How to Fix No Audio Output Device Is Installed Error on Windows

Your Windows computer will automatically detect all connected audio devices and install the necessary drivers. However, sometimes you may see the error message “No Audio Output Device Is Installed” when hovering over the audio icon.

This error occurs when Windows fails to detect your connected audio devices. It could be a temporary glitch, a driver-related issue, or in some cases, a corrupted system file. Here are some steps to help you fix the “No Audio Output Device Is Installed” error.

Table of Contents

• 1. Run the audio troubleshooter
• 2. Use a generic audio device driver
• 3. Manually reinstall the system audio device driver
• 4. Install generic audio device driver using Device Manager
• 5. Check if the audio device is turned off
• 6. Check if the audio services are running
• 7. Uninstall or disable any third-party driver update tools
• 8. Repair Windows image with DISM

1. Run the audio troubleshooter

You can run the built-in troubleshooter to fix a variety of sound problems in Windows. The troubleshooter will check your PC for common sound problems and attempt to fix them automatically; for example, it can help you fix no sound in Windows 11 .

To run the audio troubleshooter:

1. Right-click on the Sound (Speaker) icon on the Taskbar.

2. Select Troubleshoot sound problems . The troubleshooter will scan all connected sound devices.

3. Select the audio device you want to troubleshoot and click Next.

4. Depending on the selected device, Windows will suggest some fixes. Follow the on-screen instructions to apply the fixes and check if the error is resolved.

2. Use a generic audio device driver

You can fix a corrupted driver by reinstalling the audio output driver with a generic device driver. This is useful if the proprietary audio device driver for your device has become corrupted.

You can use Device Manager to update and reinstall device drivers on your Windows PC.

To reinstall the generic audio output device driver:

1. Press Win + R to open Run .

2. Type devmgmt.msc and click OK to open Device Manager .

3. In Device Manager , expand the Audio inputs and outputs section .

4. Make sure your output device is listed. If not, click View and then select Show Hidden Devices .

5. Next, select and right-click on your audio device, then click Update Driver.

6. Click Browse my computer for drivers .

7. Next, click Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer .

8. Check the Show compatible hardware option .

9. Next, select Generic software device and click Next.

10. Wait for Windows to finish installing the device driver.

11. Close Device Manager and check for errors again.

If generic audio device drivers don't help, check your audio device manufacturer's website for updated drivers. If you're using a laptop, visit your computer manufacturer's website to find the latest drivers for your computer.

Some computer manufacturers include proprietary diagnostic tools with their devices. For example, the HP Support Assistant application can test HP laptops for various problems, including audio problems. Lenovo, Dell, Asus, all major laptop manufacturers provide similar tools with their devices. Run any such diagnostic tools available on your PC to see if it helps restore your audio.

3. Manually reinstall the system audio device driver

You can manually reinstall the system audio device driver to fix this error on your Windows computer. Here's how to do it:

1. Open Device Manager by pressing Win + X and select the best match from the list of options.

2. In Device Manager, expand the System devices section .

3. Next, find and locate any audio device like High Definition Audio Controller .

4. Right-click on the audio device and select Update driver .

5. Select the Browse my computer for drivers option .

6. Click on the Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer option .

7. Select the driver in the Model section and click Next to install the driver.

After installation, close Device Manager. This should fix the error and restore sound on your computer.

4. Install generic audio device driver using Device Manager

You can also install a generic USB audio device driver using the "Add legacy hardware" option in Device Manager. Here's how to do it.

1. Press Win + X to open the WinX menu.

2. Click Device Manager from the context menu.

3. In Device Manager , select your computer name and click Action.

4. Select Add legacy hardware .

5. Click Next to continue.

6. Next, select the Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced) option .

7. Click Next.

8. Under Common hardware types , scroll down and select Sound, video and game controllers .

9. Click Next.

10. Select Generic USB Audio under Manufacturer. In the right pane, select USB Audio OEM Device .

11. Click Next.

12. Click Next again to confirm the action.

13. Wait for the installation to complete and click Finish. Restart your PC and check if your audio device is detected and working again.

5. Check if the audio device is turned off

Check to see if you accidentally turned off your audio device. While the audio troubleshooter may detect and suggest the same, you can also turn on your audio device manually.

To check and enable the audio output device:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type mmsys.cpl and click OK to open the Sound dialog box.

3. In the Playback tab , find your audio output device. If no device is listed, right-click the Playback section and select Show disabled devices .

4. If your audio device is grayed out, right-click and select Enable.

5. Next, select the device and click the Set Default button to set the device as default.

6. Restart your PC and check if the “No Audio Output Device Is Installed” error is resolved.

6. Check if the audio services are running

Windows Audio Endpoint Service and Windows Audio Service are two services required for sound to work on your PC. If these services are not running, your audio device may not work properly.

So make sure the two services are running and set to autostart. Follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open Run.

2. Type services.msc and click OK to open the Services snap-in .

3. Next, locate and right-click Windows Audio Endpoint Service Builder .

4. Select Properties from the context menu.

5. Click the Startup type drop-down menu and select Automatic.

6. Click OK to save changes.

7. Right-click the Windows Audio Endpoint Builder service again and select Restart.

8. Next, repeat the steps for the Windows Audio service.

9. Once finished, close the Services snap-in.

7. Uninstall or disable any third-party driver update tools

Third-party driver update tools allow you to scan and update all of your computer's drivers from one place. While this is a useful tool, it can conflict with your audio components and Windows' ability to detect devices.

To fix the problem, disable or remove any driver update utilities, such as Avast Driver Updater, that are installed on your PC. Then run the audio troubleshooter again to see if that resolves the issue. Sometimes, you may need to remove the updater application to disable it completely.

8. Repair Windows image with DISM

Deployment Image Service Management (DISM) is a built-in Windows image repair command-line utility. If the audio problem is caused by a problem with the system image, this tool can repair the image to restore audio functionality on your PC.

When connected, Windows will detect all audio input and output devices and automatically install the necessary drivers. To fix the “No Audio Output Device Is Installed” error, make sure your audio device is enabled in Sound settings .

If the error is resolved but sound is still not working, make sure you have the correct audio device set as the default. Also, try reinstalling the affected driver, restarting the audio services, and testing the audio device for hardware errors.