Skype problems: no sound
One of the common problems when using Skype is the situation when the sound does not work. Naturally, in this case, communication can only be done by writing text messages, and the functions of video and voice calls, in fact, become useless. But it is precisely for these opportunities that Skype is valued. Let's figure out how to turn on the sound in the Skype program when it is not available.
First of all, the lack of sound in the Skype program during a conversation can be caused by problems on the side of the interlocutor. They may be of the following nature:
- No microphone;
- Microphone failure;
- Problem with drivers;
- Incorrect sound settings in Skype.
Your interlocutor himself should fix these problems, which will help him with a lesson on what to do if, but we will concentrate on solving the problem that has arisen on your side.
And to determine on whose side the problem is quite simple: for this, it is enough to call another user. If this time the interlocutor is not heard, then the problem is most likely on your side.
Connecting an audio headset
If you have determined that the problem is still on your side, then, first of all, you should find out the following point: is there no sound only in Skype, or is there also a similar failure in other programs? To do this, turn on any audio player installed on your computer and play an audio file with it.
If the sound is heard normally, then we proceed to solving the problem directly, in the Skype application itself, if nothing is heard again, then you should carefully check whether you have connected the audio headset correctly (speakers, headphones, etc.). You should also pay attention to the absence of breakdowns in the sound-reproducing devices themselves. This can be checked by connecting another similar device to the computer.
Drivers
Another reason why sound is not reproduced in the computer as a whole, including Skype, may be the lack or damage of the drivers responsible for the sound. In order to check their performance, we type the key combination Win + R. After that, the Run window opens. Enter the expression "devmgmt.msc" into it, and click on the "OK" button.
We move to the Device Manager. Open the "Sound, video and game controllers" section. There must be at least one driver designed to play sound. If it is not available, you need to download it from the official website of the audio output device used. It's best to use it for this, especially if you don't know which specific driver to download.
If the driver is present, but marked with a cross or an exclamation point, then this means that it does not work correctly. In this case, you need to remove it and install a new one.
Mute sound on computer
But, everything can be much simpler. For example, you may have the sound on your computer muted. In order to check this, in the notification area, click on the speaker icon. If the volume control is at the very bottom, then this was the reason for the lack of sound in Skype. We lift it up.
Also, a crossed-out speaker symbol can be a sign of mute. In this case, to enable audio playback, simply click on this symbol.
Disabled audio output on Skype
But, if in other programs the sound is played normally, but is absent only in Skype, then its output to this program may be disabled. In order to check this, again click on the speaker in the system tray, and click on the inscription "Mixer".
In the window that appears, we look: if in the section responsible for transmitting sound to Skype, the speaker icon is crossed out, or the volume control is lowered to the very bottom, then the sound in Skype is muted. To turn it on, click on the crossed-out speaker icon, or raise the volume control up.
Skype settings
If none of the solutions described above revealed problems, and at the same time the sound is not played exclusively in Skype, then you need to look into its settings. We go sequentially through the menu items "Tools" and "Settings".
In the "Speakers" settings block, make sure that the sound is output to exactly the device from which you expect to hear it. If another device is set in the settings, then just change it to the one you need.
In order to check if the sound is working, just click on the start button next to the device selection form. If the sound plays normally, then you managed to set up the program correctly.
Updating and reinstalling the program
In the event that none of the above methods helped, and you have established that the problem with sound playback concerns only the Skype program, you should either try it or delete it and try again.
As practice shows, in some cases sound problems can be caused by using an old version of the program, or the application files can be damaged, and reinstalling will help fix this.
In order not to bother with updating in the future, sequentially go through the items in the main settings window "Advanced" and "Automatic update". Then click on the "Turn on automatic updates" button. Now your version of Skype will be updated automatically, which ensures that there are no problems, including with sound, due to the use of an outdated version of the application.
As you can see, the reason that you do not hear the interlocutor on Skype can be a significant number of factors. The problem can be both on the side of the interlocutor, and on your side. In this case, the main thing is to establish the cause of the problem in order to know how to solve it. It is easiest to determine the cause by cutting off other possible options for the sound problem.
