Realtek Sound not Working in Windows 10: How to Fix it

Sound issues are not new in Windows operating systems. Almost every new version of Windows brought sound problems to some users, and Windows 10 is no different.

So, because you can’t usually use your computer without sound, here’s a solution that might help.

As I said, some users might experience flaws in their sound settings, especially no sound with their Realtek sound card, which can prevent Windows 10 from playing any sound.

This flaw won’t be fixed even if your sound drivers are updated. The article will also cover this issue: Realtek speakers not working with Windows 10.

So to fix this issue, you can follow the solutions mentioned in this guide to help you overcome the no sound with the Realtek sound card on Windows 10 problem. So let us get right into it.

Why does my computer suddenly have no sound?

After some research, we have deduced a list of common reasons you may experience no sound from your PC.

• Your sound card is faulty. – Because of wear and tear, your sound card might have stopped working.
• Audio settings might have been tweaked. – A third-party program or yourself might have tweaked some necessary sound settings.
• Some important driver files might have been deleted or corrupted – Problematic installation, a third-party app, or a virus might have deleted or removed essential driver files.
• Your audio driver is out of date – You haven’t installed the latest version of the audio driver.
• There is some bug with your audio driver – The latest update might have changed some internal audio settings or a bug, which can be fixed using a troubleshooter.

Why is my Realtek audio not showing up?

Well, if your PC comes installed with a Realtek sound card and you are facing Realtek audio problem on your PC, then below are some of the common reasons why you will come across this error.

• The sound driver is outdated.
• You haven’t installed the latest Windows version.
• There is a third-party application interfering with the sound card.
• There is a bug in the Realtek audio driver.
• The latest version of the Realtek driver is problematic.

How do I fix the audio not working on Windows 10 PC?

1. Install the latest drivers

In case you need to install or update your drivers manually, the guide below explains this process with simple steps for your Windows 10 device.

1. Right-click on the Start menu.

2. Select Device Manager from the list.

3. Expand the Sound, audio, and game controllers option.

4. Right-click on your sound driver and select the Update driver option.

5. Select the option to check for updates over the internet.

6. After the update is installed, reboot your PC and check if this fixes the issue or not.

According to users, sometimes sound problems can occur due to outdated drivers. Sometimes, the generic driver can’t fix the problem, and your only option is to download and install the latest drivers.

You can either follow the above steps to manually install the latest drivers on your PC or use a reliable third-party tool that will update all device drivers in one go.

2. Change the default sound format

1. Right-click the sound icon in your Taskbar.
2. Choose Open Sound settings from the menu.
   
3. In the Sound section, click on Device properties.
   
4. Go to the Advanced tab, and change a Default sound format to one of the following options:
   • 24bit/44100 Hz
   • 24bit/192000Hz
     • Depending on your speaker configuration
       

Since the Technical Preview, the wrong sound format has caused audio errors in Windows 10. So, just change the default sound format to get your sound back.

If the issue is still unresolved, you can try the following method and restart the sound drivers.

3. Re-install your sound drivers

1. Press Windows + X to open the Start menu settings.
2. Now choose Device Manager from the list.
   
3. Locate your audio device, right-click it, and choose Uninstall device from the menu.
   
4. Once the driver is uninstalled, click on the Scan for hardware changes icon.
   

Sometimes your current drivers might be buggy, and in some cases, it might be better that you use the default driver instead. To do that, first, you need to uninstall your current driver.

After that, Windows will install the default audio driver, and the issue should be resolved.

4. Make sure that the proper output device is selected

1. Open Sound settings by right-clicking on the sound icon on the action pane of the taskbar.
2. Make sure to set Speakers or Headphones as the output device.
   

If you’re getting no sound on your Windows 10 PC, the problem might be because the wrong output device is selected.

This isn’t a significant problem; you can fix the issue simply by changing a single setting.

After making these changes, your default output device will be changed, and the issue should be permanently resolved.

5. Use a Generic High Definition Audio Device driver

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Locate your audio device, right-click it, and choose Update driver from the menu.
   
3. Choose the Browse my computer for driver software option.
   
4. Now select Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
   
5. Select High Definition Audio Device driver from the list, and click Next.
   

In some cases, you might be able to fix sound problems in Windows 10 simply by switching to the generic driver.

Your current driver might not be fully compatible with Windows 10, leading to various sound issues.

To fix the problem, you need to install the generic driver. Once you install the default driver, check if the sound issue is resolved.

Read more about this topic

• Fix: Windows 10 volume control not working from Taskbar
• No sound from headphones in Windows 10/11? Try these fixes
• Realtek HD Audio Manager is missing [Solved]
• Fix: No speaker or headphones are plugged in [Full Guide]

6. Check the Windows Audio service

1. Press Windows + R, and enter services.msc.
2. Now press Enter or click OK.
   
3. Locate Windows Audio, and double-click it to open its properties.
   
4. Set the Startup type to Automatic.
5. Click the Start button to start the service.
6. Now click Apply and OK to save changes.
   
7. If the service is already running and set to Automatic startup type, you need to restart it to fix the problem.
8. To do that, locate the Windows Audio service
9. Right-click it and choose Restart from the menu.

You must ensure that the Windows Audio service is enabled for your audio to work correctly. So if you’re getting no sound on Windows 10, the most likely cause is the Windows Audio service.

7. Disable the audio enhancements

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Select Sound.
3. Select your sound card and hit the Properties button.
4. When the Speaker Properties window opens, go to the Enhancements tab.
5. Now check the Disable all enhancements option.
6. Click Apply and OK to save changes.
   

The issue might be related to audio enhancements if there’s no sound on your Windows 10 device. Of course, many users like to use them to get better sound, but sometimes they can lead to specific issues.

Once you disable the enhancements, the issue should be entirely resolved, and the sound will start working again.

8. Check if your speakers are correctly connected

The issue might be your cable if you’re getting no sound on Windows 10. To diagnose the problem, check if your speakers are correctly connected.

Sometimes you might connect your speakers to the wrong port on your PC, which can lead to many other problems.

Inspect the cable for damage if your speakers are connected to the correct port. Lastly, check the power supply cable and ensure it’s properly secured.

9. Check if your speakers are muted

1. Right-click the speaker icon in your Taskbar, and choose Open Volume Mixer from the menu.
   
2. Now make sure that the Speakers and System Sound channels are turned up.
   

Sometimes if you’re getting no sound on your Windows 10 PC, the issue might be volume control. In some instances, your speakers might be muted, which can lead to many other problems.

To check if the volume control is the problem, check your speaker’s volume knob. Next, you must check your audio mixer to see if the volume is up.

In addition, if you have another software for volume control, you should also check and see if the volume control is configured correctly.

Specific drivers will install their volume control software, so check it out.

10. Enable Onboard Audio in BIOS

1. Turn on your PC, and press the designated key to enter BIOS (It’s usually F1, F2, or Del, but you should also see the proper key before the Windows booting process).
2. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the Advanced submenu.
3. Select Integrated Peripherals, and look for Onboard Audio.
4. Enable the option using the + key or as instructed in your BIOS.
5. Press the F10 key to save the modifications and exit BIOS.

Enabling the Onboard Audio from BIOS has worked for some of our readers, so make sure you try it. Feel free to revert to this setting if it doesn’t work for you.

That’s it; we hope these solutions helped you to get your sound in Windows 10 back. However, check out our best fixes if you also experience no sound from headphones in Windows 10.