6 Ways to Fix Headphones Not Working In Windows 11

Windows 11 is the latest version of Windows, but it still has many issues. What this article is going to talk about today is how to fix Windows 11 not recognizing the headphone. This will help some users who are facing headphones not working issue on Windows 11.

Check for faulty headphones

It’s possible that the headphone not working is not a Windows 11 issue, but a headphone issue. If you use a defective headphone, Windows 11 will not recognize the headphone. Therefore, first make sure that the headphone is working properly. You can connect the headphone to other devices or mobile phones to see if they work.

If the headphone is still not working after changing the device, then the problem is with the headphone. However, after replacing the device, the headphone is working properly, so first check the 3.5mm jack on your PC. Plug other headphones into the jack and test if they work. If not, then your PC’s headphone jack is broken, preventing the headphones from working. The headphone jack needs to be replaced.

If the headphone is working fine on another laptop/PC and the headphone jack is OK, continue to the next method.

Restart your Windows 11 PC

The second method is to restart the PC. Some minor bugs in the system can cause issues such as the headphone not working in Windows 11. It can be solved by restarting the PC. You can try restarting your PC in safe mode and check if the problem persists. If restarting your computer doesn’t fix the headphone not working, continue to the next method.

Reconnect the headphones

If you’re using a Bluetooth headphone, you can try reconnecting the headphone to your computer to fix Windows 11 Bluetooth not working.

• Open Settings on your PC and go to the Bluetooth & Devices section.
• You will see a list of devices. Search for your Bluetooth headphone and click on the three ovals on the headphone. Now click on Remove Device.
• Once done, put the headphone into pairing mode. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on.
• Click the Add Device option. Select Bluetooth in Add Device.
• Click on your headphones to pair them.

After the headphone is paired successfully, check whether the headphone works normally.

Update Windows 11

If the headphone is not working due to a Windows bug, it can be fixed by updating Windows.

• Press Windows+I to open Settings.
• By clicking the Windows Update tab on the left sidebar.
• In the Windows Update section, click Check for Updates.
• This will start checking for Windows 11 updates. Download and install updates, if available.
• After installing the update, restart your PC.

Try using the headphone again to see if that fixes the headphone not working properly in Windows 11.

Update audio driver

If updating Windows doesn’t work, try updating the audio driver.

• Open the start menu, search for device manager and open it.
• You will see a list of all devices/hardware connected to your device.
• Double-click Sound, Video, and Game Controllers to expand it.
• You will see a list of all input and output devices connected to the PC.
• Right-click your headphone and click Update Driver.
• When done, restart your computer.

Run the Windows 11 troubleshooter

If none of the above methods solve the headphone not working, then the last solution is to run the troubleshooter.

• Press Windows + I on your keyboard to open Settings on your PC.
• Head to the “System” tab in settings.
• In the System section, click Troubleshoot, and then click Additional Troubleshooters.
• Search for Play Audio and click the Run button.

The headphone not working problem will be solved automatically. If it can’t be fixed, it will tell you why.

Conclusion

If you are facing headphones not working in Windows 11, you can follow the detailed steps of the 6 ways to fix headphones not working issue. Hope them can help you solve your problem quickly.