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Looking for a how to Fix “No Audio Output Device Is Installed” Error on Windows? In order to troubleshoot the issue that was created by drivers that were defective, outdated, or corrupt, the following solutions are provided. When an audio device is linked to a personal computer, the required drivers are immediately installed on the computer. However, there are occasions when this does not occur, and you are presented with an error message that reads “No Audio Output Device is installed.”
This is followed by a sign that looks like a cross next to the audio icon that is located in the system tray. Have you turned on your computer today and discovered that it does not have any sound? There are a number of individuals who have encountered this problem, and they are seeing the following content on the right bottom corner of their computer. Don’t worry, you are not the only one who has experienced this.
It is impossible to overstate how aggravating it is when your computer does not function as you would expect it to. The primary reason that you are experiencing a sound problem and seeing the error message “No Audio Output Device is installed” in Windows 10 is because your sound drivers are either out of current, corrupt, malfunctioning (which could have been caused by an update to Windows), or missing. Here are the ways how to Fix “No Audio Output Device Is Installed” Error on Windows.
Causes of the “No Audio Output Device Is Installed” Error on Windows
- Hardware Connection Problems: Loose or faulty hardware connections, such as cables or audio jacks, may lead to the absence of a recognized audio output device.
- Windows Update Problems: Updates or changes in the Windows operating system can sometimes interfere with audio drivers and cause the error.
- Corrupted System Files: Damage to system files related to audio functionality can trigger the issue.
- Disabled Audio Services: Essential audio services may be disabled, preventing the recognition of an audio output device.
- Malware or Virus Infections: Security threats can compromise system files, including those related to audio, leading to the error.
- Incorrect Audio Settings: Misconfigured audio settings or changes in system settings can result in the system not recognizing the audio output device.
How to Fix “No Audio Output Device Is Installed” Error on Windows

Uninstall Previous Versions
- Open the Control Panel.
- Navigate to “Programs” and then “Programs and Features.”
- Locate any Java entries and uninstall them.
- Press
Win + R
to open the Run dialog. - Type
%appdata%
and press Enter. - Delete the ‘Sun‘ and ‘Java‘ folders.
Install the Generic Audio Device Driver
- To open Run, press Win + R.
- To open Device Manager, type devmgmt.msc and click OK.
- The Audio inputs and outputs area in Device Manager needs to be made bigger.
- Check to see if your output device is on the list. If not, go to View and choose Show Hidden Devices.
- Next, right-click on your sound card and choose “Update Driver.”
- Go to Browse my computer for drivers and click on it.
- Once you’re done, click on Let me choose from a list of drivers on my computer.
- Check the box that says “Show compatible hardware.”
- After that, pick Generic software device and click Next.
- Wait until Windows is done setting up the device’s drivers.
- Take a break from the Device Manager and see if things get better.
Clean Registry Entries
- Press
Win + R
to open the Run dialog. - Type
regedit
and press Enter. - Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft
and delete the ‘JavaSoft’ folder.
Run the Audio Troubleshooter
- In the Taskbar, right-click on the Sound icon (the speaker).
- Problems with sound? Click on it. This will open the Help app with the question “Help with audio problems in Windows” already chosen.
- If you want to fix audio problems, click “Yes” to run the automatic test. The troubleshooter will begin to look for audio problems on your machine. So wait until you hear a beep or see the next choice. This could take a while.
- Check to see if you heard the beep. If not, choose “No” and follow the on-screen instructions to try several other steps.
Conclusion
When you plug in an audio device, Windows will instantly find them and install the drivers that your audio devices need to work. But sometimes, when you move your mouse over the audio icon in the system tray, you may see the message “No Audio Output Device is installed.” This error happens when Windows can’t find the audio devices that are linked. It might be a short-term glitch, a problem with the drivers, or sometimes a damaged system file. To fix the “No Audio Output Device installed” error on Windows 11/10, follow these steps.
Questions and Answers
A driver that is either faulty or out of date is the cause of the error that states “no audio output device is installed in Windows 10,” as was previously discussed. To fix this mistake, then, the most effective solution is to upgrade the sound drivers on your computer. It is possible to manually update drivers, although doing so can be a job that is quite challenging.
On the audio card that you wish to upgrade, right-click on it, and then pick the upgrade driver option. Make sure to pick the option to search automatically for drivers in the new window. If Windows is unable to locate any drivers, you can go back to the Update Driver menu and pick the Browse my computer for drivers option. Downloading the driver software is the first step that must be taken before installing it.
Simply start by clicking on the Control Panel on the “Start” Menu, followed by “System” and then “Sound.” Once you’re in the Sound Settings, you’ll see the Playback tab where you can select your default audio device from a list of available devices.