16 Fixes For Computer Not Recognizing Headphones In Windows

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Everyone loves using headphones, but sometimes one faces problems plugging them in on their computer. Whether it be after a long day of work, trying to sleep while listening to ASMR/music, or sitting down to complete work assigned.

It’s seriously annoying when your headphones don’t work. Though do not worry since the problem usually isn’t that big. Usually, it’s either related to the system or because of some missing headphone driver on your system.

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Why Is My Computer Not Connecting To Headphones?

The dominant reason behind windows not recognizing headphones is the corrupted device drivers that give us the error. Windows could not admit or identify the headphone device. Although, we cannot say it is the only reason causing the error. Unless we check all the possible reasons which could cause us the same error.

The other reasons which could be causing the error in windows are outdated versions, missing drivers, and wrongly configured settings. And a few times, the fault in the headphone themselves.

Solutions To Fix Computer Not Recognizing Headphones In Windows

To help you fix this issue on your system. Here we mentioned all the possible solutions to resolve the headphones cannot be recognized by the computer:

  1. Disable front panel jack detection (if applicable)
  2. Enable Multi-stream mode (if applicable)
  3. Updating to the latest audio drivers
  4. Change Default Sound Format
  5. Selecting the Proper Device
  6. Scan for Hardware Changes
  7. Deferring Auto Upgrades
  8. Disable Exclusive Control
  9. Hiding Cortana from Taskbar
  10. Running the Troubleshooter
  11. Changing Realtek Settings
  12. Uninstall Realtek Drivers and Clean Registry
  13. Selecting Headset
  14. Changing The Driver
  15. Disable/Enable Sound Device And Set The Device As Default Device
  16. Uninstall and reinstall the independent input devices

Disable Front Panel Jack Detection (If Applicable)

  1. Open the Run application by the following command combination Windows + R.
  2. Now, insert the Control Panel in the input window and hit enter.
  3. Change the view category to small icons and choose Sound to open it. 
  4. Once you open the Sound settings, locate the Realtek HD Audio Manager.
  5. And open it.
  6. Now go to the Connector settings and disable the front panel jack.

Most probably, this will fix your issue. If not, try doing the following fix to repair the problem. 

Enable Multi-Stream Mode (If Applicable)

  1. Click on the window+R key. The run box will appear on the screen, type control, and press the enter button.
  2. Now choose the hardware and sound option from the control panel and press Realtek HD Audio Manager.
  3. On the top of the screen, you will see an option for a device advanced setting, click on it and boost the multi-screen mode. Hit ok to save the changes which you made to it.

Try Restarting your system and check if the issue is solved or not. If not, then move to the next fix.

Updating To The Latest Audio Drivers

  1. Type the control panel in the windows search bar. And press on the control panel from the result that seems on the screen.
  2. Hit on the sound option from the list.
  3. Now go to the playback tab.
  4. Select the headphone that you use. And click on properties.
  5. Move to controller information and click on the Properties button.
  6. Go to the change setting option.
  7. And now, go to the Driver tab.
  8. Choose to update the driver.
check updated driver software and updates - Computer Not Recognizing Headphones In Windows
  1. Now, let download update automatically.

Once you have done all this process, plug your headphone to check whether it is working or not.

Change Default Sound Format

  1. Click the Window + R button to open the run prompt.
  2. Type the control in the box and press enter to launch the control panel.
  3. Choose the hardware and sound option from it. Then select the sound option.
  4. Choose the playback tab and then double-click on the default playback device.
Setting audio device as default
  1. Press the default format option and then select the different option from the list that appears
  2. Hit the apply option and then press ok.

Now you can check whether your system recognizes the headphone or not.

Selecting The Proper Device

  1. Select the sound manager option by right-clicking on the speaker icon on your system tray.
  2. Then it will show you a Realtek sound manager option. Now go to the search bar option and locate it inside the taskbar.
  3. Once you have opened the Realtek Sound Manager option, click on the small yellow folder option from the right side and check the enable auto pop dialogue option.
  4. Make sure that the changes are saved when you select this option.
  5. Now, unplug the 3.5mm cable from it that you are using to connect the headphone to your system. 
  6. Now disconnect the USB cable if your headphone uses the USB mode connection.
  7. A dialogue pop might appear asking you which device you want to plugin. Then a dropdown list opens to select the headphone option from it.

After all this process, check whether the issue is solved or not.

Scan For Hardware Changes

  1. Press Windows + R from the keyboard to open the run prompt.
  2. Type devmgmt.msc in the input box and press enter.
Opening device manager with run application
16 Fixes For Computer Not Recognizing Headphones In Windows 1
  1. Now, expand the device manager’s sound video and game controller options. Then right-click on the Sound driver that you are currently using.
  2. Click on the uninstall device option and follow all the on-screen instructions to uninstall this drive from your system.
  3. Improve the audio input and output options and then uninstall all the devices in the same manner.

Now press window +R to open, run the prompt, and then type in control. Click on the enter button to launch the control panel and then uninstall a program option. 

Opening control panel with run application
16 Fixes For Computer Not Recognizing Headphones In Windows 2

From the app list right click on the Realtek audio driver option and then press the uninstall button. Calmy, follow all the on-screen instructions and uninstall all the drives from your system.

  1. If you have downloaded any driver into your system, you must delete it completely.
  2. Run Device Manager and click on the scan for hardware changes icon.
  3. This time the driver will now be automatically replaced.
  4. Now click on it to see headphones are recognized.

