Headphones Connected but No Sound

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Volume Mixer / app muted / communications

System sounds work but one app does not — or everything ducks during calls. Open Volume Mixer, clear mutes, assign the headphones per app, and set Communications to Do nothing while testing.

First cut When headphones work for system sounds but one browser, game, or chat app is silent — or the reverse — fix Volume Mixer and communications ducking before touching drivers.

Step 1 — Open Volume Mixer

  1. Windows 11: Settings → System → Sound → Volume mixer.
  2. Or right-click the speaker icon → Open volume mixer (Windows 10 classic).
  3. Ensure Device volume and App volumes are up; clear mute icons.
  4. Set each app’s output device to your headphones (or System default after defaults are correct).
Windows 11 Volume mixer with an application slider unmuted and output device set to Headphones
Per-app mute and per-app output explain many “only Chrome is silent” reports.

Step 2 — Communications tab ducking

  1. Open mmsys.cpl → Communications.
  2. Choose Do nothing while testing (instead of “Mute all other sounds”).
  3. End stuck voice calls/meetings that may hold the communication device.

Step 3 — App-internal audio settings

  1. Browsers: check site mute and tab mute; set output device in browser settings if present.
  2. Discord/Teams/Zoom: Input/Output device = headphones stereo, not Hands-Free unless you need the mic path.
  3. If exclusive WASAPI is enabled in the app, switch to shared — exclusive mode.
All apps silent
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FAQ

Headphones connected but muted — where?

Check the system Output volume, Volume Mixer app tiles, and the headset’s hardware mute. Communications “Mute all other sounds” can also silence media during calls.

System sounds work, YouTube does not

Classic mixer/app-output issue. Unmute the browser in Volume Mixer and verify the tab is not muted.

Volume Mixer missing an app

Play audio in the app first so Windows creates a session; then reopen the mixer.

Official / primary sources

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

Symptom map