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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →If Windows shows an audio error beginning with 0x800700, first find the complete hexadecimal code. 0x800700 is incomplete; the commonly documented ending 0x80070005 means E_ACCESSDENIED, or access denied. Audio failures with that suffix can involve output selection, muted hardware, audio enhancements, a damaged or incompatible driver, stopped audio services, or a device that Windows can no longer use. Work through the checks below in order, starting with reversible steps.
Confirm the complete error before applying a code-specific fix
Windows error codes normally contain the full hexadecimal value, such as 0x80070005. The text 0x800700 alone does not identify one exact failure. Write down the complete code, the message beside it, and where it appears: a Settings page, a troubleshooter, Services, Device Manager, an application, or an event log. A code that appears while starting an audio service may have a different immediate cause from the same suffix shown by Windows Update.
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Microsoft documents 0x80070005 as E_ACCESSDENIED. In an audio context, that points toward a permissions or service-state problem, but it does not prove that permissions are the only cause. A driver, output device, or partially completed update can produce the same “no sound” symptom. Do not change registry permissions or delete service entries until you know the full code and have completed the ordinary checks.
Follow this repair order
The sequence below moves from the least disruptive checks to driver and hardware work. After each step, play a sound. Stop when the intended output works, but keep the complete code and any Device Manager message if the problem returns.
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1. Select the intended output device
- Open Settings and go to System > Sound.
- Under the output section, choose the speakers, headphones, monitor, dock, or other device you actually want to hear.
- Raise the output volume and confirm that mute is off. If an application has its own volume control, check that control too.
- If several outputs are listed, test each one briefly. A display connected through HDMI or DisplayPort can become the default even when you expected the laptop speakers or a headset.
This check addresses the most basic failure mode: Windows may be playing audio to a different endpoint rather than failing to produce audio. It also tells you whether one endpoint works while another does not, information that matters for later driver and hardware decisions.
2. Reseat cables and test another connection
Turn down the volume, then disconnect and reconnect the speaker or headphone plug. For USB audio equipment, unplug it, wait a moment, and connect it to another available USB port. Check that powered speakers are switched on and that their physical volume control is raised. If another headset or speaker is available, test it on the same computer. Conversely, test the original headset or speakers on another device when practical.
A second output that works while the first remains silent narrows the problem to the original device, cable, port, or its driver. If every output is silent, continue with Windows settings, the troubleshooter, and the audio driver rather than assuming the speakers have failed.
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In Settings > System > Sound, open the selected output device’s properties or advanced settings and set Audio enhancements to Off. The exact wording can vary by Windows edition and device driver. Test sound again after applying the change.
Microsoft Support states: “Sometimes having audio enhancements on can result in audio issues. Disabling them may resolve your issue.” Enhancements can therefore be a useful reversible test, not a permanent diagnosis. If turning them off changes nothing, leave the setting at the value that gives you reliable sound and continue.
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Run Microsoft’s audio troubleshooter
Windows 11: use Get Help first
Windows 11 provides an audio troubleshooter through the Get Help app. Open Get Help, search for audio or sound problems, and follow its prompts. Allow it to inspect the selected output and audio configuration, then apply only the changes it presents. Test playback when it finishes.
Manual Settings route
The manual route documented by Microsoft is:
- Open Settings.
- Select System, then Troubleshoot.
- Choose Other troubleshooters.
- Find Audio and select Run.
- Choose the affected output when prompted and accept a proposed correction only after reviewing what it will change.
The troubleshooter can correct configuration and endpoint problems, but it is not a guarantee that an access-denied condition, damaged driver, or failed audio device will be repaired. If it reports that no issue was found, proceed to the driver steps rather than repeatedly running the same scan.
Repair the audio driver in Device Manager
Drivers are the main software link between Windows and an audio chipset, sound card, HDMI audio endpoint, or USB device. A driver can be outdated, corrupted, missing, incompatible with the current Windows build, or only partially installed after an update.
