults themselves. Run it and wait for some time till it finishes the check. Most likely, if the issue is fixable, the speakers will be back to normal in no time.
This setting is usually named as troubleshoot sound problems, and can also be found in the sound icon of the system tray.
Sometimes the issue is simply in your audio drivers. Check them, if there is an update due, then update the audio drivers of your laptop. Also check the audio drivers’ date and ensure they are not outdated.
If none of the above things worked for you, then there might be a possibility that your speakers have gotten bad. This might mean that there must be some professional help that can fix the laptop at this point.
Checking The Speakers Of The Laptop Yourself:
This might sound like a big deal, and of course, it is. It requires expertise, and I recommend you do not do this yourself if you have never done anything like this before. If your laptop is still under warranty, you should immediately get it repaired by the company.
Depending on your level of expertise, you can physically examine your laptop’s speakers. Fixing it might be a little too hard as it might need some more equipment. It might also be possible that you’ll have to fix a new speaker anyway.
- Open the case of the laptop. This is not easy and requires special equipment which you might not have at home with you. In that case, I do not recommend you process any further yourself. You might end up doing more damage than help at this point.
- Examine the speakers. How they look can tell you a lot about them. Sometimes they show signs of physical damage which means replacing them is the only option left.
- The wires that connect the speakers to the motherboard are also critical. The speaker will lose connection if there is some disturbance in that wiring. I will recommend that you double-check every connection, and if it seems loose, you re-establish it and then try working the speakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q- Why are my laptop speakers not working?
Laptop speakers can stop functioning due to many reasons. Usually, this is because of some issues in the settings. It can also be due to any configuration issue. A much more complicated issue can be with your audio drivers. Lastly, faulty hardware or physical damage to your speakers is always possible.
Q- How do I get the sound back on my laptop?
Start by checking every possible setting and configuration. You will most likely find the issue and get back the sound immediately. If you cannot find any problems in the settings and configuration, check your audio drivers, as mentioned in the article above.
Lastly, if all the things mentioned above are working fine, then I’ll recommend a professional’s help because it might be due to a wiring issue between the speakers and the motherboard, or the speakers have gone wrong.
Conclusion
Several things can go wrong with your speaker. Sometimes it is just a small error that you can fix at home. The rest of the time, it can be challenging and expensive, if you have run out of your warranty. We hope if your laptop speakers are not working, this guide helps you fix your issues.
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