Solution: My computer is not hearing any sound after installing Realtek drivers.

Last update: 27/06/2025

Computer can't hear anything after installing Realtek drivers

For Windows users, one of the most frustrating situations is when problems arise after installing an update. audio-related problems These are among the most common, but fortunately, they're also the easiest to resolve. In this post, we'll look at some solutions for when a computer can't hear anything after installing Realtek drivers.

Why is my computer not hearing anything after installing the Realtek drivers?

Computer can't hear anything after installing Realtek drivers

Is your computer losing sound after installing Realtek drivers? You're not the first, nor the last, to experience this. What was originally intended to improve audio quality ends up causing it to suddenly disappear. Ironically, The cause is usually in the Realtek drivers themselves., widely used to manage audio on motherboards and laptops.

Why does this happen? There are several reasons. Usually, when the operating system detects audio hardware (speakers, headphones), it automatically attempts to install the most appropriate driver. However, occasionally the version being installed is not the correct one, especially if the audio hardware is very new or very old. Other causes may include:

  • A conflict arises with another audio device, such as HDMI.
  • The system settings are altered, perhaps by changing the default audio output.
  • Or simply, the Realtek driver does not integrate correctly into Windows.

Whatever the cause, the effect is the same: the system seems to be working fine, but no sound is heard. The solution? There are several things you can do if your computer is still silent after installing the Realtek drivers. Below is a list of solutions. series of logically ordered stepsYou can stop at the step where the problem is resolved.

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Check the volume level and audio output

Checking the volume level and audio output is the first thing we'll try if the computer can't hear anything after installing the Realtek drivers. It seems obvious, but it's worth checking that the volume is on and not muted. To do this, simply click the speaker icon on the taskbar.

It is also important to make sure that the selected audio output device is the main speakers, and not other outputs such as HDMI or BluetoothThis error usually occurs if we've just disconnected a pair of wireless headphones, for example. To verify this, follow these steps:

  1. Right click on the sound icon on the taskbar.
  2. Select Open Sound Settings.
  3. Under Select Output Device, make sure Realtek (or Speakers) is selected and not HDMI, Bluetooth, etc.
  4. Done! This should work if your computer can't hear anything after installing the Realtek drivers.

Check Device Manager

If everything goes well in the sound settings, it's time to visit the Device Manager section. Here you can Check if the Realtek driver is installed and working correctly. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager.
  2. In the list of devices, find the category Sound and video controllers and game controllers, and double-click on them to expand them.
  3. In the following list, locate the option Realtek Audio and confirm that it does not have a yellow warning icon to check that it is working properly.
  4. If there is a yellow triangle, it means something is wrong. Right-click on the option and select Update Driver o Uninstall.
  5. Restart your system to allow Windows to automatically install the driver.
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If your computer doesn't play any sound after installing the Realtek drivers automatically, try installing them manually. To do this, you must first download drivers from the official website of your motherboard manufacturer or directly from the Realtek site.

Once you have downloaded the new drivers, you have to uninstall the old ones from Device Manager. Then, in the downloaded file, look for a file named Setup.exe or similar and run it. Follow the installation instructions and finish by restarting your system to apply the changes. 

Change the default audio format

Change the audio output format in Windows

Is your computer still not making any sound after manually installing the Realtek drivers? At this point, you need to make sure that the default audio format is supported by the speakers or headphonesIf the system has selected an unsupported audio format, the device will be unable to output any sound. How can you verify that you're using the correct audio format? Here's how:

  1. Go to the Configuration Windows and enter System - Sound.
  2. There, click Speakers Realtek Audio, which is the default output device.
  3. We've entered the Sound Properties, and now look at the Output Settings section. In the section Format, You can choose from the supported output formats.
  4. Try the different formats available, such as 24-bit, 48000 Hz or 16-bit, 44100 Hz.
  5. Click on Try to check if the audio is heard.
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Disable sound enhancements if your computer is silent after installing Realtek drivers.

In your attempts to enjoy better audio quality, you may have enabled sound enhancements in your system settings. This typically doesn't cause speaker failure, but it's a good idea to verify that this isn't the source of the problem. So go to Settings – System – Sound, and in Advanced Settings disable sound enhancements. Check the "Disable all enhancements" box and then test the sound again. 

Restore or reinstall Windows

If your computer still can't hear anything after installing the Realtek drivers and you've tried everything else above, you might start to worry. It's time to try more radical measures, such as: restore the system to a previous point or even reinstall the operating system. You can also try install an external USB sound card, which are inexpensive and easy to set up, in case the computer's backup is physically damaged.

In conclusion, we hope that some of these solutions will be helpful if your computer is not playing sound after installing the Realtek drivers. Corrective measures are not difficult to apply., but the problem may be more serious than expected. In that case, an external USB sound card is a great help in restoring audio to a computer that insists on staying silent.