Update the existing driver
- Right-click the Start button and open Device Manager.
- Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
- Right-click the affected audio device and choose Update driver.
- Allow Windows to search for an available driver, then restart the computer if Windows installs one or requests a restart.
- Return to Settings > System > Sound, select the device, and test playback.
If the device has a warning icon, note its exact status message and code. Do not assume that the first listed device is the one used by your speakers; HDMI, Bluetooth, USB, and onboard audio can appear as separate entries.
Roll back after a failed update
If sound stopped immediately after a Windows or driver update, the previous driver may be the safer test. In Device Manager, right-click the audio device, choose Properties, open the Driver tab, and select Roll Back Driver when that option is available. Restart Windows and test the same output.
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Microsoft explains that incompatible or partially installed audio drivers after a Windows update can prevent Windows audio services from working correctly. A rollback is reversible and is therefore preferable to repeatedly installing unrelated driver packages. If the rollback button is unavailable, use the reinstall or manufacturer-driver route below.
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- In Device Manager, right-click the affected audio device and choose Uninstall device.
- Review the confirmation dialog carefully. If Windows offers a box to remove the driver package, select it only when you intend to replace that package and have a recovery path.
- Confirm the uninstall and restart the computer.
- After restart, allow Windows to detect the hardware and reinstall its available driver.
- Check Device Manager and the Sound settings again.
This is more disruptive than an update because the device may disappear until Windows reloads a driver. Do not interrupt the restart. If Windows does not restore the device, continue with the generic-driver or manufacturer-support steps instead of repeatedly uninstalling it.
Select the generic Windows driver when appropriate
Windows can sometimes use a generic audio driver supplied with the operating system when the vendor package is broken or incompatible. In Device Manager, open the audio device’s driver-update flow and choose the option to browse or select from available drivers on the computer. If a compatible generic driver is listed, install it, restart, and test sound.
The generic driver may provide basic playback without every vendor-specific control. That trade-off is useful diagnostically: if basic audio returns, the hardware path is probably usable and the vendor package or its configuration deserves attention.
Restart Windows audio services after an update-related failure
Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder must be running for normal playback. Restart them when sound disappeared after an update, when a service-start message mentions access denied, or when the troubleshooter and driver checks have not restored audio.
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- Press
Windows + R, typeservices.msc, and press Enter. - Locate Windows Audio. Right-click it and choose Restart. If Restart is unavailable, choose Start when offered.
- Locate Windows Audio Endpoint Builder and restart it as well.
- Close Services, return to the selected output in Sound settings, and test playback.
If either service refuses to start, record the exact message and the complete hexadecimal code. An access-denied result can indicate a permissions or service configuration issue, while a missing or broken driver can prevent the service from working correctly. Avoid changing service security descriptors without a specific, documented repair for your exact Windows version.
Install the model-specific driver from the manufacturer
When Windows’ driver, rollback, reinstall, and generic-driver options fail, use the support page for the computer, motherboard, dock, sound card, or other audio-device manufacturer. Identify the exact model and Windows edition before downloading anything. A driver for a similar model can be incompatible even when the product names look alike.
- Find the model identifier in the manufacturer’s support utility, the device label, or the computer’s system information.
- Choose the audio driver for that exact model and your installed Windows edition.
- Read the installation notes, close open applications, and install the package.
- Restart Windows even if the installer does not insist on it.
- Confirm that the expected audio endpoint appears in Sound settings and Device Manager.
Manufacturer packages may restore controls that the generic Windows driver does not provide, but they also introduce a model-specific dependency. If the manufacturer’s package causes the failure to return, roll back or reinstall the generic driver and report the conflict to the manufacturer.
Use USB Audio 2.0 as a bypass or diagnostic test
When onboard audio remains unavailable, a USB audio adapter or USB headset can provide a separate hardware path. Microsoft documents standard USB Audio 2.0 support through usbaudio2.sys: the operating system detects a compatible device and loads the standard driver. This makes USB audio a practical bypass or diagnostic test, not a repair for permissions by itself.
