Some users have reported that their having audio issues with their Chromebook. Either the sound is completely silent or it’s cutting in and out intermittently. There are a variety of problems that can cause this for both sound coming from the speakers and sound coming from headphones. If you’re listening only through the built-in speakers and not headphones then skip to Fix #4.
Otherwise follow each step in order until your sound is fixed! Good luck!
Fix #1: Make sure the headphone are securely plugged in
This seems like a silly and obvious solution but I’ve seen this problem fixed a few times because the headphones weren’t fully inserted into the headphone jack on the chromebook. Make sure you really insert and push the headphones in, chromebooks seem to have strange audio jacks so give it a good push until you hear the click.
Fix #2: Try a different set of headphones or earbuds
For some people the fix is just that simple. The problem lies with a pair of broken headphones rather than with the chromebook itself. So try a different set and see if that works for you.
Fix #3: The “close lid” solution
- Unplug your headphones.
- Close the lid of the chromebook and wait ten seconds.
- Plug in the headphones.
- Open the lid. The chromebook will re-scan for audio devices and should find your headphones.
OR, if that doesn’t work:
- Turn off your chromebook.
- Plug in the headphones
- Turn on the chromebook. The chromebook will re-scan for audio devices on startup and should find your headphones.
Fix #4: Check sound settings
Look to the lower right corner of your screen. There you will see a series of icons. Click on your account picture at the very right. A window will appear showing you information about your chromebook. Make sure that the audio is at a high volume. If it’s muted, unmute it. And make sure that the output is set to the proper destination; headphones if you want to listen through headphones, speakers if you want to listen through speakers.
Fix #5: Clear the cache
Clearing the cache on the chromebook can resolve some audio issues. To clear the cache do this:
- Click on the chrome setting button in the browser in the top right corner (it looks like three horizontal lines).
- Click Tools and then Clear browsing Data.
- Specify that you want to clear information From the beginning of time.
- Make sure only Empty the Cache is selected.
- Click Clear Browsing Data.
Turn the chrome book off and then on again and try the sound now. If it still doesn’t work then move onto Fix 6.
Fix #6: Disable all extensions
The sound issues could be the result of a faulty extension. To solve this you need to disable all of them. Check if the sound now works. If it does then the problem was one of those extensions. Now you need to re-enable each extension individually while checking the sound between each enable. Once the sound breaks again you’ve found your culprit.
You can find instruction for disabling extensions here: https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/2589434?hl=en
(Note: if this doesn’t work then remember to turn on your extensions before moving onto Fix #7).
Fix #7: Browse as guest
Turn off your chromebook and then turn it back on. At the login screen select Browse as Guest. This will allow you to run the chromebook without any special settings that might have been added after the fact. Try to play sound now. If it works there is some broken setting or component in your regular login. To fix this permanently you’ll need to reset your chromebook. Go to Fix 8.
Fix #8: Completely reset your chromebook
This step will completely wipe your chromebook so you need to backup all of your data first. Again: this will erase EVERYTHING and bring your chromebook back to the state it was when you bought it.
- Click on your account picture in the lower-right corner of your screen.
- Click on Settings. A window will appear.
- Click on Show Advanced Settings at the bottom.
- Find the “Powerwash” label and click Reset.
- In the window that opens click Restart.
Once the chromebook restarts you will be presented with the setup window. Go through the setup and enter your google account information. Try to play a sound now, if it works then success!
Have any more ways to fix broken sound on the chromebook? Let us know in the comments below.
My sound was skipping a bit, playing everything a little too fast and started to get irritating buzzing sounds. Following your advice I cleared the cache and everything went back to normal. Thanks!
Glad it worked for you!
Thank you so much; I was bummed big time when my sound stopped working. Then I couldn’t get access to post in the chromebook forum even though I bought a Pixel. The fix that worked for me was logging out and logging in as a guest and then logging back in with my personal profile.
