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Why Does My Monitor Have No Sound? The Speaker Fix

Many monitors ship with no speakers at all, and others get silenced by a setting. Check the basics, then add USB speakers for real desk sound.

By Jamilur Rahman Updated November 5, 2026 · 6 min read

Time
10 min
Cost
$20-$50
Difficulty
Easy
A tidy home office desk with a flat monitor, a keyboard and a pair of small desktop speakers on either side
In this guide
  1. Quick answer
  2. Free vs. permanent fix
  3. What you'll need
  4. Why it happens
  5. Try this first (free)
  6. When free fixes aren't enough
  7. Buy the fix
  8. Which connection carries sound
  9. What to skip
  10. FAQ
  11. Related problems

Quick answer

Why does my monitor have no sound? Many monitors, especially office and gaming models, have no built-in speakers, and some only have a headphone jack. Check your computer's sound output, the monitor's own volume and the cable first. If your monitor has no speakers, no setting can make it play sound, and a pair of USB computer speakers is the simple fix.

Free fix vs. permanent fix

Free fix · 10 minutes

Check the output, the volume and the cable

  • Look up your model for speakers or a headphone jack
  • Set the sound output to the monitor in your computer's sound settings
  • Raise and unmute the volume in the monitor's menu
  • Test with wired headphones to see if sound reaches the monitor

How long it lasts: It fixes the problem for good if the monitor has speakers and a setting was off. If the monitor has no speakers, nothing changes.

Most readers choose Permanent fix
USB computer speakers (illustration)
Illustration

USB computer speakers

Speakers add the sound a monitor leaves out. USB-powered ones run from a single port, work with any laptop or PC and need no adapter, so you get sound on your desk without headphones.

How long it lasts: Years. Plug them in once and forget them.

Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What you'll need

  • Wired headphones

    Any pair with a 3.5 mm plug works for testing

    You have it

  • Spare HDMI or DisplayPort cable

    To rule out a cable that does not carry sound

    You have it
  • Our pick
    USB computer speakers (illustration)
    Illustration

    USB computer speakers

    A small stereo pair that powers from a USB port

    Check price
  • Compact monitor soundbar (illustration)
    Illustration

    Compact monitor soundbar

    A slim bar that sits under the screen, if you want a tidier desk

    Check price

Why it happens

1

The monitor has no speakers

Plenty of monitors skip speakers to save cost. Some have only a headphone jack, which sends sound out but does not play it.

2

Your computer is sending sound elsewhere

Windows and macOS pick an output device. If it is set to the laptop speakers, a headset or a Bluetooth device, the monitor stays silent even with a good cable.

3

The monitor's volume is muted or turned down

Monitors have their own volume and mute in the on-screen menu. A game, a firmware update or a stray button press can leave it at zero.

4

A cable or adapter that does not carry audio

HDMI and DisplayPort can carry sound. VGA and DVI cannot, and some cheap adapters and hubs drop the audio.

Try this first (free)

Do these in order, starting with the simplest.

  1. Find out if your monitor has speakers

    Check the model number on the back or the box, then read its specs for built-in speakers or an audio-out jack. If it lists only a headphone out, it has no speakers.

  2. Set the sound output to the monitor

    On Windows, right-click the speaker icon, open sound settings and choose the monitor, often listed as HDMI or DisplayPort audio. On a Mac, open System Settings, then Sound, then Output.

  3. Check volume and mute on both ends

    Open the monitor's on-screen menu and raise the volume and turn off mute. Then check the computer's volume and the app you are using.

  4. Swap the cable

    Tool used: Spare HDMI or DisplayPort cable

    Make sure you are on HDMI or DisplayPort, since VGA and DVI carry no sound. Try a different port and cable to rule out a bad one.

  5. Test with headphones

    Tool used: Wired headphones

    Plug wired headphones into the monitor's headphone jack. If you hear sound, the signal reaches the monitor and the screen has no speaker. If you hear nothing, go back to the output setting.

