Troubleshooting 'Microsoft' Audio Fix It for No Sound on Windows 10

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If you're experiencing issues with audio output on your Windows 10 machine, one of the most common culprits is a non-running or malfunctioning audio service. Fortunately, resolving this issue can often be achieved through relatively simple steps.

### Step 1: Check and Start Audio Service Using Services Panel

Firstly, let's attempt to manually start the Windows Audio service using the built-in services panel in Windows:

1. Press `Win + R` on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type 'services.msc' (without quotes) and press Enter.

In the resulting Services window:

- Scroll down through the list of services until you find 'Windows Audio'.

- Right-click on it and select 'Properties'.

Under the General tab, ensure that the Startup type is set to Automatic by default:

1. If not already checked, mark 'Start up' as 'Automatic'.

2. Click OK.

Then restart your computer for changes to take effect.

### Step 3: Update Audio Drivers

Sometimes outdated or corrupted audio drivers can cause a range of issues including no sound being produced through speakers or headphones. To check and update these drivers:

1. Right-click on the Start menu icon.

2. Select Device Manager from the context menu.

3. In the resulting window, expand 'Sound, video & game controllers' section.

Look for any entries under this category that are marked with a yellow exclamation mark:

- Double-click on them to open their properties dialog box.

- Click on Update Driver and follow through with any prompted updates or restarts.

### Step 4: Run Windows Audio Troubleshooter

Windows provides an integrated troubleshooters tool specifically designed for diagnosing and resolving various system issues, including audio-related problems. To run it:

1. Press `Win + S` to open the Start menu search bar.

2. Type 'audio' into the search field.

In the results list:

- Click on 'Troubleshooters'.

- In the next window, click on 'Playing Audio'.

Follow through with any subsequent prompts or restart instructions if recommended by Windows:

1. Once completed successfully, try playing an audio file again to see if sound now works as expected.

2. If not, proceed to step 5.

### Step 6: Reset All System Settings

As a last resort before considering more advanced troubleshooting methods such as running DISM or SFC (System File Checker) scans:

1. Press `Win + I` on your keyboard to open the Settings app.

2. Click on 'System'.

3. Scroll down and select 'About' from the left-hand menu.

At the bottom of this window, click on 'Reset all settings'.

### Additional Tips

If none of these steps resolve your audio issues:

- Ensure that your speakers or headphones are properly connected to an available jack on your computer.

- Check for any recently installed drivers or software updates and remove them if necessary.

- Consider running a full system virus scan using anti-virus protection tools like Norton Antivirus Plus.

Remember, keeping both Windows itself up-to-date along with all related components such as audio codecs can often help prevent many common problems from occurring in the first place.

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