According to Windows 11 user feedback, the headphones does not work in Windows 11. There are various reasons why the headphones don’t work in Windows 11. It might even just be a headphone connection issue. In general, the reasons why the headphones do not work in Windows 11 can be divided into two categories, hardware and software issues.
Why Are Headphones Not Recognized on Windows 11?
As mentioned above, when your headphones is not working properly in Windows 11, it may be caused by a software related issue. For example, outdated or corrupt Windows 11 headphone drivers, misconfigured sound settings, or headphones not set as the primary output device.
In addition to a software issue causing Windows 11 not to recognize the headphones, it could also be a hardware issue. For example, the cable of a wired headphones is damaged. Excessive bending of the cable near the section with jacks or USB will make it more prone to damage. To rule out hardware issues, you can connect the headphones to another computer and see if the other Windows 11 recognizes the headphones.
So how to fix the headphones not recognized on Windows 11? Next, we’ll tell you five easy ways to fix that.
Ways to Fix Windows 11 Not Recognizing Wired Headphones
1. Update the audio driver
Press the Windows+ key and select Device Manager.
Under Audio Inputs and Outputs, right-click on your headphones, then click on Update Driver.
Click Search for drivers automatically.
Next, Windows will search your PC for the best available driver and install it on your computer.
Update the audio driver and you can try again to see if the problem of the headphones not being recognized has been resolved.
2. Make sure the headphones is connected correctly
Sometimes a cable connection can also cause Windows to have no sound. So you should first make sure that the cable is properly connected to your PC. You can also restart the computer first, connect the headphones again, and check whether the headphones can work normally.
3. Set the headphones as the default sound output
Right-click the sound icon in the taskbar and select Sound Settings.
In the Output section, select the Headphone option.
Test that your headphones are working properly.
4. Run the Sound troubleshooter
Press the Windows+ key and select Settings.
Select System and click Troubleshoot.
Choose Other Troubleshooter.
Search for Playing Audio and click the Run button.
5. Update your operating system
Click the search icon in the Windows taskbar.
Type Updates and select the Check for Updates option.
Click the Check for Updates button.
After the installation is complete, restart your computer to apply the changes.
Check if your headphones are working properly on Windows 11.
How to Reset Headphones on Windows 11?
Press Windows+S to open the search menu, search for sound settings, and click the relevant search result.
Click More Sound Settings.
Right-click on the headphones, select Properties.
Properties
Navigate to the Enhancements tab and click the Restore Defaults button.
Use the “Restore Defaults” button to go to the other tabs and click on it to reset the headphones.
What other problems might you encounter when using headphones on Windows 11?
1 Excessive volume
Drivers sometimes fail, whether talking about wireless in-ears or other types of headphones. This issue may occur due to the short design life of the driver settings.
2 Non-compliance with ingress protection codes (IP rating)
Some users have misunderstood the IP rating of their headphones.
As you can see from the image above, the IP rating consists of two digits:
The first number represents protection against solids such as dust:
0 means no protection
6 for full protection
X usually means the manufacturer has not tested solid protection
The second number means the protection against liquids:
0 again means no protection
8 for excellent protection
Final words
It’s normal to encounter some problems when using headphones on Windows. However, there is always a way to fix a problem. if you are facing Windows 11 not recognizing wired headphones, please read above five ways in this article.
