Is Windows 10 refusing to recognize your headphones? Or is it possible that your headphones aren’t working in Windows 10? An incorrect sound setup, a damaged cable, a damaged headphone jack, Bluetooth connectivity issues, and other factors all contribute to the problem. These are some possible causes of the headphone not working issue, but the reason may differ depending on the user’s system configuration and setups.
Table of Contents
How to Fix Headphones Not Working
Restart your Computer
Set Your Headphone as Default Device
Let Windows Automatically Update Your Audio/Sound Drivers
Change Default Sound Format
Manually Update Your Sound/Audio Drivers
Disable Front Panel Jack Detection
Run Audio Troubleshooter
Disable Audio Enhancements
How to Fix Headphones Not Working
So, here are simple methods to fix the headphones jack to send audio to your external speaker system:
Restart your Computer
Although this does not appear to be a solution, it has proven beneficial to a large number of people. First, restart your computer after connecting your headphones. Then, check to see if your headphones still work after the system has restarted.
Set Your Headphone as Default Device
1. First, open Settings by pressing Windows Key + I, then select System.
2. Select Sound from the left-hand menu.
3. Then, under Output, select “Manage sound devices.”
4. Tap on Speakers (currently Disabled) under Output devices, then tap on the Enable button.
5. Return to the Sound Settings and select your headphones from the “Choose your output device” drop-down menu.
If this does not work, you can always use the old-fashioned method to make your headphones the default device:
1. Right-click on the Volume icon and choose “Open Sound Settings.” Tap on the Sound Control Panel under Related Settings now.
2. Check that you’re on the Playback tab. Select “Show Disabled device” from the context menu when you right-click in an empty area.
3. Next, right-click your headphones and select “Set as Default Device.”
It should help you solve the headphone problem. If not, proceed with the following method.
Let Windows Automatically Update Your Audio/Sound Drivers
1. Right-tap the Volume icon and select “Open Sound Settings.”
2. Select the Sound Control Panel from the Related Settings menu. Check that you’re on the Playback tab.
3. Next, select your Speakers/Headphones and press the Properties button.
4. Tap the Properties button under Controller Information.
5. Select the Change Settings option (Needs Administrators permission).
6. Navigate to the Driver tab and press the Update Driver button.
7. Select “Automatically search for updated driver software.”
8. Completed! The sound drivers will be automatically updated, and you can now see if you were successful in resolving the headphone jack not working in Windows 10 issue.
Change Default Sound Format
1. Right-tap the Volume icon and select “Open Sound Settings.”
2. Then, under Related Settings, select the Sound Control Panel.
3. Check that you’re on the Playback tab. Then, double-tap the Speakers/Headphones button (default).
It’s worth noting that the headphones will also appear as speakers.
4. Navigate to the Advanced tab. Change the format in the “Default Format” drop-down menu and tap Test each time you do so.
5. When you hear the audio in your headphones, tap Apply, then OK.
Manually Update Your Sound/Audio Drivers
1. Right-click on “This PC” or “My Computer,” then select Properties.
2. Select “Device Manager” from the Properties windows on the left plane.
3. Expand Sound, Video, and Game Controllers, then right-click High Definition Audio Device and choose Properties.
4. In the High Definition Audio Device Properties window, navigate to the Driver tab and click the Update Driver button.
Now, the High Definition Audio Device Drivers should be updated. Restart your computer to see if you can resolve the headphones not detected in Windows 10 problem.
Disable Front Panel Jack Detection
If you have the Realtek software installed, open the Realtek HD Audio Manager and select the “Disable front panel jack detection” option under Connector Settings in the right-side panel. The headphones and other audio equipment should work correctly.
Run Audio Troubleshooter
1. Open Settings by pressing Windows Key + I, then tap on the Update & Security icon.
2. Make sure to select Troubleshoot from the left-hand menu.
3. Tap on “Playing Audio” under the “Get up and running” section.
4. Then, click Run the troubleshooter and follow the on-screen instructions to resolve the headphones not working problem.
Disable Audio Enhancements
1. In the Taskbar, right-click on the Volume or Speaker icon and select Sound.
2. Now, go to the Playback tab, right-click on Speakers, and then select Properties.
3. Go to the Enhancements tab and check the box next to ‘Disable all enhancements.’
4. Click Apply, then OK, and then restart your computer to save your changes.
Dear Readers, that’s all there is to it; you’ve successfully resolved the issue of headphones not working on Windows 10, but if you have any further questions, please leave them in the comments section below.