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HP Desktop PCs - No Sound from the Computer (Windows 10)

This document applies to HP and Compaq desktop computers with Windows 10.

The steps in this document describe how to troubleshoot and fix the problem when there is no sound coming from the computer (no volume, or the audio is not working).

Understanding desktop sound devices

Most desktop computers do not come with built-in speakers. You must connect headphones or speakers to the ports on the front or back of the computer to hear audio.

note:
If your computer came with a discrete graphics card, there might be a plastic cover blocking the HDMI port attached to the motherboard. Most PCs can use video from the graphics card or the motherboard, but not both at the same time. If you remove the plastic cover and connect a monitor, video and sound cannot work unless the graphics card is removed.

Use the ports illustrated in the following graphics to connect audio devices:

Microphone connector or Center/Subwoofer Out

Front speaker connector (to front powered speakers or headphones)

Line-in or Rear speaker Out

Side speaker out

Rear speaker out

Center and subwoofer out

Microphone

Line-out (to front powered speakers or headphones)

Line-in

Step 1: Restart the computer

If there is no sound coming from the audio device connected to your computer, the issue might be caused by an application controlling that device and preventing other applications from using it. Before attempting the other troubleshooting procedures in this document, restart your computer, and then test the audio to see if the problem is fixed.

Step 2: Using the Troubleshooting tool

The audio troubleshooting tool in Windows can automatically fix common audio recording and audio playback problems with your computer.

Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and select Troubleshoot sound problems.
Select the device you want to troubleshoot, and then click Next.
Wait while the troubleshooter detects problems and makes changes (or prompts you to make changes).

When the troubleshooter completes, the Troubleshooting has completed page displays, listing any problems found and what changes were made to the computer.

note:
For detailed information about the troubleshooting, click View detailed information in the troubleshooter window.
If a recommended action displays, select Apply this fix, or Skip this step to continue to search for other problems.
Click Close.

If the audio problem has not been resolved, continue to the next step.

Step 3: Checking for sound from headphones

Determine the type of headphones you are using, and then check the sound from your computer.

Identify the headphone type

Two types of headphone connectors are available on HP computers. One supports only sound to the headphones, and the other supports sound to the headphones and the use of a microphone. The connectors are marked with symbols next to them.

Connectors on the computer marked with a headset only , support output sound only and work with a standard three-pin headphone or a four-pin headphone, for sound.
Connectors on the computer marked with a headset with a microphone , support sound and the use of a microphone when used with a headset with a four-pin plug and a microphone.

To hear sound, either plug may be used with either connector. Using a four-pin plug that is capable of supporting a microphone in a three-pin connector allows sound to be heard, but the microphone does not work because the computer's three-pin connector does not support a microphone.

Check for sound from the headphones

After you identify your headphone type, unplug and then plug in the headphones into the appropriate connector to test the sound.

Find and unplug all audio cables from the back of the computer.
Plug headphones directly into the speaker out connector on the back of the computer. The speaker out connector might have a symbol of a speaker or a circle with an arrow pointing out, or it might be labeled as OUT.
Microphone connector or Center/Subwoofer Out

Front speaker connector (to front powered speakers or headphones)

Line-in or Rear speaker Out
Side speaker out

Rear speaker out

Center and subwoofer out

Microphone

Line-out (to front powered speakers or headphones)

Line-in
Test for sound in Windows. Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar, and then select Open Volume Mixer.
Click the volume control slider.

Each time you click the master volume slide bar, you should hear a sound through the headphones.
- If you hear sound through the headphones, the sound hardware on the computer is working, and the issue is probably related to the speakers or speaker cables. Disconnect the headphones and reconnect the speakers.
  
  When done, test again for sound using the same steps as above with the volume control slider. If sound still does not work correctly after reconnecting the speakers, try replacing the speaker cable (if possible) and test again.
- If you cannot hear sound through the headphones, make sure that you are plugging the headphones into the correct connector, and try again. If there is still no sound, continue to the next step.

Step 4: Setting default speakers and testing audio

Use the following steps to set and test the default speakers.

Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar, and then select Playback devices.
In the Sound window, from the Playback tab, select your playback device, then click Set Default. If only one playback device is listed, it is set to default automatically.

note:
If you are having problems setting an HDMI audio device as the default playback device, refer to Troubleshooting HDMI Display and Sound Issues.

If you set speakers as your default device, proceed to the next step.
With the default playback device selected, click Configure.
Click your speaker setup in Audio channels.

note:
If you want to use HDMI output, select Digital Audio (HDMI). For more information, refer to Troubleshooting HDMI Display and Sound Issues.
Click Test to send sound to each speaker, or select an individual speaker to send sound to that speaker.
- If sound is heard correctly from each speaker, you are finished.
- If sound is missing from all or one of the speakers, or if the configuration type was changed, continue with speaker setup by clicking Next. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the speaker setup.
Test for sound. If sound problems persist, continue to the next step.

Step 5: Checking speaker connections

Use these steps to make sure you have the speaker cables connected to the correct sound connectors.

Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar, and then select Playback devices.
Select the speaker device, and then click Properties.
The Speakers Properties window contains a list of color-coded connectors that corresponds to each pair of speakers. Use this information to determine which connector goes with the speaker pairs that you are using.

In a 7.1 Surround setup, the following connectors (or jacks) would be used:
- L R (green, Line Out) is for the front left and right speaker pair (the green connector, usually labeled Line out).
- RL RR (orange) is for the Rear-left and Rear-right speaker pair.
- C Sub (black) is for the Center or Subwoofer speaker.
- SL SR (gray), is for Side Left and Side Right speakers.
Make sure each speaker cable is connected to its corresponding connector on the back of the computer. The colors shown in the Speakers Properties window match the connector color on the computer.
- If you have 5.1 or greater speakers, connect the speaker cables to the speaker hardware (usually on the subwoofer). Then match the speaker cable to the connectors on the computer using the colors shown in the Speakers Properties window.
- If any speaker cable connection changed, repeat these steps to check for sound again.
Play a sound. If you still do not hear any sound, proceed to the next step.

