How To Fix Headphones Connected But No Sound? (Easy!)

Headphones pairing with a device and not playing music is a common issue. Why does this happen and how to fix it?

This happens if the headphones’ battery is low, the Absolute volume is disabled, because of Bluetooth interference, or because of an outdated firmware version or Bluetooth driver.

To fix headphones connected but no sound, charge the battery, enable Absolute Volume, reset the headphones, or upgrade the firmware version.

Troubleshooting For Headphones

To troubleshoot the headphones, do the following.

1. Charge the Battery

A low battery will allow the headphones to pair with a source device, but the music won’t play. When the battery power decreases, the headphones may struggle to provide enough power to the drivers, resulting in reduced audio quality or no audio at all.

To fix this, fully charge the battery power for 2-3 hours (depending on the brand). Most Bluetooth headphones use lithium-ion batteries that have a charging time of 2-3 hours.

2. Enable Absolute Volume

You must increase the volume separately on both devices (source device and headphones) if the Absolute Volume feature is disabled. The Absolute Volume refers to a feature in Android and Windows that allows to increase the volume of both devices simultaneously.

If the Absolute Volume is disabled, increase the volume on both devices separately by pressing the Volume buttons.

3. Reset the Headphones

If the headphones won’t play music because of a software bug or glitch, a hard reset will fix it. A hard reset will restore the original factory settings of the headphones, clear the internal memory, remove the known devices, and fix or remove software bugs.

To reset them, check the user manual as each brand or model has its own process. Here’s a resetting guide for JBL headphones. After resetting, you must manually pair both devices.

Before resetting, remove the headphones from the Bluetooth list of the source device. To do so:

iPhone:

Unlock your phone and go to Settings > Bluetooth.
Find the “headphones name” and press the “ⓘ” next to its name.
Press Forget This Device.

Android:

Go to Settings > Connected Devices > Bluetooth.
Find the “headphones name” and press the gear icon next to the name.
Press Remove this device.

4. Upgrade the Firmware Version

Outdated firmware versions can cause different connectivity and compatibility issues, including the issue where the headphones won’t play music. To fix connectivity and compatibility issues, upgrade the firmware to the latest version.

To update the firmware version of the headphones, do the following.

Pair them with your phone and download their official app (For instance Bose Connect for Bose headphones).
Open the app and see if there’s an update available.
If there’s an update available, follow the steps to install it.

Note: To find the official application for your headphones, check the user manual or go to their official website.

How To Fix Headphones Connected But No Sound For Windows 10?

To fix headphones connected but no sound for Windows 10, do the following.

1. Low Volume

You can set a mute or set a low volume for specific software and plugged devices in Windows 10. Check the default volume level (and increase it if necessary) and the volume for specific software.

To check the Default Volume Level, do the following.

Press the speaker icon at the bottom right.
Adjust the level of volume.

To check the Volume For Specific Software, do the following.

Open Windows Settings or search “Settings” on the search bar.
Click System.
In the left menu, find and click Sound.
Go to App volume and device preferences.
Choose Headphones as the Output source and adjust the volume level.
At the bottom of the page, find the specific software, such as Google Chrome or Discord, and adjust the volume level.

2. Default Sound Output Device

Windows should automatically change the sound output device to headphones once you pair them, but sometimes it doesn’t and you must manually change it. If the sound output device is another device, then the sound won’t play through the headphones.

To change the default sound output device, do the following.

Type Control Panel in the search bar.
Click Hardware and Sounds or only Sounds (depending on the View by: Category or icons).
Under the Playback menu, find and right-click the headphones and press Set as Default Device.

You can also:

Click the speaker icon at the bottom right.
Click “Speakers” or the arrow next to the name.
Choose the device you want to hear sound from.

3. Update the Bluetooth Driver

The Bluetooth driver in Windows 10 is a software component that allows the operating system to communicate and connect with Bluetooth-enabled devices. Updating the Bluetooth driver in Windows 10 will bring several benefits such as compatibility improvements, performance improvements, and bug fixes.

If you don’t update the Bluetooth driver, the PC may face compatibility issues when trying to connect or use newer Bluetooth devices, and limited features and performance.

To update the Bluetooth Driver in Windows 10, do the following.

Search for Device Manager in the search box.
Under Bluetooth find the “headphones name”, right-click it, and click Update driver.
Click Search automatically for drivers.
Windows will automatically search for newly updated drivers and update them.

Note: Most of the time, Windows won’t find a new update for the drivers (unless you have a very outdated version), So, you must update it by using a third-app software that automatically searches for new device updates.

4. Restart Bluetooth Support Service

The Bluetooth Support Service is a Windows service that is responsible for managing Bluetooth connections, pairing devices, and enabling data transfer between the computer and Bluetooth devices. If this service doesn’t work properly, the PC will have Bluetooth problems, which include headphones connected but no sound.

To restart the Bluetooth Support Service in Windows 10, do the following.

Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard or type run in the search box.
Write services.msc and click OK.
Find the Bluetooth Support Service and double-click it.
Under the Service Status, press Stop. (Press Yes if a pop-up menu shows up).
Under the Startup type choose Automatic, and press Start (under Service Status).
Press Apply and OK.
Restart your PC.

