The short answer
If every app is silent, check the selected Windows output and device volume. If only the game is silent, inspect its own mixer entry while it is running, then its audio settings. Change one item and listen to the same scene again.
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- The game and other apps are silent — Check the shared Windows output and device volume.
- Videos play, but the game is silent — Keep the game open and inspect its mixer entry.
- Only one headset or monitor is silent — Confirm which device is actually receiving audio.
STEP 1: Compare another app on the same output
- Open a game scene that should have sound, then try audio in another app through the same headphones or speakers. Record whether both are silent or only the game is affected.
- If only one device is silent, open Windows Settings → System → Sound and check Output. After connecting HDMI or Bluetooth, make sure the selected device is the one you intend to hear.
Result and next action: Both silent: check the shared output in STEP 2. Only the game: inspect its app entry there. A working second device narrows the comparison; it does not identify a failed component.
Results that did not fix the problem help the next reader too.
STEP 2: Check Windows output and the game’s mixer entry
- For silence across apps, select the intended output in System → Sound and check the overall volume plus the device’s own volume and mute controls. Compare another available output if practical.
- For game-only silence, leave the game open and go to Settings → System → Sound → Volume mixer. Under Apps, check its mute, volume and Output device. Choose the intended device or Default when the system default is correct, then close and reopen the game.
- If the game is missing from the mixer, reach a scene that should play audio and check again. A missing entry alone does not establish a broken game; also check whether it has started normally.
Result and next action: Retest the same scene. If Windows and the app output are correct but the game stays silent, continue to its own settings.
Results that did not fix the problem help the next reader too.
STEP 3: Compare the game’s own audio settings
- Open the game’s Audio or Sound settings. Check master volume and separate effects, music and voice levels. Only if the game offers an output selector, choose your current device or the appropriate default.
- Exit normally, reopen and compare the same scene. Record each changed setting; restore changes that did not help before the next test. Compare another game if available.
Result and next action: Record whether all sound returned, only one channel returned or nothing changed. Use that distinction to choose the next check.
Results that did not fix the problem help the next reader too.
STEP 4: Follow up on the affected app or device
- If other apps are also silent, use Microsoft’s audio troubleshooting through Get Help on Windows 11. For persistent device detection or driver problems, follow the PC or headset manufacturer’s guidance.
- If only this game is silent, check its official known issues and updates. For suspected Steam installation damage, use the linked file-verification guide. Compare Discord, recording software or virtual-audio software by closing one app normally at a time.
- For Bluetooth-only silence, check the connection and selected output, then use Microsoft’s Bluetooth audio guidance. Keep a record of each comparison instead of replacing every audio driver at once.
Result and next action: Give support the game/version, output device, whether other apps work and the result of each change. A reinstall is not the first step for a device-specific problem.
Results that did not fix the problem help the next reader too.
Protect saves and keep changes reversible
- Avoid changing several output devices, drivers and game settings together.
- Do not delete saves or reset Windows to investigate a single silent game.
FAQ
YouTube works but my game is silent. Where should I look first?
Keep the game open at an audible scene and inspect its entry in Windows Volume mixer. Its volume and output can differ from another app’s. Then check the game’s own settings.
Everything went silent after I connected a monitor. Why?
Check whether Windows selected the HDMI or DisplayPort monitor as its output. A monitor without speakers cannot provide the sound you expect. Select your intended headphones or speakers and compare both apps again.
Does a missing mixer entry mean the game is broken?
No. Check again after reaching a scene that should produce audio. Also inspect startup state and in-game settings; the absence alone is not a diagnosis.
Should I reinstall the game if only Bluetooth is silent?
First compare the Bluetooth connection, Windows output and another app on the same device. A connection or output problem needs a different check from damaged game files.
My game has no output-device selector. Am I missing a setting?
Not every game provides one. Use Windows output and the app’s mixer settings, then restart the game. Do not search for a menu that the game does not offer.
Japanese version of this page · Report an error
Sources and editorial notes
English edition of our Japanese audio guide. Microsoft documents Windows output and app-volume checks; Steam documents file verification. The order and comparisons are editorial guidance, not proof of a cause.
Microsoft: app audio is silent while system sounds workMicrosoft: no sound from speakers or headphonesMicrosoft: sound and audio troubleshootingMicrosoft: Bluetooth connected but no soundSteam Support: verify game files