Open Settings > System > Sound and select your Bluetooth headphones under Output. If only one app is silent, check its volume and output in Volume mixer. A Bluetooth connection alone does not tell you where Windows or an app is sending audio.
What the sound pattern tells you to check
Section linkScroll the table sideways to see every column.
| What happens | Next check |
|---|---|
| Audio comes from laptop speakers | Choose the headphones under Sound > Output. |
| Headphones work in one app but not another | Check the silent app in Volume mixer and its speaker settings. |
| Paired headphones are missing from Output | Reconnect, then remove and pair again if needed. |
| Several headsets fail on the same PC | Run diagnostics and check official PC drivers. |
01First separate an output problem from an app problem
Section linkPlay something you recognize at a moderate volume. Note whether sound comes from the laptop speakers, whether every app is silent, or whether only one app fails. Use the symptom table to choose the next check. This guide uses Windows 11 settings; Bluetooth menus and headphone controls can vary by device.
02Select the headphones as the Windows output
Section linkOpen Start > Settings > System > Sound. Under Output, select the Bluetooth headphones, check that sound is not muted, and raise the volume gradually. Check the headphones’ own volume control too. Replay the same audio. If the headphones are listed in Bluetooth settings but absent from Sound > Output, go to the reconnection step rather than repeatedly changing the volume.
03Only one app is silent: check Volume mixer
Section linkOpen Settings > System > Sound > Volume mixer. Under Apps, check the affected app’s mute state, volume, and Output device. An app can use a different device from the Windows default. Also check any speaker selector inside the app, especially for a call. Compare it with another app before changing drivers. If the second app plays through the headphones, focus on the silent app’s settings first.
04Reconnect before making deeper changes
Section linkCharge the headphones, keep them near the PC, and turn them off and on. In Settings > Bluetooth & devices, turn Bluetooth off, wait 10 seconds, then turn it on. If that does not help, remove the headphones with More options > Remove device. Put them into pairing mode using their manufacturer’s instructions, then choose Add device > Bluetooth and pair them again. This removes their saved pairing on this PC, so have the pairing instructions ready.
05Still silent: use Windows diagnostics and official drivers
Section linkRun the Bluetooth troubleshooter in the Get Help app. Check Settings > Windows Update for updates. In Device Manager, expand Bluetooth, right-click the Bluetooth adapter, and choose Update driver > Search automatically for drivers. If Windows finds nothing, check your PC manufacturer’s support page for the exact model. Save your work before a required restart, then test the same audio again.
06Compare devices to make the next support request useful
Section linkIf available, try the headphones with another device and try another headset on this PC. Record which combinations work. For example, headphones that work on a phone while multiple headsets fail on the PC point toward further PC checks; that is a diagnostic clue, not proof of a broken adapter. Give support the PC and headphone models, Windows version, selected output, affected apps, and when the problem began.