[SOLVED] External Speakers Not Working On Windows 10 PC & Laptop

Since several users are facing no sound issues after upgrading their PC/Laptop to the latest version, we’ve tried to list all the possible solutions to help you get audio back.

Firstly, Check There’s No Problem With The External Speakers

Whenever a peripheral device isn’t working correctly, the very first thing you should do is verify there’s no problem with the device itself. To check whether Speakers have an issue, simply connect them with any other laptop or PC & play it. If the speakers are playing properly, then you can go ahead trying different solutions. If not, you might need to replace your Windows Speakers with new ones!

So, What’s The Issue? Why Aren’t My Speakers Not Working On Windows 10?

Well, there could be an issue with the sound settings, potentially a Windows upgrade bug, problems in connections or maybe outdated/damaged/missing audio drivers are causing the external speakers not responding on Windows 10 laptop or PC.

Whatever be the issues, our list of troubleshooting methods will hopefully help you in getting rid of the sound issues in no time.

How Do I Get My External Speakers To Work On Windows 10?

Using a PC or Laptop without sound is an odd experience. You don’t get to hear all the sounds, including the prompts on your computer when “External Speakers Are Not Responding Properly”!

Workaround 1- Check cables & connections

There is a possibility that your Windows 10 not recognizing speakers has nothing to do with the computer. It is possible that the speakers have problem as they can be physically damaged. Therefore, it is important to check for any signs of physical damage for both ports and speakers. It is also recommended to inspect the cables properly as it can be pulled which might have resulted in lost connectivity. Another important point to note is to check if the Speakers are being connected to the assigned port on your computer. If the preliminary checkup does not show any issues, move on to the next solutions.

Workaround 2- Set Speakers As Default

Follow the instructions carefully to set your external speaker as default output of sound:

• Right-click on the speaker icon > hit the Playback devices option.
• Navigate to the Speakers & click Set Default button.
• If you are unable to see your connected external speakers on this list, then probably they may be disabled.
• In such a case, simply right-click on Show disabled devices from the context menu.
• Now right-click on the speakers & choose the Enable option.

Hopefully, this should help you get your Windows 10 external speakers not working issues fixed.

Workaround 3- Check Sound Settings

To check audio settings are working aptly, follow the steps below:

• Click on the Start menu & head towards system Settings.
• Go to the System, followed by the Sound option.
• Ensure your devices aren’t disabled by any chance, so select the external speaker & go to its Device Properties for your input & output devices.
• Uncheck the Disable check for all your devices and verify the audio is working again.

Hopefully, this should be able to resolve “External speakers not working on Windows 10 PC/Laptop”.

Workaround 4- Run The Audio Troubleshooter

Follow the instructions below to run Windows audio troubleshooter & fix potential audio issues:

• Click on the Start menu & go to the Settings.
• Now head towards the System & click on the Sound menu.
• Choose the Troubleshoot option.
• Alternatively, you can type Audio Troubleshooter in the search box & run it to Fix and find problems with playing sound.
• Click the Next button!

Choose the device you would like to troubleshoot, in this case, select your connected ‘External Speakers’ to troubleshoot audio issues.

Workaround 5- Change Audio Devices

To resolve the audio devices issues, follow the steps below:

• Go to the Windows taskbar.
• Right-click on the speaker icon and choose Open Sound Settings & enter Audio preferences.
• From the Output section, head towards Manage Sound Devices.
• Select the Output device & choose the option
• Try external speakers until you start hearing the audio.

If these do not help you fix the issue, go ahead updating your missing or outdated audio drivers!

Workaround 6 – Update Audio Drivers (Recommended)

If speakers not showing up in sound is no longer an issue, but you are still unable to use it, update drivers on your computer. Since updating drivers manually is cumbersome for a lot of users. We are listing the automatic way to update drivers using Smart Driver Care. It’s a dedicated utility to find & replace most compatible drivers for all your PCs & Laptops drivers.

• Install Smart Driver Care.

• Launch the driver updater utility & click on the Start Scan button.
• It would take a few moments for this driver updater software to scan the entire PC or Laptop and list down all the missing/outdated/damaged & faulty drivers.
• Go through the list & you can manually select the Audio drivers which you would like to update.
• Or you can simply click on the Update All button to fix all the faulty drivers at once.

To read more about Smart Driver Care, you can read our complete guide right here!

Workaround 7- Update Windows

If updating drivers is also not helping, you must check your Windows version. It is possible that you have not updated your PC in a while which is resulting in external speakers not working properly as the drivers are not compatible with the system. Therefore, it is recommended to update the Windows to the latest version. Follow these steps to update Windows –

• Go to Start and Settings.
• For Windows 11, go to Windows Update. For Windows 10, Head to Update & Security and then go to Windows Update.
• Click on Check for Updates, if there are any new updates available, download & install them.
  
  
• Restart your computer and not see the PC not recognizing speakers issue is resolved or not. 

Workaround 8- Restore system

In cases, none of these methods work for you to fix speakers not showing in sound, restore the system. It is possible that a recent malfunction has disabled the PC to recognise the externally connected speakers. Follow these steps to resolve computer not detecting speakers by restoring the system to previous settings. 

• Go to Start and type System Restore.
• Click on Create a restore point and Open.
• A new window will appear for System Restore, click on System Protection tab.
• Now click on System Restore and then on the new window follow the on screen instructions.
  
  
• Select a previous version from the list. If possible, select a time where you remember having the speakers working

Have any suggestions related to troubleshooting audio on a PC or laptop mention them in the comments section!

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