1. Reconfigure the Default Audio Playback device

  1. First, right-click the speaker icon on the Windows system tray and select Playback devices to open the window in the snapshot directly below.
  2. Select the speakers that are usually your default playback device.
  3. Then press the Set Default button.
  4. Alternatively, you can right-click a playback device and select Set as Default Device on the context menu.
  5. Press the Apply and OK buttons to confirm your newly selected default playback device.
  6. If your secondary VDU does include built-in speakers, try unplugging the speakers and connecting the monitor with a secondary audio cable. Then you might get audio with the monitor selected as the default playback device.

It is often the case that audio is lost after connecting a second VDU because the connected monitor automatically becomes the default playback device.

HDMI cables do support audio signals, but not all monitors come with their own set of built-in speakers. Thus, you can’t get any sound from a VDU without any built-in speakers.

Fixing this usually requires that you reconfigure your external speakers as the default playback device as follows.

2. Check the speakers

external speakers

If the above resolution doesn’t restore audio, check that the speakers are plugged in. Note that external speakers usually have separate volume controls.

So, make sure that the speakers are turned on. If there is still no sound, check that the speakers work with alternative devices.

If not, then you might need replacement speakers. Check out our best picks and choose the ones that suit you.

3. Open the Volume Mixer to check Audio Settings

It might just be the case that you need to raise your desktop’s or laptop’s audio level settings. So checking the audio settings is an obvious resolution when Windows audio is seemingly lost.

The best way to crank up the volume is to right-click the speaker system tray icon and click Open Volume Mixer on the context menu.

That will open the window shown in the snapshot directly below.

First, check that the volume is not muted. If it is, press the Mute Speakers button. In addition, raise all the audio bars displayed there to at least the 70% mark.

If there’s still no audio, the lack of sound doesn’t have anything to do with the audio level settings.

4. Open the Windows Playing Audio Troubleshooter

  1. The Windows Playing Audio troubleshooter can come in handy for fixing Windows audio. To utilize that troubleshooter, press the Cortana button on the Windows 10 taskbar.
  2. Enter the keyword troubleshoot in Cortana’s search box.
  3. Click Troubleshoot to open the system settings shown directly below.
  4. Select Playing Audio and press its Run the troubleshooter button to open the window in the snapshot directly below.
  5. Now go through the troubleshooter’s suggested fixes to fix the sound.

5. Update or reinstall the Sound Card Driver

  1. First, you’ll need to get the latest driver from the sound card manufacturer’s website. If you’re not sure what website to open, press the Win key + X hotkey and select Device Manager.device manager windows 10
  2. Double-click Sound, video and game controllers, right-click your listed sound card and select Properties to open the window in the snapshot directly below. The manufacturer for your sound card is listed on the General tab.
  3. Now open the sound card manufacturer’s website in your browser.
  4. Next, open a driver or download section on the manufacturer’s website.
  5. Then search for the required sound card driver by entering the sound card in a search box or selecting it from drop-down menus on the website.
  6. Download the most updated driver for your sound card that’s compatible with your Windows platform. To check your system type, enter the keyword system in Cortana’s search box and select System to open the window directly below.
  7. After downloading the sound card driver, open Device Manager again, right-click your listed sound card and select Update driver.
  8. Select the Browse my computer for driver software to manually browse for the saved driver.
  9. Click the Let me pick from a list from a list of available drivers button, and then press the Have Disk button in the shot directly below.
  10. Click Browse, select the driver you downloaded, click Open , and then press the Next button.

A lack of audio can be due to corrupted or outdated sound card drivers. So updating or reinstalling the driver might restore sound. This is how you can update the sound driver in Windows 10.

Manually update using Device Manager, as described above.