Thanks clearing the cache worked for me. Make sure to turn off the chromebook and shut down completely. I didn’t read thoroughly and thought this didn’t work at first.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
i tried all of the above steps and none of them worked for me. i was wondering if you think it could be a hardware problem?
It can indeed be a hardware problem. After you tried the fixes in the article did you make sure to reboot in places where a reboot was instructed?
Hi guys. Just got the HP Chromebook 14. Everything great except noisy clicking and no audio. Tried above … earphones worked but badly, then audio stopped. The Chromebook had no problem detecting the earphones though. Tried all you suggested. (I think I did it correctly.) No success. Then I inserted earphones again and then looked at Settings (bottom right) and something was there that wasn’t before re: Audio entry, the opportunity to select output. I selected speakers, removed earphones, and all works as it should now. Thank you for your resource.
My cover for the hinges came off and I had no video. I removed back and found a pivot point on left side of hinge that did not engage. Got it to engage and video/screen worked but soon after my sound stopped. I tried all fixes you suggested, still no sound. Is there a pivot point on hinge for sound that might not be engaging like the video one I found, if so where is it. I have a Samsung 303C.
Tried all of those except powerwashing as I’m reluctant to do that unless I know it will work. Have never had this issue before with my 7 month old Samsung Chromebook, it just started today and now I’ve wasted about 4 hours trying to fix it. Not happy.
Thank you. I was baffled – no sound from speakers or headphones, although the test sound worked when I verified settings for video chat, so I knew the audio COULD work. I cleared the cache and rebooted. Magic. I am going to bookmark this page!
Thank you for pointing out the close the lid solution. It worked perfectly.
HA! Read this and it turned out I didn’t have the headphones plugged in properly! One of those people!
These tips seem so silly but really worked mine was number four somehow the headphones had muted themselves or the gremlins have been busy. thanks for listing these tips they are much appreciated when stupid kicks in.
I tried every step except for powerwashing. But I have had this problem since day one, my chromebook plays sounds just normally while on youtube or anything, but when I open certain videos I put on my laptop that have extensions like .avi, .mp4 etc. He will play them, but no sound will come out of my laptop. But these same videos work perfectly on another computer or laptop, this is very frustrating because in the store they told me that my Google Chromebook supports these extension, especially because they are very common. Are you familiar with this problem or do you think I just return my laptop? I haven’t had it for even a year.
Thanks!
Thank you so much! I was freaking out!
I went through each step thoroughly to make sure that i didn’t miss anything and none of them seemed to work for me. When headphones are plugged in I can hear the instrumental of the song just fine but the lyrics cut out and i can barely hear the lyrics even on full volume. I have also tried using several different pairs of headphones. I’m thinking my best bet is to contact Samsung… Any recommendations?
Thank you so much!!! Because of your clear guidance, I was able to fix the sound issue in a matter of minutes. Cleared the cache and disabled the extensions – now have sound. Thanks so much! You’re the best!
powerwash magicly works!
when i open youtube .. i have no sound when i play video..anyone elis have this problem on their hp chromebook 14…
SO I have tried all of these things and I am still having the same problem, no matter what the sound only comes out of speakers maybe the jack is broken or something but headphones do nothing I also have never had an option to adjust audio output???
can not get sound back on the chrome book. looked through settings and i can’t figure out what happened
I have sound through speakers, but not without them. What could this possibly be? I’ve tried shutting it down and using it as guest, still nothing.
The POWER WASH worked….I was getting pretty frustrated as I moved down the list, so certain it was a hardware problem. Thank you, FAKE GEEK!
OMG….Thank you so much Martin Walsh. I was about to reboot and go through all that trouble when I read your reply….I tried it and it worked! It took 2 seconds. You saved me a lot of work. thank you again!
My asus chromebook does this often while I am watching youtube. Especially when I watch longer videos. I usually just mute and unmute it a few times on both the youtube video and my computer itself. I have as well been trying to not have it full blast and it does it less often. Thanks for the help though!
