Technology

Tips to fix computer speakers with no sound, red X mark on speaker icon

Once you have installed all the necessary audio drivers, plugins, and plugged in your speakers correctly, it can be quite frustrating to encounter the error message "No Speakers or Headphones Are Plugged In" with a red cross mark on your PC or laptop.

Administrator

7 January, 2024

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On Windows 7, audio issues are not uncommon, but there are many different types of issues. To fix the audio issue on Windows 7/8, you need to diagnose the problem first. One common issue is the sound being muted or intermittent without a clear reason.

Step 1: Press Windows + R and type regedit then press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

Step 2: Navigate to the following registry key:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices

Step 3: Click on MMDevices and then choose Permissions.

Step 4: In the Permission window, select Full Control for SYSTEM, Administrator, and user.

Step 5: Click Apply and then OK to save the settings.

Step 6: Now, navigate to the following registry key:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices\Audio

Step 7: Repeat steps 4 and 5 to have full control over Admin, user, and SYSTEM.

Step 8: Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer. This method should fix the red X on the volume icon in Windows 10. If this method does not solve your problem, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Ensure the Windows Audio Services are running

Step 1: Press Windows + R, then type msc and press Enter.

Step 2: Scroll down until you find Windows Audio Services, right-click on it, and choose Properties.

Step 3: Make sure the service is running by clicking Start and then setting the Startup type to Automatic.

Step 4: Click Apply and OK.

Step 5: Follow the same steps for the Windows Audio Endpoint Builder service.

Step 6: Close all programs and restart your computer to save the changes.

Method 3: Update the audio driver

Step 1: Press Windows + R, then type msc and press Enter to open the Device Manager.

Step 2: Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers section and right-click on the Audio Device, then choose Enable (skip this step if it’s already enabled).

If the audio device is already enabled, right-click on the Audio Device and select Update Driver Software.

Step 3: Select “Search automatically for updated driver software” and let the process finish.

Step 4: If the graphics card cannot be updated, select Update Driver Software.

Step 5: This time, select “Browse my computer for driver software“.

Step 6: Next, select “Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer“.

Step 7: Choose the appropriate driver from the list and click Next.

Step 8: Wait for the process to complete and restart your computer.

Step 9: If you cannot find the appropriate driver, visit the manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver.

Method 4: Uninstall the Realtek High Definition Audio driver

Step 1: Press Windows + X and select Control Panel.

Step 2: Click on Uninstall a Program and search for Realtek High Definition Audio Driver.

Step 3: Right-click on it and choose Uninstall.

Step 4: Restart your computer and open the Device Manager.

Step 5: Click on Action and select “Scan for hardware changes“.

Step 6: The system will automatically fix the red X on the volume icon.

If all the above methods fail, try the following method:

Go to Control Panel

Select Hardware and Sound

Select Realtek HD Audio Manager

Click on the Information button as shown below

Uncheck “Display icon in the notification area” >> click OK

Next, select Connector Setting

Select “Disable front panel jack detection” >> Click OK, this step is crucial

Thank you for reading the article. If you find it helpful, please share it with your friends to help them troubleshoot audio issues. Good luck!

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Frequently asked questions

There could be several reasons for this issue, including faulty drivers, incorrect audio settings, hardware problems, or even a minor software glitch. The first step is to check your audio settings and ensure the correct output device is selected. If the problem persists, try updating or reinstalling your audio drivers. If that doesn’t work, you may need to troubleshoot further by checking your hardware connections and cables or seeking technical support.

Start by checking your volume levels and ensuring that your speakers are not muted. Next, open your audio settings and confirm that the correct output device is chosen. If the issue persists, try updating your audio drivers or reinstall them if necessary. Additionally, check for any hardware issues, such as loose connections or damaged cables.

The red X mark typically indicates that your computer’s speakers are muted or there’s an issue with your audio output. It could be due to faulty drivers, incorrect settings, or a hardware problem. Start by verifying your audio settings and then move on to checking and updating your drivers.

To update your audio drivers, go to your Device Manager and locate your sound card under ‘Audio inputs and outputs’ or ‘Sound, video, and game controllers.’ Right-click on your sound card and select ‘Update Driver.’ You can choose to search automatically for updated driver software or browse your computer for driver software that you’ve downloaded from the manufacturer’s website. If updating the driver doesn’t work, you can try reinstalling it by following similar steps and choosing the ‘Uninstall Device’ option, then restarting your computer for the drivers to reinstall automatically.

If the issue persists, there could be a problem with your hardware. Check all your cable connections and ensure they’re securely plugged in. Try using different ports or cables if possible. If you have access to another set of speakers or headphones, test them with your device to see if the problem is specific to your speakers. If the issue remains unresolved, you may need to seek technical support or consider a hardware repair or replacement.