5. Use Windows Audio Troubleshooter

The Windows Audio Troubleshooter is an in-built software that scans, finds, and recommends fixes for audio issues. If the headphones are connected, but the music isn’t playing use the Windows Audio Troubleshooter to find and fix the issue.

To use Windows Audio Troubleshooter, do the following.

Search Audio Troubleshooter in the search box.
Click Find and fix problems with playing sounds.
Click Next > Choose the headphones or device name.
Follow the steps that the troubleshooter gives you,

How To Fix Headphones Paired But No Sound on iPhone?

To fix headphones paired but no sound on iPhone, do the following.

1. Disable the Volume Limit

iPhones have a built-in sound limit feature called “Volume Limit” which is designed to protect users from listening to audio at high volumes for long periods. This feature allows users or parents to set a maximum volume level for audio playback on the iPhone.

If this feature is enabled and the volume limit is set to zero (0), the headphones will pair with your iPhone but the music won’t play.

To adjust or disable the Volume limit in iPhone, do the following.

Unlock your phone and go to Settings > Sounds and Haptics.
Press Headphone Safety
Turn on the Reduce Loud Sounds and adjust the volume limit.
We recommend keeping it at 85 decibels.

2. Disable Automatic Ear Detection (For Airpods Only)

“Disable Automatic Ear Detection” is a feature available for Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro. When this feature is enabled, the AirPods can automatically detect when they are inserted into the ears and pause or resume audio playback accordingly.

If the battery is low or the Airpods are damaged, this feature will give a false signal to the phone and pause the music. It can also prevent audio from playing since the iPhone thinks no headphones are in your ear. So, if you are having sound problems it’s best to disable it.

To disable Automatic Ear Detection in iPhone, do the following.

Go to Settings > Bluetooth
Find the Airpods and press the “i” (ⓘ) next to its name.
Turn off Automatic Ear Detection.

3. Reset All Settings

Resetting all network settings in iPhone will return the original factory settings of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and may fix different Bluetooth bugs. The Reset Network won’t remove mobile applications, it only resets the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

To reset the network in iPhones, do the following.

Go to Settings > General.
Press Reset > Reset All Settings
Wait until the phone restarts.

4. Update the iOS Version

An outdated iOS version will cause different performance and compatibility issues, including Bluetooth connectivity issues. It’s recommended to update the iOS version to avoid unnecessary software bugs or glitches.

Note: Before updating the iOS, ensure you know the iCloud password as it will ask you for it. If you don’t know it, it’s best not to upgrade the iOS as the phone will get locked.

To update the iOS version in iPhones, do the following.

Go to Settings > General.
Press Software Update.
Press Download and Install if there’s an update available.
Wait until the update is downloaded and installed.

How To Fix Headphones Connected But No Sound on Android Phone?

To fix headphones connected but no sound on Android phones, do the following.

1. Turn on Media Volume

Android has four different volume settings: Ringtone, Media, Notification, and System Volume. You can mute one of the sounds and have the other 3 turned on. If one of the volume settings is muted, the phone will release sounds for notification, but not from a third-party application or vice versa.

To adjust the Media volume:

Go to Settings > Sound and Vibration.
At the end of the page, go to Media Volume.
Adjust the slider for all media volumes. For third-party apps (such as Youtube or Spotify) adjust the “Media” volume.

2. Disconnect Wired Headphones

If the Android phone is paired with wired headphones, remove them before pairing them with Bluetooth headphones. But, sometimes even if you remove the wired headphones, the phone won’t notice it and will keep playing music through that source.

So, it’s best to check the audio source. If the phone is in headphones mode then connect the wired headphones to the phone again, and remove the wire. Do this multiple times until the phone exits from headphones mode.

If the phone won’t exit headphones mode, it means there’s a problem with the port. Usually, there’s dust or dirt inside that is keeping the port active. To fix it, dampen a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and clean the port.

3. Enable Media Audio

You can choose the source of the sound you want the headphones to hear. By default, the media audio is turned on for all Bluetooth connections. But, double-check to see if you accidentally turned it off.

To do so:

Go to Settings > Bluetooth.
Find the paired headphones and press the gear icon.
Turn on all the options under the “Use for” menu.

4. Turn off These Settings

Lower power mode (battery saver) allows the battery to last longer, but to do so it has to stop a few functions from the phone. You may notice the phone gets slower once you turn it on. Sometimes, the headphones won’t play music if the low power mode is enabled, so you must turn it off.

To turn the battery saver off:

Go to Settings > Battery.
Press the Battery saver and turn it off.

Nearby device scanning scans for nearby Bluetooth and wireless devices to get an accurate GPS location. While this helps the phone know the accurate location you are, it also prevents a good Bluetooth connection because the phone keeps scanning for new devices. So, if you are having problems such as sound pausing or cutting off, it’s best to turn this feature off.

To turn it off:

Go to Settings > Location.
Go to Improve Accuracy> Turn Bluetooth Scanning off.

5. Reset All Settings

If nothing works, then you may have changed a few settings that can cause this problem. To fix it, you must reset all network settings and return them to their default mode. The downside of this is that it will remove all saved passwords from your Wi-fi settings.