Bluetooth Headphones Connected but Have No Sound: PC and Mobile Fixes

Solve the annoying problem of getting no sound out of your Bluetooth headphones even when it’s connected

It probably happened to you at one point.

You wear your favorite pair of Bluetooth headphones, toggle the Bluetooth setting to ON, launch Spotify or YouTube, then press play.

A few seconds later, you realize there’s no sound coming out of your headphones.

What gives?

In this article, we’ll take a look at the different reasons why you’re not getting any sound out of your Bluetooth headphones.

More importantly, we’ll share with you a couple of tips and tricks to get it working again, whether you’re using your mobile phone or PC.

How to Fix Bluetooth headphones connected but no sound in PC

There are several possible reasons why you don’t hear any sound from your headphones when it’s connected to your PC via Bluetooth.

The following are some of the most common scenarios and their corresponding fixes so you can get your Bluetooth headphones up and running again.

• Enable Bluetooth Support Service
• Set your default playback device
• Check your volume levels
• Update your Audio Driver
• Run your Troubleshooting tool
• Check audio problems in Device Manager

Enable Bluetooth Support Service

The Bluetooth Support Service is what allows Windows to discover and pair with Bluetooth devices. Disabling it could cause Bluetooth headphones to stop working properly or not get detected during the pairing process.

Here are the steps for activating Bluetooth Support Service:

1. On the keyboard, press Windows Key+R to launch the Run dialog box.  
2. Type services.msc then hit Enter.
    

   

3. From the list, look for Bluetooth Support Service. Double-click on it.

   

4. On the drop-down list, select Automatic.

   

5. Click Start under Service Status. Then, hit Apply and OK once done.

   

6. Restart your PC. Once it boots up, try pairing your Bluetooth headphones. Play some music to check if the issue is fixed.

Set your default playback device

One common setting that gets overlooked is the currently selected playback device. For example, you could have your Bluetooth headphones paired properly but forgot to switch the playback device option from your laptop speakers to Bluetooth headphones. This will cause Windows to still use your laptop’s speakers as output for sound.

Here’s how to set it up correctly for your Bluetooth headphones:

1. On the Windows Search Box, type Control Panel. Hit Enter.

   

2. Click on Hardware & Sound. On the next page, select Sound.
    

   

3. Select your Bluetooth headphones on the list.

   

4. Click on “Set Default”. Then, hit Apply and OK.

   

5. Test if it works by playing an audio file from your PC.

Check your volume levels

A quick check on the system tray to see if there’s adequate volume pumping out of your PC should be one of the first things you do when troubleshooting this kind of problem. Here are the steps:

1. Click on the Volume icon on the lower-right corner of the desktop. 
2. You likely have more than one playback device so make sure to select Bluetooth headphones from the list.
    

   

3. Adjust the volume accordingly by raising the slider to the right. 
4. Alternatively, you can simply hit the Increase Volume button on your keyboard. It’s usually placed along with the function keys.

Update your Audio Driver

To the unfamiliar, a driver is a set of instructions that Windows uses to send and receive data between the app and the hardware device. A corrupted or outdated audio driver could cause your Bluetooth headphones to malfunction and fail. Here’s how to check if your Windows Audio Driver is working properly and how to update it.

1. Right-click on the Windows Start button and select Device Manager. On the new window, click on Sound, Video, and Game controllers.
    

   

2. Double-click on your Bluetooth headphones.

   

3. Click on the “Driver” tab then select “Update Driver”.

   

    
4. On the next page, you’ll be asked if you want Windows to automatically look for the updated driver software or do it manually. Choose “Search automatically for updated driver software”.

   

5. Windows will search your computer and the internet for the latest driver software for your Bluetooth headphones.
6. Once done, it will either let you update to a new driver or deem that your device is already using the latest one. If it’s the latter, skip to the next tip. Otherwise, follow the succeeding prompts for updating to the new drivers.

   

Run your Troubleshooting tool

Windows has a built-in troubleshooting tool for fixing all sorts of issues. You can use it to check if there are problems with your Bluetooth headphones. Here’s how you can use it to check if your Bluetooth headphones are in tip-top shape.

