How to fix 'No Audio Output Device Is Installed' error on Windows

This error occurs when Windows does not detect your connected audio devices. It could be a temporary glitch, a driver-related problem, or in some cases a file system corruption. Here are some steps to help you fix the 'No Audio Output Device Is Installed' error.

1. Run the audio troubleshooter

You can run the built-in troubleshooter to deal with various audio problems in Windows. The troubleshooter checks your PC for common audio problems and tries to fix them automatically; for example, it can help you to fix when there is no sound in Windows 11.

To run the audio troubleshooter:

1. Right-click the Sound (Speaker) icon on the Taskbar.

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2. Select Troubleshoot sound problems . The troubleshooter will scan all connected audio devices.

3. Select the audio device you want to troubleshoot and click Next.

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4. Depending on the selected device, Windows will suggest several workarounds. Follow the on-screen instructions to apply the fixes and check if the error has been resolved.

2. Use generic audio device driver

You can fix the corrupted driver by reinstalling the audio output driver with the generic device driver. This is useful if the proprietary audio device driver for your device has been corrupted.

You can use Device Manager to update and reinstall device drivers on your Windows PC.

To reinstall the generic audio output device driver:

1. Press Win + R to open Run.

2. Enter devmgmt.msc and click OK to open Device Manager.

3. In Device Manager , expand Audio inputs and outputs section .

4. Make sure your output device is listed. If not, click View and then select Show Hidden Devices .

5. Next, select and right-click your audio device, and then click Update Driver.

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6. Click Browse my computer for drivers .

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7. Next, click Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer .

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8. Check the option Show compatible hardware .

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9. Next, select Generic software device and click Next.

10. Wait for Windows to finish installing the device driver.

11. Close Device Manager and check for errors again.

If generic audio device drivers don't help, check the audio device manufacturer's website for an updated driver. If you are using a laptop, visit your computer manufacturer's website to find the latest drivers for your computer.

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Some computer manufacturers include proprietary diagnostic tools with their equipment. For example, the HP Support Assistant app can check HP laptops for various problems, including audio problems. Lenovo, Dell, Asus, all major laptop manufacturers offer similar tools bundled with their devices. Run any such diagnostic tool available on your PC to see if it helps restore your sound.

3. Install generic audio device drivers using Device Manager

You can also install generic USB audio device drivers using the "Add legacy hardware" option in Device Manager. Here's how to do it.

1. Press Win + X to open the WinX menu.

2. Click Device Manager from the context menu.

3. In Device Manager , select your computer's name and click Action.

4. Select Add legacy hardware .

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5. Click Next to continue.

6. Next, select the Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced) option .

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7. Click Next.

8. Under Common hardware types , scroll down and select Sound, video and game controllers .

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9. Click Next.

10. Select Generic USB Audio in Manufacturer. In the right pane, select USB Audio OEM Device .

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11. Click Next.

12. Click Next again to confirm the action.

13. Wait for the installation to complete and click Finish. Restart your PC and check if your audio device is detected and working again.

4. Check if the audio device is turned off

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Check to see if you have accidentally turned off your audio device. While the audio troubleshooter can detect and suggest the same thing, you can also turn on the audio device manually.

To check and enable an audio output device:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type mmsys.cpl and click OK to open the Sound dialog box.

3. In the Playback tab , find your audio output device. If no devices are listed, right-click on the Playback section and select Show disabled devices .

4. If your audio device is grayed out, right-click and select Enable.

5. Next, select the device and click the Set Default button to set the device as default.

6. Restart the PC and check if the 'No Audio Output Device Is Installed' error has been resolved.

5. Check if the audio services are running

Windows Audio Endpoint Service and Windows Audio Service are two services required for audio to work on your PC. If these services are not running, your audio device may not work properly.

So make sure the two services are running and set to autostart. Follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open Run.

2. Type services.msc and click OK to open the Services snap-in section .

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3. Next, locate and right click on Windows Audio Endpoint Service Builder .

4. Select Properties from the context menu.

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5. Click the Startup type drop-down menu and select Automatic.

6. Click OK to save changes.

7. Right-click the Windows Audio Endpoint Builder service again and select Restart.

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8. Next, repeat the steps for the Windows Audio service.

9. Once done, close the Services snap-in.

6. Uninstall or disable any third-party driver update tools

A third-party driver update tool that allows you to scan and update all the drivers for your computer from one place. While a useful tool, this can conflict with your audio composition and Windows' ability to detect devices.

To fix the problem, disable or remove any driver update utilities such as Avast Driver Updater installed on your PC. Then run the audio troubleshooter again to see if that resolves the issue. Sometimes, you may need to remove the updater app to disable it completely.

7. Repair Windows images with DISM

Deployment Image Service Management (DISM) is a built-in Windows image repair command line utility. If the audio problem is caused by a problem with the system image, this tool can repair the image to restore audio functionality on the PC.

When connected, Windows will detect all audio input and output devices, and then automatically install the necessary drivers. To fix the 'No Audio Output Device Is Installed' error, make sure your audio device is enabled in the Sound settings.

If the error has been fixed but the sound is still not working, make sure you have the correct audio device set as default. Also, try reinstalling the affected driver, restarting the audio services, and checking the audio device for hardware failure.

Jessica Tanner

Update 17 February 2023