Step 6: Restoring or updating the audio driver

When a program does not work properly, you can update to the latest drivers available.

If your computer came with Windows 10 installed, update the audio driver using Windows Update.
If you upgraded your computer to Windows 10, update the audio driver in Device Manager.

Updating the audio driver in Windows Update

Use Windows Update to update the latest audio drivers available for your computer.

In the Windows search bar, search for and open Check for updates. If there are any available updates, they begin installing automatically.

To learn more about Windows Update, go to Updating Drivers and Software with Windows Update.

Test for sound. If the audio problem persists, continue to the next section to update the drivers in Device Manager.

Updating the audio driver using Device Manager

Make sure the audio device is enabled, and then update the audio driver using Device Manager.

In Windows, search for and open Device Manager.
Double-click Sound, video and game controllers.
If a sound device is listed with a down arrow , the device is disabled. Right-click the sound device name, and then select Enable to re-enable the device.
With the sound device enabled, right-click the sound device, and then select Update Driver Software.
Click Search automatically for updated driver software.
Windows checks for and installs any updated drivers found. The window displays whether the computer already has the latest available driver or if Windows was able to successfully update the audio driver.
If a window opens prompting you to restart the computer, restart the computer.
Test for sound. If the audio problem persists after updating the driver, continue to the next step.

If you completed these steps and the latest driver was already installed, use the following steps to uninstall and then reinstall the driver:

In Windows, search for and open Device Manager.
Double-click Sound, video and game controllers.
Right-click the sound device and select Uninstall.
Restart the computer to reinstall the driver.
Test for sound. If the audio problem persists after reinstalling the driver, continue to the next step.

Step 7: Reset BIOS to defaults

Corrupted or incorrect BIOS settings can cause audio issues. Restore the default BIOS values using the steps in this section.

Accessing the BIOS Setup menu and determining the BIOS version

Turn off the computer and wait five seconds.
Turn on the computer and immediately press the F10 key repeatedly until a BIOS Setup screen opens.

If nothing happens, press the F1 key repeatedly.
Find the BIOS version number before proceeding to reload the default settings. In the BIOS Setup utility, do one of the following:
- On the Main tab, note the BIOS version.
- On the File tab, use the down arrow to select System Information, and then press Enter.
  
  On the System Information screen, note the BIOS version.

Reloading the default settings

Use one of the following sections to reload the factory default BIOS settings:

BIOS version 6 or less

Press the F5 key.
Select Yes or OK.
Press the F10 key.
Select Yes or OK to save the defaults.

You can also complete the following steps to reload the factory BIOS settings using the menu:

In the BIOS Setup utility, select the Exit tab.
Select Load Setup Defaults.
The system prompts you to load the optimized setup defaults. Select Yes or OK and press the Enter key.
Select Exit Saving Changes.
Press Esc and then press Enter to exit Setup.

BIOS version 7 or greater

In the BIOS Setup utility, select the File tab.
Select Apply Defaults and Exit.

The default settings are restored, the BIOS setup utility closes, and the computer starts into Windows.

Test for sound. If the audio problem persists, continue to the next step.

Step 8: Run the Audio test from the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics

The Hardware Diagnostics Audio Playback Test checks your system to make sure the audio device is functioning properly and tests the functionality of the audio subsystem, including audio controllers and codecs. For more information about installing and using the HP PC Hardware Diagnostic tests, see HP PCs - Testing for Hardware Failures.

During the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Audio Test, a few music notes are played in sequence and then repeated. This test takes 1 minute to complete for each audio output port.

To download the latest version of the Hardware Diagnostics for Windows, go to the HP Hardware Diagnostics website.
In the HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows section, click Download Diagnostics Windows.
Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the software.
In Windows, search for HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows, right-click the app in the search results, and then select Run as administrator.

The HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Main Menu displays.
Click Component Tests.
On the Component Tests menu window, click Audio, and then select Audio Playback Test.
Click Run once.
Click Next, and then select an audio device to begin the test.

During the test, a few music notes play in sequence and repeatedly.
When the Audio Test completes, a window opens asking if you were able to hear a sound from all the tested devices. Click Yes or No, depending on what you heard during the test.

The audio test results display on the screen.
- If the audio test passes, click Finish, close the tool, and then restart the computer.
- If the audio test fails, write down the failure ID (24-digit code) so you have it available when you contact HP Customer Support. The information is also available in Test Logs.

If the Audio Playback Test passed without errors but the audio problems persist, continue to the next step.

Step 9: Update the BIOS

Updating the BIOS can resolve some audio issues. For instructions, see HP Desktop PCs - Updating the BIOS.

If updating the BIOS did not resolve the audio issue, continue to the next step.

Step 10: Restore your computer

If you have tried the troubleshooting steps and your sound is still not working properly, restore your computer. Computers that had functioning sound in the past can be restored back to that point. Use the steps in HP PCs - Using Microsoft System Restore (Windows 10, 8) to restore all the system files back to a time when the sound was working properly.

Alternatively, you can reinstall the operating system by performing a reset. For instructions, see Resetting Your Computer (Windows 10).

Step 11: Reset your computer

If you have tried the troubleshooting steps and your sound is still not working properly, reset your computer. For instructions, see Resetting Your Computer (Windows 10).