You want to play some music or Netflix and chill, and you’ve connected your device to your headphones. Now the media is playing, but there is no sound; what happened to the sound? Why can’t you hear any sound from your Bluetooth headphones?
Some common reasons headphones are connected but not working are outdated audio drivers, unchecked volume levels, and headphones not selected as default on the playback device.
If your headphones at not working, don’t get worked up; this guide comprehensively explains why your headphones are connected but not working. You will also learn how to fix it and enjoy your media content.
How To Fix Headphones Connected To PCs But Not Working
Check Volume Levels
One possible reason your headphones don’t work after confirming that they are connected is that the audio level of the connected device is too low. When you discover low audio levels on connected devices, adjust them.
To do this, follow the simple instructions below.
- Go to your taskbar and right-click the Sound icon.
- Select sound from the options.
- Go to the Playback tab and click it.
- Right-click the Bluetooth speakers and select Properties.
- Click on the Levels tab.
- Go to the audio output bar and drag it to the far right.
- Choose Apply, then select OK to close the window.
Also, if your headphones have a volume knob or button, turn it up to increase the volume. The volume of your headphones could also be low.
Enable Bluetooth Support Service
Another reason your headphones are connected but don’t produce sounds could be that Bluetooth Support Service is disabled.
The Bluetooth Support Service is a feature on Windows that allows you to discover and pair with audio devices. If this feature is disabled, your headphones may not function properly.
To enable this feature on Windows 10, use these simple steps:
- On your keyboard, press Windows Key+R, and the Open dialog box will display.
- Type’ services.msc’ (without the quotes), then press ‘Enter.’
- Once the Service window pops up, search for the Bluetooth Support Service and double-click it.
- From the drop-down menu, after double-clicking, select Automatic.
- You can launch Bluetooth Support Service by clicking ‘Start.’
- Click Apply and OK to confirm the changes that you’ve made.
Update Audio Drivers
Your headphones may not produce sound due to outdated audio drivers. A driver is a set of instructions that Windows uses to send and receive data between the app and the hardware device. An outdated driver or corrupted driver could cause headphones to malfunction.
Follow these simple steps to check if your audio drivers are working correctly or need to be updated.
- Open the Windows menu and enter ‘Device manager.’ Open the Device Manager from the result list.
- Click Sound, Video, and Game controllers, and then double-click on your Bluetooth headphones
- Click on the ‘Driver’ tab, then select ‘Update Driver.’
- The next page has options to choose between automatically looking for the updated driver software and doing it manually. Choose ‘Search automatically for updated driver software.’
- Windows will search your computer and the internet for the latest driver software for your Bluetooth headphones.
- Once that is done, Windows will either let you update to a new driver or deem that your device is already using the latest one. If it’s the latter, move to the next fix. Otherwise, follow the subsequent prompts for updating to the new drivers.
Troubleshoot With Windows
Windows has an inbuilt tool for troubleshooting or fixing different issues. If you want to fix sound playback problems or check if your headphones are in good shape, you can use the troubleshooter for ‘Playing Audio.’
Follow these easy steps to troubleshoot playback problems.
- Go to your taskbar and type ‘Audio’ in the Window Search box.
- Click ‘Find and Fix Problems with Playing Sound,’ which should open the Audio Playback troubleshooter.
- On the dialog box that will appear, click ‘Next.’ The troubleshooter will now find and repair audio playback issues.
Also, follow these simple steps to resolve the issue using the Bluetooth troubleshooter.
- Click the Search icon on the taskbar.
- Type “troubleshoot” (with no quotes), then press Enter.
- You will find a list of troubleshooters in the right pane. Find the Bluetooth troubleshooter by scrolling down.
- Click ‘Bluetooth,’ then hit Run the Troubleshooter. The program will detect issues and start fixing them. If the troubleshooter cannot fix the error, it will provide additional suggestions for resolving it.
How to Fix Headphones Connected To Android Devices But Not Working
Note that the following guide could vary depending on the OS of your smartphone, the version, and the model. The settings could also look different on different smartphones.
Enable Media Audio
You can select which audio output the Bluetooth device will use with an Android OS. But by default, it’s set to both Phone and Media. When your Bluetooth headphones are connected to your smartphone, you can use them to listen to media content and make calls.
If your Media Audio Settings isn’t turned on, follow these steps to turn it on.
- After connecting your Bluetooth headphones, go to settings and click ‘Bluetooth.’
- Pick your Bluetooth headphones from the list and turn ON the Bluetooth speaker.
Increase The Media Volume
You may only need to turn up the volume on your smartphone to get your Bluetooth working again. To turn up the volume on your Android smartphone, follow these steps.
- On your smartphone, press the ‘+’ Volume button. It should immediately raise the volume of your Bluetooth headphones.
- Also, you can go to Settings, then move the slider for Media Volume to the right to turn up the sound.
How to Fix Headphones Connected To iOS Devices Without Sound
Turn Off Music Volume Level Limit
The Volume Limit feature on iOS allows users to set their desired max volume limit on the device. If the volume is too low, however, this could affect the volume output on your Bluetooth headphones. To turn this feature off, do the following.
- Go to Settings, and click ‘Sound & Haptics.’
- On the next page, select Headphone Safety and Reduce Loud Sounds.
- Move the slider to the right (100%), depending on your preference.
Update Your Device
Updating to a newer version of iOS might help fix your sound issues when using your Bluetooth headphones, especially if you are using Apple AirPods.
Here are the steps for updating to the latest version of iOS for your iPhone or iPad.
- Go to Settings, and click General.
- Select Software Update
- It will let you know if there are any updates available. If it does, you’ll have the option to Download and Install it. Click on it to start downloading and installing the latest iOS update. It will automatically restart afterward.
- Try reconnecting your Bluetooth headphones and playing music to check if the issue is resolved.
Conclusion
Now you know the possible reasons your headphones are connected but not working and how to fix them. Try the appropriate fixes given in this guide depending on your unique issue.
If your headphones still do not produce sound, the device or headphones might be faulty. It would help if you take your devices to a technician or the manufacturer for repairs or get a replacement.