When you drag the Windows volume slider and let go,
you should hear a “ding.” If not, the problem lies
elsewhere. If you do hear a ding, there’s a chance the
app you’re trying to use is muted instead. Make sure the
music player, video player, or any other app you’re
using is unmuted and turned up. The same goes for
YouTube and other in-browser players—it’s easy to
mute them accidentally, which can be frustrating to
diagnose later.
TRY SOME HEADPHONES
If you’re having trouble with your laptop’s built-in
speakers, try plugging in a set of headphones or external
speakers. If the sound works through them, you might
have a hardware problem with the laptop’s built-in
speakers. If you have a pair of USB headphones handy
(like a USB gaming headset), you can try plugging those
in too, since they can bypass the default audio driver
and indicate where the problem might lie.
CHANGE YOUR AUDIO DEVICE
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Windows is directing sound to the wrong output device.
This is especially likely when you’ve plugged in a USB
audio device or are plugged in to an external HDMI
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click the speaker icon in the Windows taskbar and
choose Sounds to enter the audio preferences.
Make sure
the music
player, video
player, or
any other
app you’re
using is
unmuted and
turned up.