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- Wait for Windows to detect it and load the standard USB audio driver.
- Open Settings > System > Sound and select the new USB output.
- Raise the volume, confirm mute is off, and play a test sound.
- If USB audio works while onboard audio does not, continue using it temporarily and pursue the onboard device’s driver or manufacturer support.
A USB device that also fails points away from a single onboard jack, although it does not by itself prove that Windows permissions are healthy. Try another USB port and check the adapter on another computer if possible.
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Choose the next remedy by what it changes
| Remedy | Software or hardware | Reversibility | Primary target | Model-specific driver needed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Select output, unmute, reconnect cable | Configuration or physical connection | Fully reversible | Wrong endpoint, mute, volume, cable or jack | No |
| Disable enhancements | Software setting | Fully reversible | Processing that interferes with playback | No |
| Run the audio troubleshooter | Software diagnostic | Usually reversible | Common endpoint and configuration faults | No |
| Update or use the generic driver | Software | Usually reversible | Outdated, corrupted or incompatible driver state | No for the generic driver |
| Roll back the driver | Software | Reversible when the previous package remains available | Failure that began after an update | Uses the prior package |
| Uninstall and reinstall | Software | Reversible, but temporarily disruptive | Broken or partially installed driver | Windows may reinstall one automatically |
| Restart Windows Audio services | Software service state | Reversible | Stopped or stuck audio services | No, but services still depend on a usable driver |
| Manufacturer package | Software | Rollback may be possible | Model-specific hardware support | Yes |
| USB Audio 2.0 adapter | Hardware and standard Windows driver | Easy to remove | Failed onboard path or diagnostic isolation | No vendor audio package is required for the standard path |
Use the symptoms to decide where to continue
Sound works through USB but not through the built-in jack
Keep the USB output selected while checking the onboard device in Device Manager. Update, roll back, reinstall, or replace the model-specific driver. If the onboard device remains absent or produces a hardware warning, use the computer or sound-card manufacturer’s support process.
The device is listed, but every application is silent
Recheck the selected output, mute and volume, then disable enhancements and restart both audio services. If the problem began after an update, prioritize rollback or reinstalling the driver. Test with more than one application so that an application-specific mute is not mistaken for a system failure.
The audio service will not start and the code ends in 0005
Confirm that the full code is really 0x80070005, record the exact service message, and complete the driver checks before attempting permission changes. The suffix means access denied, but the audio service may also be blocked by a damaged or incompatible driver. If Windows still refuses to start the service, use the manufacturer support route with the code and message.
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The failure began immediately after Windows Update
Try the audio troubleshooter, then roll back the audio driver if available. If rollback is unavailable, uninstall and reinstall the driver or select the generic Windows driver. Restart Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder afterward. Microsoft notes that incompatible or partially installed audio drivers can prevent audio services from working correctly after an update.
Windows 10 support status and what it changes
Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. The audio steps above can still help a Windows 10 installation, but the end-of-support date means you should not expect ongoing feature or security servicing for that operating system. When seeking a manufacturer driver, verify that the manufacturer still lists your Windows edition and model as supported.
Quick Recap
Final verification checklist
- The complete hexadecimal code is recorded, rather than only
0x800700. - The intended output is selected in Settings > System > Sound.
- Volume is raised and mute is off on Windows and on the physical equipment.
- Cables, ports, and an alternate output have been tested.
- Audio enhancements are off for the test.
- The Windows audio troubleshooter has been run.
- The audio driver has been updated, rolled back, reinstalled, or replaced with the generic driver as appropriate.
- Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder have been restarted when the failure was service-related.
- The exact manufacturer driver has been tried when the generic path failed.
- A USB Audio 2.0 adapter has been tested when the onboard path remains unusable.
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