Woah! My chromebook was not working for about three weeks, so I found this page and- bam! Speakers worked! Webcam worked! Microphone worked! You are the best, and not fake at all. My geek mum would be proud XD.
i have sound…however…it is so quiet, i might as well not have sound. in order for me to hear i either have to use my bose speaker or my headphones. i have tried all the fixes except powerwash…however…my understanding is that the powers that be don’t want me to injure my hearing & have installed an audio program that prevents anyone from going over a certain decibel level…gee thanks for taking the choice away from me
i tryed everything and none of the sratiges worked for me
i made all steps also powerwash but nothing worked… i still have no sound when i try to watch some avi files..the picture works though does anyone got it solved? i really love my chromebook but this little thing is anoying me a lot
So i did the powerwash and still no sound from speaker or headphone
I never has that problem before on over a year . Any other options?
i have tried all of these and it still dosn’t work i have cheek all headphones and it not them im not sure what im meant to do after trying these and need sound for collage could you help
I was just in the process of looking at places to take my chromebook to get the audio fixed. I spent about 6 months thinking it was somehow broken. Then I read this. Literally all I had to do was click on the speaker output. Wow I feel so dumb! But very thankful, thank you so much!
I have my ACER C720 connected to my tv via HDMI. My tv is connected to my audio receiver and speakers instead of the built in tv speakers, however when I connect my chromebook the audio only comes out of my tv speakers and not the receiver I have it hooked up to. This only happens when I connect my chromebook. (I also have a PS3 connected via HDMI to my TV but the audio from that comes out correctly from the receiver…) Is there a way I can fix this? Thank you!
thank you, I connected to a projector and it changed the sound output channel.
Your article helped me, thanks very much.
Thanks for the heads up. When i looked down in my options tab i realised i had randomly connected my Chromebook to my Panasonic TV. :(
There is a problem with chromebboks that none of these somewhat rudimentary fixes repairs. CB does not have audio with some file formats. Codecs are needed, but there either are none or CB wont let then download/use them. For instance, I have The big lebawaki in mp4 format that works/soounds great. I have Mulholland Drive in .avi format (works on all 4 of my other computers, but i get no sound, just picture.
The sound on my brother’s chromebook still doesn’t work after trying all these suggestions. There is no escalating sound when you raise the volume. And the volume just goes back to the bottom when you close the volume and open it again.
my Samsung Chromebook has no sound and also keeps muting it self and when i press the volume button up on the keyboard it wont increase. help please
I have tried your whole list above, but still no sound. Where do I turn for further help? I had read many posts and articles on this subject and many (most?) refer back to your article here. So I ask in hopes that you can help beyond this list.
I will third the volume auto-mute issue. I can slide the slider up (no sound when increased), and when I close and open the menu, the volume is reset to zero. No idea what to do, it’s my mom’s chromebook, I can’t even find audio settings of any kind. No solution found online, anyone know a fix?
I fourth that auto mute issue, its really grinding my gears, it automatically mutes itself the volume up key does nothing, the volume down mutes it although the sound is already on the lowest setting (possibly zero but there is no line between the volume icon) and if you try to manually turn the volume up it mutes itself automatically, HELP!!!
thank you it worked but the sound isn’t that loud
Martin Walsh’s fix worked for me. Plug in Headphones; they work. Click the sound settings and now there’s a headset icon with an arrow next to the volume. When you click that you see output settings. I was able to select Speaker (Internal) and it worked perfectly; sound came out of the speakers right away!
thanks it worked :)
#4 did it… not sure how i killed the sound in the first place. thank you.
Thanks, clearing out the cache fixed my sound! You are very smart! :)
I did a hard reset with instructions here:
https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/3227606?source=genius-rts
The sound came back on my ACER Chromebook 15.
i’ve tried all 8 fixes and none of them worked. Any other ideas?
Thanks so much. I used the remove headphones close the lid & plug in the headphones again to resolve the very quiet sound. This information is awesome!