How to Fix HDMI Audio Not Working — No Sound Through HDMI on Windows
Connected to TV or monitor via HDMI but no sound? Audio playing through laptop speakers instead of HDMI? Fix HDMI audio output on Windows.
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Main Troubleshooting Guide
How to Fix No Audio or Sound →Complete symptoms, causes, and step-by-step solutions
Symptoms
You might be experiencing this problem if you notice:
- •No sound from TV/monitor connected via HDMI
- •Audio plays through laptop speakers instead of HDMI
- •HDMI audio device not showing in Sound settings
- •HDMI video works but audio doesn't
- •Sound output switches back to speakers after restart
- •"HDMI Audio" shows as disconnected in playback devices
Common Causes
- ⚠HDMI not set as default audio output device
- ⚠HDMI audio driver not installed or disabled
- ⚠TV/monitor volume muted or set to wrong input
- ⚠HDMI cable doesn't support audio (very old/cheap cables)
- ⚠GPU driver not outputting audio over HDMI
- ⚠DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter not carrying audio
Solutions
Solution 1: Set HDMI as Default Audio Device
- 1Right-click speaker icon in system tray → Sound settings
- 2Under "Output" → select HDMI device from dropdown
- 3If HDMI not listed: click "More sound settings" → Playback tab
- 4Right-click empty space → "Show Disabled Devices" and "Show Disconnected Devices"
- 5If HDMI appears as disabled: right-click → Enable → Set as Default Device
- 6Click Apply → OK → test sound
Solution 2: Update Audio/GPU Drivers
- 1HDMI audio is output by the GPU, not the sound card:
- 2Device Manager → Sound, video and game controllers
- 3Look for: "NVIDIA High Definition Audio", "AMD High Definition Audio", or "Intel Display Audio"
- 4If missing: expand Display adapters → right-click GPU → Update driver
- 5Install latest GPU driver from manufacturer:
- 6NVIDIA: nvidia.com/drivers
- 7AMD: amd.com/en/support
- 8Intel: intel.com/content/www/us/en/download-center
- 9During install: make sure "HD Audio Driver" component is checked
Solution 3: Check Physical Connection
- 1Verify TV/monitor is not muted and volume is up
- 2Check TV audio input: some TVs need to be set to "HDMI" audio input manually
- 3Try a different HDMI cable — damaged pins can carry video but not audio
- 4Try a different HDMI port on the TV/monitor
- 5If using an adapter (DP-to-HDMI, USB-C-to-HDMI): verify it supports audio passthrough
- 6DVI-to-HDMI adapters do NOT carry audio — only video
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