[SOLVED] Headphones Not Detecting/ Working on Laptop Windows 11

Headphones are essential when you need a full-on PC experience. However, something’s bothering users. Their headphones are not detected or working on Windows 11. This issue can be caused by physical damage, operating glitches, and even incorrect settings being selected. This guide is for you to troubleshoot your issue.

Before trying the fixes below, we suggest you restart your computer. Sometimes a quick restart may fix your problem. Then try to connect your headphones to the computer. If you’re using wired headphones, make sure they are properly plugged in. If you’re using bluetooth headphones, ensure they are ready to pair.

Then you’ll also need to check if your headphones work with another device. If they are not working, chances are they are broken or damaged. In this case, send a request for repair or replacement if your headphones are under warranty.

If situations mentioned above aren’t your case, you can try the fixes below for troubleshooting.

1. Run the troubleshooter
2. Make sure your headphones are set as the default
3. Update your drivers
4. Check for and download Windows updates
5. Repair corrupted system files

1. Run the troubleshooter

When you have audio-related issues, one thing you can try is to run the audio troubleshooter. Windows comes with a bunch of different troubleshooters that can be used to potentially fix problems on your Windows.

To see if running the audio troubleshooter nets you any results, follow the steps below.

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows + X keys simultaneously.
2. Select Settings from the pop-up that appears.
   
   
3. Select System. Then click on Troubleshoot.
   
   
4. Select Other troubleshooters.
   
   
5. Find Playing Audio. Then click on the Run button.
   
   

Then follow the on-screen instructions and wait for it to detect and fix your issues. If it fails to do so, you may need to try other methods listed below.

2. Make sure your headphones are set as the default

In some cases, your headphones are not working because they disabled and not set as the default device. Therefore, you need to double check it by taking the steps below.

1. On your taskbar, right-click on the sound icon. Then select Sound settings.
   
   
2. On the right pane, click More sound settings.
   
3. In the Sound window that opens, right-click your device and select Enable. Then you’ll also need to click Set as Default Device.
   

Then click OK to apply the changes. If your headphones are properly connected but you still can’t hear any sound, proceed to the next fix.

3. Update your drivers

If you run into problems trying to connect to your Bluetooth headphones, or you’re using USB headphones but cannot hear any sound, it’s high time you check if your drivers, especially Bluetooth, USB, and audio drivers are misconfigured or outdated.

To update your drivers, you can do it automatically by going to the manufacturers’ support page to download and install the correct drivers for your system.

However, if you don’t have the time or patience to update drivers manually, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy. It’s an automatic driver updater tool that helps you scan and detect any missing or outdated drivers, then download and install the latest drivers for your system, direct from the device provider. With Driver Easy, you don’t need to waste your hunting for driver updates.

1. Download and install Driver Easy.
2. Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any devices with outdated drivers.
   
   
3. Click Update All. Driver Easy will then download and update all your outdated and missing device drivers, giving you the latest version of each, direct from the device manufacturer.
   
   This requires the Pro version which comes with full support and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All. If you don’t want to upgrade to the Pro version, you can also update your drivers with the FREE version. All you need to do is to download them one at a time and manually install them.
   
   

After updating drivers, restart your computer and try to use your headphones to check if your problem has been solved.

4. Check for and download Windows updates

After installing the driver updates, you’re also supposed to download and install all Windows updates. They usually bring new features and come with bug fixes for the compatibility issue.

To check if there are any updates available, follow the instructions below.

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows logo + I keys simultaneously to open Settings.
2. Click Windows Update.
   
   
3. Click Check for updates. Then Windows will start downloading the updates if they are available.
   
   
4. When the process is finished, click Restart now to restart your PC. Or you can Schedule the restart.
   
   

After the reboot, use your headphones and check if they are working now. If your problem persists, proceed to the next fix.

5. Repair corrupted system files

A variety of computer problems are caused by corrupted or missing system files, and your problem of headphones not detecting or working is not an exception. To repair your Windows with ease and circumvent these types of problems, you can go through the instructions below.

You can use the System File Checker tool to run the SFC scan sfc /scannow to hopefully help identify the problems and repair missing or corrupted system files. However, it can’t always fix corrupted files. Under this circumstance, you’ll need a more powerful tool, Fortect, to perform the action without any worries. It’s an automated Windows repair tool that scans your PC for problematic files and replaces the files that are malfunctioning.

Below is how you can fix your issue using Fortect:

1. Download and install Fortect.
2. Open Fortect and it will run a free scan of your PC. Upon completion of the scan, the software will conduct a diagnosis and show you a summary of system issues. This will take a few minutes.
3. If it detects any critical issues on your PC, click Start Repair and wait patiently for the process to complete.
   
   

When it’s all done, reconnect your headphones to your computer and they should be working now.

Hope this post helped! If you have any ideas or questions regarding using headphones on your Windows 11, feel free to drop us a line in the comment section below.

• windows 11