Headphones Connected but No Sound

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Wrong default playback device

Speakers or HDMI still play while headphones show as connected? Set the headphones as Default Device and Default Communication Device, then lock per-app outputs in Volume Mixer.

First cut If speakers work while headphones stay silent — or Windows shows the headphones connected but audio keeps exiting the monitor/HDMI device — fix the default playback device before reinstalling drivers.

Step 1 — Pick the output in Settings

  1. Windows 11: Settings → System → Sound → Output → choose your headphones.
  2. Click the headphones → set Volume above 0; ensure the device is not Disabled.
  3. Play the test tone (Output settings) and watch the meter.
Windows 11 Sound Output dropdown with Headphones selected instead of Speakers or Digital Output
Explicitly select Headphones as the Output device in Settings.

Step 2 — Classic Sound Control Panel defaults

  1. Press Win+R → mmsys.cpl → Playback tab.
  2. Right-click the headphones → Set as Default Device.
  3. Right-click again → Set as Default Communication Device (unless you intentionally keep calls on another endpoint).
  4. Right-click empty space → Show Disabled Devices / Show Disconnected Devices; disable unused HDMI/DisplayPort audio if Windows keeps switching.
mmsys.cpl Playback tab with green check Default Device on Headphones entry
Default Device and Default Communication Device both matter for some apps.

Step 3 — Per-app output and communications

  1. Settings → System → Sound → Volume mixer → set each noisy app to the headphones device.
  2. Sound Control Panel → Communications tab → try “Do nothing” so calls do not duck or mute other sound oddly.
  3. Browser or game device pickers can override the system default — reset them to System Default or Headphones.
Still silent after correct default
→ exclusive mode · spatial · drivers
Bluetooth Hands-Free confusion
→ Bluetooth
Only one app
→ Volume Mixer
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FAQ

Headphones connected but no sound — Windows still uses speakers

The default output was not the headphones. Set Default Device in Settings and mmsys.cpl, and disable auto-switching digital outputs.

Why do I need Default Communication Device?

Some chat apps route to the communication default. If that points at Hands-Free or speakers, media or call audio can seem “missing.”

HDMI monitor keeps taking audio

Disable the monitor’s audio endpoint in mmsys.cpl when you want headphones, or unplug HDMI audio if unused.

Official / primary sources

  1. Microsoft Support — Fix sound or audio problems in Windows
  2. Microsoft Support — Check volume and output settings (Bluetooth article)

Symptom map