1. On the Windows Search Box, type Audio.

   

2. Click ‘Find and Fix Problems with Playing Sound’

   

3. On the dialog box that will appear, click Next.

   

4. The dialog box will show you a list of all audio devices that you use with your computer. Select your Bluetooth headphones from the list then click Next.
    

   

5. The troubleshooter will run a couple of tests and display all results on the next page.
6. A recommended action will display if it does find an error with your Bluetooth headphones and you’ll be given the option to apply the fix or skip this step.

Check audio problems in Device Manager

The Device Manager in Windows is your main panel for viewing and controlling all hardware installed and attached to the computer. For this particular issue, we’ll be checking out the Sound, video, and game controllers section to make sure all settings and connections are enabled. Here are the steps:

1. Right-click on the Windows Start button then select Device Manager from the list that will pop up.

   

2. Click on Sound, Video, and Game Controllers.

   

3. Select High-definition Audio Device from the list and double-click on it.
    
    
4. If everything is working well, it should say “Disable Device” on the Driver tab. On the other hand, if this section shows “Enable Device”, it means it’s currently turned off. If that is the case, click to Enable then hit OK once done.

   

5. Do the same steps above for your Bluetooth headphones. This is to ensure that it is not disabled by mistake.

How to Fix Bluetooth headphones connected but no sound in Android

Android dominates the worldwide market share in terms of users at more than 80% — which means there’s a good chance you’re using one. If you can’t hear anything from your Bluetooth headphones when you connect it to your Android phone, the following tips could help you fix that.

• Turn up your media volume
• Enable media audio
• Disable nearby device scanning
• Reset network settings

Turn up your media volume

Sometimes, all it takes is a simple flick of the volume rocker to get your Bluetooth headphones pumping out sound again. Here are the steps to turn up the volume up or down on your Android smartphone.

1. Press the +Volume button on your smartphone. This should immediately raise the volume of your Bluetooth headphones.

   

2. Alternatively, you can go to Settings then move the slider for Media Volume to the right to turn up the sound.

   

Enable media audio

Android lets users select which audio output the Bluetooth device will be used for. By default, it’s set to both Phone and Media. This means that when your Bluetooth headphones are connected to your smartphone, you can use it to make calls and listen to media (music, videos, etc.,).

1. With your Bluetooth headphones connected, go to Settings, and click Bluetooth.

   

2. Select your Bluetooth headphones from the list.

   

    
3. On the next screen, make sure that Media Audio is turned ON.

   

    

Disable nearby device scanning

This feature is used for improving GPS accuracy by allowing apps and services to scan for Bluetooth devices at any time even when Bluetooth is disabled.

When this feature is turned on, it could make your Android phone continuously scan for nearby Bluetooth devices. This may cause your current Bluetooth headphones connection to drop, potentially cutting off any audio you were listening to.

As a bonus, turning this feature off reduces battery consumption, too. Here’s how to disable it in your Android smartphone.

1. Go to Settings, and click ‘Location’.

   

2. Turn the Location setting ON. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Scanning options should appear. Select ‘Improve accuracy’

   

    
3. On the next page, hit the toggle to turn off the Bluetooth scanning feature.

   

    

Reset network settings

It’s possible that you’re not getting audio out of your wireless headphones because the network settings in your smartphone have become corrupted.

Network settings let Android determine which devices can connect to your smartphone and how. Over time, these settings can become corrupted, which hinders your Bluetooth headphones from properly pairing with your smartphone.

Here’s how to reset your network settings:

1. On your smartphone, open the Settings app.

   

2. On the search bar, type “Reset” or “Network”. Hit search. Then, on the results, find the entry that says “Reset Network settings”. Note that the exact phrase or methods to get to it could vary from phone to phone.

   

3. Click the Reset button and confirm.
    

   

How to Fix Bluetooth headphones connected but no sound in IOS

Apple users also experience the same issues with their Bluetooth headphones from time to time. In fact, there are plenty of reports of iOS and Airpods users hearing no sound coming out of their buds.