  6. Add speakers if the monitor has none

    Tool used: USB computer speakers

    Connect a USB speaker pair to a free port on your computer, or to a 3.5 mm jack with USB power, and set them as the output. Put them either side of the screen.

    USB computer speakers (illustration)
    Illustration

    Tool for this step

    USB computer speakers · A small stereo pair that powers from a USB port

    Check price on Amazon

When free fixes aren't enough

If your monitor has no speakers, or the sound only plays through its headphone jack, the settings steps cannot create audio where nothing plays it. Headphones are the free option and work fine for solo use. For a shared desk, video calls without a headset or music while you work, a pair of speakers is the lasting fix. If the monitor does have speakers and still plays nothing after the cable and output checks, it may need a driver update or a repair.

Buy the fix

Still stuck after the free fixes? These are the products we would look at.

Our picks compared
PickProductFixesWho it's forBuy
Best pick
USB computer speakers (illustration)
Illustration
USB computer speakers
a monitor with no speakers, or sound too weak to hear Anyone with a speakerless monitor who wants sound on the desk without headphones. Check price
Upgrade pick
Compact monitor soundbar (illustration)
Illustration
Compact monitor soundbar
a monitor with no speakers when you want a tidier desk People who want one slim device in front of the screen, and not two speakers on the sides. Check price
Best pick
USB computer speakers (illustration)
Illustration

USB computer speakers

Fixes: a monitor with no speakers, or sound too weak to hear

Look for: Power and sound over USB, or USB power with a 3.5 mm audio plug; A volume knob on the front or a wired control you can reach; A small size that fits either side of your screen; A headphone jack on the speaker, so you can switch without unplugging.

Who it's for
Anyone with a speakerless monitor who wants sound on the desk without headphones.
Honest downside
You only listen privately, since headphones do that for free, or you have no free USB port and no hub.
Check price on Amazon
Upgrade pick
Compact monitor soundbar (illustration)
Illustration

Compact monitor soundbar

Fixes: a monitor with no speakers when you want a tidier desk

Look for: A slim body that fits under the screen; USB power and a wired or Bluetooth connection; Volume controls you can reach on the bar.

Who it's for
People who want one slim device in front of the screen, and not two speakers on the sides.
Honest downside
Your monitor sits low on its stand and leaves no gap under the screen, or you want strong bass, which small bars cannot give.
Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We don't show prices because they change, so use the button to see today's price.

How we picked: How we picked: this page is based on monitor and operating system support guides, cable standards and what owners report in reviews of USB speakers. We do not test products by hand.

Which connection carries sound

  • HDMI: carries video and sound.
  • DisplayPort: carries video and sound.
  • USB-C with video: usually carries both, if the port supports video output.
  • VGA and DVI: video only, so sound must come from somewhere else.

The monitor still needs a speaker or a headphone jack to turn that signal into sound you can hear.

What to skip

Hunting for drivers when the monitor has no speakers

Reinstalling drivers, updating the graphics card and resetting Windows will not help if the screen has no speaker to play the sound. Check the specs first, and save yourself an hour.

Frequently asked questions

Do all monitors have built-in speakers?
No. Many office, gaming and professional monitors have none, and others have weak ones. Look for built-in speakers in the specs. A headphone jack on a monitor does not mean there is a speaker.
My monitor has speakers but no sound over HDMI. Why?
The computer may be sending audio to another device. Open the sound settings and choose the monitor as the output. Then check the monitor's own volume and mute, and try a different HDMI port or cable.
Can I get sound from a monitor over VGA or DVI?
No. Those connections carry video only. Use HDMI or DisplayPort for sound, or use speakers or headphones plugged into the computer instead.
Why does the sound work on my TV but not my monitor?
TVs always have speakers. Monitors often do not, so the same HDMI cable that works on a TV can give silence on a monitor. It does not mean the cable is bad.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure

USB computer speakers (illustration)
Illustration

Our pick: USB computer speakers

Check price