Fixes / Windows · Checked September 30, 2026

Windows "No Audio Output Device is installed": causes and fixes

Short answer

"No Audio Output Device is installed" means Windows cannot find a working speaker or headphone device, usually because the audio driver is missing, disabled or broken after an update. The most likely fix: open Device Manager (Windows + X), click Action > Scan for hardware changes, then right-click your audio device under Sound, video and game controllers, choose Uninstall device, and restart.

What this message means

Windows shows this message, usually with a red X on the speaker icon in the taskbar, when no playback device is registered with the sound system. Your speakers or sound chip may be physically fine. What is missing is the software link between them and Windows: the audio driver, the enabled device entry, or the Windows Audio services that expose it. It often appears right after a Windows update, a driver update or a BIOS update, when a driver was replaced or failed to load. On many recent Intel laptops the root cause is the Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) controller failing to start, which hides every speaker and headphone entry at once.

Common causes

Cause	How to tell
The audio driver is corrupted, missing or failed to load after an update	In Device Manager, Sound, video and game controllers is missing your usual device (for example Realtek Audio), or the device shows a yellow exclamation mark. The problem started right after a Windows or driver update.
The Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) controller failed to start (common on Intel laptops)	In Device Manager under System devices, "Intel(R) Smart Sound Technology (Intel(R) SST) Audio Controller" has a yellow exclamation mark, and its Properties show error Code 10 (This device cannot start).
The playback device is disabled in Windows	In Device Manager the audio device has a small downward arrow on its icon, or in the classic Sound control panel the Playback tab shows your speakers as Disabled (visible only after right-clicking and ticking Show Disabled Devices).
The Windows Audio services are stopped	In the Services app, Windows Audio or Windows Audio Endpoint Builder shows a status other than Running. Clicking the speaker icon may also say the audio service is not running.
Onboard audio is disabled in BIOS/UEFI, or the hardware has failed	No audio device appears in Device Manager at all, even with View > Show hidden devices turned on and after reinstalling drivers. A USB headset or HDMI monitor with speakers still works.

How to fix it

1. Restart, then scan for hardware changes in Device Manager

Restart the PC fully (Start > Power > Restart, not Shut down, since Fast Startup can keep a stuck driver loaded).
Press Windows + X and choose Device Manager.
Click Action > Scan for hardware changes.
Expand Sound, video and game controllers. If a device has a downward arrow, right-click it and choose Enable device.
Check the speaker icon in the taskbar. If the red X is gone, sound is back.

2. Uninstall the audio driver and let Windows reinstall it

Press Windows + X and choose Device Manager.
Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
Right-click your audio device (for example Realtek Audio, Realtek High Definition Audio, or Intel High Definition Audio) and choose Uninstall device.
Leave "Attempt to remove the driver for this device" unticked for now, then click Uninstall.
Restart the PC. Windows reinstalls a driver automatically at startup.
If there is still no sound, go back, right-click the device, choose Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers > Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer, select High Definition Audio Device, and click Next.

3. Fix the Intel Smart Sound Technology controller

Laptops and mini PCs with Intel 10th generation or newer processors, Windows 10 and Windows 11

Press Windows + X and choose Device Manager.
Expand System devices and find "Intel(R) Smart Sound Technology (Intel(R) SST) Audio Controller".
Right-click it and choose Update driver > Browse my computer for drivers.
Click Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
Select High Definition Audio Controller and click Next, then restart.
If that does not work, install the audio driver package for your exact model from the laptop maker's support site (Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS and so on), since SST drivers are customised per model.

4. Run the audio troubleshooter and check that the device is enabled

Windows 11: Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Audio. Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Playing Audio.

Open the troubleshooter using the path for your Windows version and click Run (on current Windows 11 builds this opens the Get Help app).
Follow the prompts and apply any fix it suggests.
Next, open Settings > System > Sound > More sound settings (Windows 11) or Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound (Windows 10).
On the Playback tab, right-click an empty area and tick Show Disabled Devices and Show Disconnected Devices.
Right-click your speakers or headphones, choose Enable, then Set as Default Device.

5. Restart the Windows Audio services

Press Windows + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
Find Windows Audio Endpoint Builder, right-click it and choose Start (or Restart if it is already running).
Do the same for Windows Audio.
Double-click each one and make sure Startup type is set to Automatic, then click OK.
Check the speaker icon again.

6. Install the manufacturer's driver or enable onboard audio in BIOS

Run Windows Update (Windows 11: Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates; Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update) and install optional driver updates under Advanced options > Optional updates.
If that does not help, download the audio driver for your exact PC or motherboard model from the manufacturer's support page and run the installer.
If no audio device shows in Device Manager at all, open the firmware settings: Windows 11 Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now (Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Recovery), then Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.
Look for an option such as Onboard Audio, HD Audio or Azalia (the name varies by maker), set it to Enabled, save and exit.

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Still not fixed?

If none of these work, test with a USB headset or USB speakers. If they play sound, Windows itself is fine and the built-in sound chip or its driver is the problem. Use System Restore to go back to a point before the error started, or roll back a recent update under Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates. If there is still no internal audio device in Device Manager even with onboard audio enabled in BIOS, contact your PC or laptop maker's support, since the sound hardware or mainboard may be faulty and covered by warranty.

Questions people ask

Why did "No Audio Output Device is installed" appear after a Windows update?

Updates sometimes replace or break the audio driver, or install a mismatched Intel Smart Sound Technology driver. Uninstalling the audio device in Device Manager and restarting, or installing the driver from your laptop maker's site, usually fixes it.

Is my sound card broken?

Usually not. The message almost always comes from a driver or setting problem. Hardware failure is only likely if no audio device appears in Device Manager even after reinstalling drivers and checking that onboard audio is enabled in BIOS.

Why do my headphones or HDMI monitor still work but my speakers do not?

USB headsets and HDMI audio use separate drivers from the built-in sound chip. If they work, the built-in audio driver (often Realtek or Intel SST) is the one to reinstall.

Will reinstalling the audio driver delete my files?

No. Uninstalling a device in Device Manager only removes the driver, and Windows reinstalls it on the next restart. Your files and apps are not affected.

What is Intel Smart Sound Technology and why does it cause this error?

It is Intel's audio controller on many recent laptops, and every speaker and microphone sits behind it. If its driver fails to start (Code 10), Windows sees no audio devices at all, so switching it to the High Definition Audio Controller driver or installing the laptop maker's driver restores sound.

Sources

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