• Remove music volume level limit
• Update your device
• Disconnect and reconnect your Bluetooth headphones
• Disable automatic ear detection (for Airpods)

Remove Music Volume Level Limit

iOS features a Volume Limit option in settings so users can set their desired max volume limit on the device. If it’s too low, however, this could affect the volume output on your Bluetooth headphones. To turn this feature off, do the following:

1. Go to Settings, then click Sound & Haptics.

   

2. On the next page, tap Headphone Safety and Reduce Loud Sounds.

   

3. Move the slider all the way to the right (100%), or depending on your preference.

   

    

    

Update Your Device

Updating to a newer version of iOS may help fix your sound issues when using your Bluetooth headphones. Especially when you are using Apple AirPods. Here are the steps for updating to the latest version of iOS for your iPhone or iPad.

1. Go to Settings, then click General.

   

2. Click on Software Update
    

   

3. It will show you if there are any updates available. If it does, you’ll have the option to Download and Install. Click on it to start downloading and installing the latest iOS update. It will automatically restart afterward.
4. Try reconnecting your Bluetooth headphones again and play some music to check if the issue is fixed.

Disconnect and reconnect your Bluetooth headphones

Disconnecting and reconnecting your Bluetooth headphones allows for a “fresh” new connection, effectively clearing out any connectivity issues that could be causing the no-sound problem. Try the following steps in iOS the next time you don’t get any audio from your Bluetooth headphones.

1. Go to Settings, then tap Bluetooth. 
2. Turn off Bluetooth by clicking on the green toggle button on the right.

   

3. Turn off your Bluetooth headphones by tapping the toggle button. Then, turn it on again.

   

4. Reconnect your headphones and try playing audio to check if that fixes the issue.

Disable automatic ear detection (for Airpods)

This feature allows AirPods to pause when its sensors detect that you pulled one of the buds from your ears. When both buds are removed, all audio stops completely. While this is helpful in some instances, it means you won’t get any sound from your AirPods if its sensors act up.

The next time you don’t get any sound out of your AirPods even though it’s connected properly, try the following steps.

1. Go to Settings —-> Bluetooth 
2. Tap the “i” next to your AirPods to see the options.
    

   

3. On the next screen, turn off the Automatic Ear Detection feature by clicking on the green button.
    

   

Check your Headphones

If you’ve tried each and every tip we mentioned above but still found no luck getting sound out of your Bluetooth headphones, perhaps the issue is with the headphones themselves.

The fastest way to check if your Bluetooth headphones are to blame is by connecting them to other gadgets or computers to see if they will work or not.

You can also try a quick reset to see if that fixes the issue. See below.

Do a quick Bluetooth Headphones Reset

In most cases, you can easily reset your Bluetooth headphones through the following steps:

1. Locate the power button.
2. Press it for a few seconds.
3. All LED indicators should turn off signaling the device is in its OFF state.
4. Press the power button again for a few seconds to boot it back up.

Easy enough, huh?

But while the steps above will work most of the time, some brands and models require a different set of steps for resetting Bluetooth headphones. Aside from fixing the issue of having no sound from your headphones, resetting your Bluetooth headphones can also fix issues of when the headphones lights won’t stop flashing red and blue, sound delays, or audio stutters.

If all else fails, Replace your Headphones

Hopefully, you still have it covered by warranty so you can simply request for a replacement. If not, then you’ve really got no other choice but to buy in a new pair. Make sure to check out reviews and buyer’s guides to help you choose a solid pair that will fit your needs.

If you’re looking for headphones to accompany you in specific activities, feel free to browse through our lists of Bluetooth headphones for working out, for watching TV, or for gaming.

Conclusion

Convenience and freedom (from wires) are what make Bluetooth headphones shine over its wired counterparts. Unfortunately, that comes at a cost — in the form of the occasional hiccups brought about by the (still) imperfect Bluetooth technology.

But while we’re all still waiting for that perfect wireless listening experience, we hope the tips we shared here will help remedy some of the issues you’re having with your Bluetooth headphones.

Good luck and happy listening!