Why is my sound not coming through my speakers on Discord?

Check Your Speaker Settings

The first step is to ensure your speakers are properly set up for use with Discord. Make sure your speakers are securely plugged into the audio output jack on your computer and any power cables are plugged in. Physically check that the speakers are turned on and the volume dial is turned up to an audible level.

Next, check your Windows or Mac audio settings to confirm your speakers are selected as the output device. On Windows 10, go to Start > Settings > System > Sound and ensure your speakers show up under “Output.” On Mac, go to System Preferences > Sound and select your speakers from the “Output” tab.

Finally, test your speakers with other applications like YouTube or music playback to confirm the speakers are functioning properly. If you can hear audio from other sources, then the issue likely lies with Discord’s settings.

Check Discord Voice Settings

One common issue is that your Discord voice settings are incorrectly configured, preventing sound from coming through your speakers. Here are some key settings to check:

Ensure you are not muted in any voice channel you have joined. Discord will mute you automatically when joining channels, so you may simply need to unmute yourself.

Adjust the volume levels in Discord under User Settings > Voice & Video. Try increasing the volume for both App Volume and Channel User Volume. Make sure these are not muted or set very low.

If ‘Attenuate Other Sounds’ is enabled under App Settings > Voice & Video, try disabling this. This setting lowers the volume of other sounds when someone is speaking in a voice channel, which could inadvertently mute your speakers.

Resetting your voice settings in Discord can also resolve voice and audio issues. Under Voice & Video settings, click ‘Reset Voice Settings’ to restore defaults.

Checking these Discord-specific audio configurations can help get your speakers working properly again in the app. Adjusting these voice channel and volume options is one step towards troubleshooting no sound from speakers.

Update Audio Drivers

Outdated audio drivers can often be the cause of no sound issues in Discord.

To remedy this, visit your computer or motherboard manufacturer’s website and download the latest audio drivers. Be sure to get drivers specifically for your make and model. Major manufacturers like Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA provide auto-detect tools to identify your hardware and recommend appropriate drivers.

After downloading the latest audio drivers, uninstall the old drivers, restart your computer, and install the new drivers. This will update the driver software and can resolve any bugs or issues causing no sound.

Keeping your audio drivers regularly updated is good practice to maintain performance and compatibility with programs like Discord.

Change Discord Audio Subsystem

Discord has different audio subsystems available on Windows that handle sound processing differently. The default is Standard, but you can also switch to the Legacy or Experimental options if the Standard subsystem causes issues.

To change your audio subsystem in Discord on Windows:

1. Open Discord and click the Settings icon (gear icon) in the bottom left.
2. Go to Voice & Video in the left sidebar.
3. Under Audio Subsystem, click the drop-down menu and select Legacy or Experimental.
4. Restart Discord to apply the changes.

The Legacy subsystem is an older audio processing method that is more compatible with a wider range of devices (Corsair). The Experimental subsystem is newer and tries new sound processing, but may have issues.

If none of the subsystems fix your no audio issue, try updating your audio drivers or USB drivers as an alternative (Reddit). Reaching out on Discord’s support server can also help troubleshoot further problems.

Reset Voice Settings

Resetting your voice settings in Discord is a helpful troubleshooting step that reverts any changes you’ve made back to the default settings. This can resolve issues caused by accidentally modifying a setting. According to this tutorial, to reset your voice settings on desktop:

• Open Discord and click the Settings icon (gear shape) in the bottom left
• Select “Voice & Video” on the left side
• Scroll down and click “Reset Voice Settings”
• Confirm that you want to reset to default

This will revert any customized voice settings like input device, output device, voice processing, etc. If your speakers were not outputting Discord audio due to a setting change, this should restore the default output and allow sound through again. Resetting voice settings is a quick and easy step to try before investigating other potential causes.

Disable Overlays/Injections

Some third-party applications inject code into Discord or overlay it, which can cause audio issues. For example, overlays like Nvidia GeForce Experience are known to sometimes break Discord audio according to users on Reddit.

Anti-virus software, VPNs, webcam software, and other applications may also inject code into Discord that impacts audio functionality. Try temporarily disabling or closing any overlays, anti-virus software, VPNs, or other applications that may be injecting into Discord.

Once you have disabled potential problem applications, restart Discord and test if your audio works properly without the overlays/injections running. If the audio issues go away, you can narrow down which application is causing problems and troubleshoot further.

Sources:

[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/discordapp/comments/141lh1o/help_streaming_or_using_overlay_makes_my_audio/

[2] https://www.electronicshub.org/discord-share-screen-no-sound/

Change USB Port

If you are using a USB headset or speakers, try changing the USB port that the device is plugged into. Sometimes issues can arise if the USB port is not providing enough power to the headset or speakers. This is a common reason why USB headsets may not produce any sound.

Attempt plugging your USB headset or speakers into a different USB port on your computer. Front panel ports on the case tend to provide less power, so try using a rear motherboard USB port instead. Make sure the USB connector is fully inserted into the port as well.

If changing the USB port does not resolve the no sound issue, continue trying different USB ports on your computer. As per Microsoft, some USB ports simply do not provide enough power for certain headsets and speakers.

Verify Account Permissions

One potential reason you may not be getting any audio through Discord is if your account lacks the proper permissions to send audio in that server. Discord server admins have the ability to restrict certain permissions for members, including the ability to send audio.

To check if this is the cause, you’ll want to verify with a server admin or moderator that your account has the proper role and permissions enabled to send audio. Often, restrictions may be unintentionally placed on new members until they get settled in the community.

According to a Reddit thread, some users have encountered the “Discord is asking for audio permissions” message when joining new servers due to permission issues. Checking with admins can help identify and resolve this.

Additionally, if you are accessing Discord through a web browser or the mobile app, you may need to check that browser permissions are enabled for Discord to access your microphone. Granting access through browser/app permissions can resolve restricted audio issues.

With admin confirmation of proper role permissions, you should be able to send audio as normal through that server. If issues persist, further troubleshooting may be required.

Restart Computer and Discord

As a basic first troubleshooting step, try restarting both your computer and the Discord application. This can resolve many audio issues in Windows and with apps like Discord. When a computer has been running for an extended period, various services and background processes may start to lag or develop problems. Restarting clears out memory, ends unneeded processes, and reinitializes all services. This often resolves temporary glitches or conflicts that are preventing things like Discord audio from working properly.

According to Microsoft’s support forums, restarting your PC can often resolve sound problems, especially if the issues started suddenly (source). Restarting Discord itself may also end processes or reload settings in a way that restores functionality. So try fully restarting the computer first, then launch Discord again. If the problem persists, also try fully quitting Discord, restarting it again, and testing audio.

Contact Discord Support

If the above troubleshooting steps do not resolve your no sound issue on Discord, you may need to reach out to Discord’s customer support team for additional help.

Discord has a helpful and responsive support team available to assist with technical issues. You can contact them through their online request form or find additional contact options on their support page.

When contacting Discord support about no sound problems, be prepared to provide details about the issue and steps you have already tried. They may be able to suggest additional troubleshooting you have not attempted yet or identify any account-specific problems preventing sound from working properly.

Discord’s team can often resolve sound and technical issues quickly through their specialized knowledge. Reaching out to them directly often provides the best chance of identifying the root cause if other troubleshooting has not worked.