These days, Windows 11 computers are coming up with the pre-installed audio driver. When you connect the headphones to the computer, you will automatically start getting from the headphones or earphones. But sometimes, users will get the audio from internal speakers only while headphones are connected.
Why are my headphones not working when I plug them in?
Headphones in Windows 11 don’t work if you haven’t selected them as the default speaker, or there’s a fault in the audio driver.
To fix that, you will have to make some changes in the audio settings. So if the sound is not working after connecting the headphones to your Windows 11, then you can fix it with the help of the steps given below.
- Computer is unable to detect the headphone.
- Default headphones are not plugged in.
- Audio drivers are outdated.
- Drivers are missing or corrupted.
How do I fix headphones not detecting on the windows 11 computer?
When Headphones are not working on the windows 11 computer, you need to reboot the computer once, and play something. Now check if you can hear the sound from the headphones or not. If yes!
Check the wire & headphones –
When the headphone is not detecting in Windows 11 computer, the first thing to do is to check the audio jack and wire. Make sure the headphones are properly connected to the laptop. If the headphones don’t fit properly, check that the headphone jack isn’t filled with paper or debris.
Also check the wire of the headphone, it should not be broken.
Select the headphones as the output device-
When Windows 11 computers are not detecting the headphones, please note that the headphones are chosen as default.
- Click on the sound icon available in the taskbar.
- Click on the arrows next to the sound icon.
- Select the speakers as the primary speaker.
Change the port-
If USB headphones are not working on the windows 11 computer, you need to change the ports on the headphone. Please switch the USB ports, and then reboot the computer again.
After that, computers will start working fine.
Run Audio troubleshooter-
When headphones are not working on the windows 11 computer, please run the audio troubleshooting program to diagnose the issue. Once it finds the issue, you need to apply the solution accordingly.
- Open the control panel.
- Click on troubleshooting.
- Click on the playing audio button.
- Select the headphones and then click on the next button.
- Now press the apply to fix button.
- Click on the finish button.
Adjust the volume-
When headphones are not audible on Windows 11, you should adjust the volume on the Windows 11 computer. Along with that, you should also assure that the audio is not muted.
- Click on the sound button available at the task manager.
- Raise the volume.
Enable the audio enhancement-
When sound is not working on the windows 11 while using the headphones, you need to go to the sound settings in the windows 11 computer and then enable the audio enhancement.
- Right click on the windows button and then click on the settings.
- Click on the speakers.
- Now enable the enhancement option
Allow apps to use the headphones –
Sometimes, windows 11 is able to detect the headphones but apps are not allowed to use this device. Due to which, when you play the video or audio files through those apps, you will get the audio from internal speakers only. To fix that error, you have to remove the current account and then install a new device into the computer. Right after that, your email will start working fine. 
- Open the windows settings.
- In the system settings section, Click on the sound option.
- Now click on the headphone speaker.
- Press the allow button to allow apps to use this device option.
Reset the audio settings-
If you are unable to access the audio on the windows 11 computer and it keeps showing the audio error. It means, something is wrong with the audio and video driver. So you need to delete the current audio driver and then install a new driver.
- Open the windows settings.
- Click on the sound option.
- Scroll down and click on the volume mixer.
- Now scroll down again and click on the reset button.
Update the audio driver on the windows 11-
Most of the time, headphones stop working on the windows 11 computer because of driver issues. When drivers are corrupted or outdated, they are unable to recognise the headphones. To fix that error, you have to update the drivers on the windows 11 computer.
- Open the run box.
- Type devmgmt.msc and then press the ok button.
- Expand the sound, video and game controller.
- Double click on the headphone driver.
- Now click on the drivers section.
- Press the update driver button.
- Click on the search automatically for drivers.
Reinstall the audio driver-
If headphones are still working on Windows 11 yet, you need to uninstall the current driver and then install the new driver.
- Open the device manager on the computer by running the devmgmt.msc.
- Double click on the headphones driver.
- Press the uninstall button.
Update the windows 11-
Sometimes, a couple of features (including headphones on Windows 11 ) are not working because of the registry or windows patch files missing issue. So you have to update the windows 11 to fix the headphones not detecting on the windows 11 computer.
- Open the settings.
- Click on the windows update.
- Press the check for update button.
- If Windows is showing the update, you need to click on the download and install button.
After changing the following settings, the windows 11 computer will start detecting the headphones. In case, if your computer is still not recognizing the headphones, you need to reset the computer.
Why is my windows 11 not registering the Bluetooth headphones?
When Bluetooth headphones are not unable to connect from the windows 11 computer. You need to follow the steps given below.
Turn off/ On the windows 11 computer-
- Open the settings.
- Click on the bluetooth & devices option
- Turn off the bluetooth and then turn it on again.
Pair the device again –
Let’s remove the headphone from the bluetooth and then repair the headphone again.
- Open the settings and click on the bluetooth & devices option.
- Press the add device.
- Click on the bluetooth.
- Once the headphones are shown on the computer.
- Press the add a pair button and then click on the next button.
Update the bluetooth driver-
If you have already tried the above steps but bluetooth speakers are still not working on the windows 11 computer. You need to delete the current driver and then install a new driver into the computer again. Right after that, your email will start working fine.
- Open the device manager.
- Right click on the Bluetooth headphone driver.
- Now press the update driver.
- Press the search automatically for drivers.
Restart the application-
If some applications are not recognizing the headphones and keep giving the sound from internal speakers. If you are also going through such issues, you have to stop the current application and then reopen the application. Right after that, you will start getting the audio through headphone.
Update the headphone’s software-
Some Headphones have their own firmware to operate. If you are not updating it regularly, then headphones might not be able to function properly on the windows and other devices.