Ayush has been a Windows enthusiast since the day he got his first PC with Windows 98SE. We’ve written about headphone issues before. You can update your audio/sound driver in two ways: 1.1. Download this PC Repair Tool to quickly find & fix Windows errors automatically, Troubleshoot Windows 10 Sound and Audio problems, Download PC Repair Tool to quickly find & fix Windows errors automatically, Yikes! If disabling the front panel jack detection doesn’t fix the Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones issue, try the next solution. So if that’s the case, then connect to the right port. Bookmark this page in case you need it later. In case there was no update, it is possible that the drivers need to be updated to the latest version. Another reason why your headphones may not be recognized by Windows 10 is the sound format. Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September 2017 and has been since revamped and updated in June 2020 for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness. In this case, you need to update the driver by using a genuine driver download, then update the utility tool that can scan your drive and pick out the faulty one in a short time. If the update is recent, you can roll back that driver to an older version that does not trigger this issue. Type “troubleshoot” and then click on Troubleshoot once it appears. Here is what to do if Windows 10 not recognizing headphones. The greatest software offers are live now, for Cyber Monday. There is no setup process beforehand since DriverFix is completely portable, DriverFix will proceed to scan your PC for missing broken or outdated drivers, Wait while DriverFix deals with your drivers, Change the default sound format from the drop-down menu, From the list of headphones, right-click on your headphone device name. How do I fix headphones if not recognized in Windows 10. Many people use headphones when watching the videos and listening to music, but on some upgraded devices, Windows 10 don’t recognize the connected headphones. Remember to back up your drivers before installing new updates to prevent any crashes, Finally, reboot your computer to effect the audio/sound driver update, Select your headphones and click on properties. In this case, you can just set the default audio device to the headphones. Limited time deals. Have you ever connected your headphones ready to tune to your favorite jam, or privately watch a movie, then you got the message Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones? Alternatively, you can also check for updates on Windows 10 to get a patch for this, which may have been released by Microsoft. One such scenario is where a Windows Update breaks the headphone. To use the Audio Troubleshooter, open the Windows Settings app and navigate to the following path, Update & Security > Troubleshoot. When I look at the playback devices under Sound, it has headphones listed there but it says “Not plugged in” and the dropdown list where you can set it to default is disabled whenever I select Headphones. Sometimes the issue could be caused by outdated or incompatible audio or sound driver. This is one of the simplest ways to resolve, If you have any other audio problems, check our, Do you have any issues with your laptop or PC? Hacker selling Microsoft 365 login credentials to top company executives, Windows 10 most likely to support Android apps in 2021: Report, Filmora X Review: Create Fantastic videos with Motion tracking, Keyframing, Color Matching and Audio Ducking, PC Helpsoft PC Cleaner Review: Scan, Cleanup, Repair, Optimize Windows 10 PC. Right-click on the volume icon on the system tray and select Open sound settings. What To Do If Windows 10 Not Recognizing Headphones Once you download the utility tool, take the following steps to update your audio/sound driver , and resolve the Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones issue: 1.2. Follow these key steps: Press the Windows logo key found on your keyboard. Further reading: Troubleshoot Windows 10 Sound and Audio problems. Follow the on-screen instructions, and this will fix your issue. Downloading drivers manually is a process that carries the risk of getting the wrong driver installed, which may lead to serious malfunctions. Check the audio settings and restart the device. Here’s how to go about changing the default sound format: Try plugging in your headphones again to check if this solution fixes the Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones issue. Manually set Headphones as the default device. Here are some working solutions that will help you if your Headphones are not working or being detected: Sometimes, when a headphone is plugged in, it does not toggle the default audio device. If this is not set correctly, then you may have the same problem over and over. He has been testing pre-release services on his Windows 10 PC, Lumia, and Android devices. We hope that these solutions helped you to fix the Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones error. If it is a wired headphone, make sure you have connected to the wire to the correct port. Read our full guide. This is one of the simplest ways to resolve the Windows 10 won’t recognize headphones issue. Open up the audio settings on your device and check the volume level and any other settings that might mute the sound. At this point, you can also update all other problematic drivers. If you’ve come across other solutions to fix this problem, you can list the troubleshooting steps in the comments below. This guide will help you become an expert in updating outdated drivers in Windows 10! If this is not set correctly, then you may have the same problem over and over. Perhaps, your computer doesn’t recognize the headphones. Please log in again. If changing the default sound format doesn’t work for you, try setting your headphone as the default playback device using these steps: Once you follow all these steps, plug in your headphones again and check if they’re working. You need to open the Windows Services and restart or enable the Audio Service. Rollback or install a newer Windows Update. Come to our, Let Windows automatically update your driver, Scan your computer by starting the utility tool, then click on scan to perform a full scan, The utility tool will disclose a list of all your outdated, incompatible, broken, corrupted, or missing drivers including the audio/sound driver. Keep your audio drivers updated and never worry about headphone or speaker issues thanks to DriverFix! And then click on the button called Run the Troubleshooter. Once this is done, the utility tool will automatically download and install the best version for your computer. How to update audio/sound driver using a utility tool. You may also read: How To Enable Or Disable Hibernate Mode In Windows 10. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Updates to several components of a computer are meant to fix stuff that is broken but sometimes results in breaking some other components. Windows has a built-in Playing Audio troubleshooter to tackle the problem of the Computer not recognizing your headphone. The computer stops playing any audio using the headphones. I hope this guide helped you in troubleshooting the issue. This error is caused due to incompatible drivers. … eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'thewindowsclub_com-box-3','ezslot_0',123,'0','0']));Under the section of Output, select Headphones for Choose your output device. Your utility tool, at this point, will automatically download and install the best match for your audio/sound driver. If you are not able to listen to system audio as well, it’s probably the Audio service that has the problem. Another reason why your headphones may not be recognized by Windows 10 is the sound format. He is an active Windows Insider since Day 1 and is now a Windows Insider MVP. We hope you won’t ever get this issue on your PC (unlike the users that reported it).