Deferring Auto Upgrades

  1. To run the prompt, click window+R from your keypad.
  2. Type devmgmt.msc in the input box and press enter.
  3. In the Device Manager, expand the sound video and game controller option. Then right-click on the Sound driver that you are currently using.
  4. Now choose properties, the driver tab, and the rollback driver option.
Running roll back of sound drivers
  1. Follow all the instructions on your screen to roll back your driver updates.
  2. After all, this downloads this troubleshooter onto your computer to prevent the window from automatically updating drivers.
  3. Now run the troubleshooter and follow all the instructions to impede all prospect updates.

Now, you can check whether the issue got fixed or not.

Disable Exclusive Control

  1. To open the Run prompt, press the window +R key from your keypad.
  2. Now to launch the control panel. Type control, and then hit enter.
  3. In the control panel, press the sound button under the hardware and sound options. Then move to the playback tab. 
  4. Double-click on your playback device and then click on the advanced tab.
  5. Then uncheck the allow the application to take restricted control of this device option. Then hit on the apply option.
  6. Now press ok to close the window.

Check if this fixes your issue.

Hiding Cortana From Taskbar

On your desktop screen, right-click on the space on the taskbar. Uncheck the Show Cortana button and check whether it has now disappeared.

Check the issue if this fixes your problem. If still, it is not, repeat the procedure and disable Cortana.

Hiding cortana from the taskbar

Now check to see if disabling Cortana fixes the issue with your system.

Running The Troubleshooter

  1. To open windows settings, press the window + I key from your keyboard.
  2. Select update and security and choose the troubleshooter button.
  3. Press on the Playing Audio option and choose to run the troubleshooter option.
Running the audio troubleshooter
  1. Hold for the troubleshooter to originate. And then press on the device that you want to troubleshoot.
  2. Follow all the on-screen instructions to complete troubleshooting.

Now check if the headphone is now recognized.

Changing Realtek Device Advanced Settings

Open Realtek audio manager and right-click on the speaker icon in the system tray. 

You can also go with the searching process while searching Realtek audio manager on the taskbar in your windows.

  1. After launching the Realtek Audio Manager, click on the speaker icon. And from there, choose the speaker configuration from the dropdown list.
Configuring Realtek audio drivers settings and open audio enhancements
  1. Choose the 7.1 surround from the list and save it.
  2. Disconnect the headphone from your 3.5mm cable system without closing the Realtek audio manager.
  3. After some time, again connect your headphone with your PC.
  4. Select the Stereo from the dropdown list of speaker configurations and save all the changes.

Check whether the issue is comprehended or not for the fixing of headphones on. 

Uninstall Realtek Drivers And Clean Registry

  1. Press window+R and open the run prompt.
  2. Type devmgmt.msc and then hit on the entry button.
  3. Select the Sound Video and Game Controller option. And right-click on the sound driver that you are working on.
  4. Choose the uninstall option and then follow on-screen instructions for the uninstall of the drive from your computer.
Uninstalling the device drivers

Now again, press window+R and type control in the box. To open the control panel and once done, proceed with the below steps:

  1. Click on the uninstall a program option.
  2. Right-click on the Realtek Audio Driver option from the list that appears on the screen. And choose the uninstall option.
  3. Follow all the on-screen instructions to uninstall it from your computer.

Once the Realtek driver is removed from your pc, you can move to clean the registry.

CCleaner official download page
  1. Download CCleaner and run it for the cleaning of any residue.
  2. After the cleaning, click on the scan for issue option inside the CCleaner and follow the on-screen instruction to fix the issue.
  3. After the restart, your computer and download another driver to check if the window doesn’t automatically install one.

At last, cross-check if the issue is gone.

Selecting Headset

  1. Select the sound manager by right-clicking on the speaker icon in the system tray.
  2. Now Realtek’s sound manager is open if it doesn’t. Search it in the search bar located inside the taskbar.
  3. On the right side of it. Click on the small yellow folder and check to enable the auto pop dialogue option.
  4. Now save all the changes.
  5. Now remove your 3.5 mm cable that you are using to connect your headphones with your computer.
  6. Reconnect your cable to your PC and see which device you have a plugin from the popup. And from the dropdown list select headset from it.

When all this process is done, check that fixes are solved or not. 

Changing The Driver

  1. Press window+R to run the prompt.
  2. Type the devmgmt. MSC in the box and then press the enter button to launch the device manager.
  3. Expand the sound video and game controller option. And now, right-click on the sound driver that you are working on.
  4. Now choose the update driver key. 
Updating the audio sound drivers
  1. Press on the browser my computer for driver software.
  2. And switch to the let me pick from a list of available driver buttons and then choose the high definition audio device option.
Selecting manually for updating the driver
  1. Click on the Next button to confirm prompts on the next screen.

Now check to see whether the issue of it is solved or not.

Disable/Enable Sound Device And Set The Device As Default Device

  1. Open the control panel and then click on the sound option.
  2. Under the playback option, you will see a disabled device right-click on it.
  3. Right-click on the headphone device name from the list that appears.
  4. Choose to enable/disable the device from the bottom dropdown menu.
Enabling disabled devices
  1. Again select the device and click on the Set as default option.
  2. Click ok and apply it.

Uninstall and reinstall the independent input devices

  1. Press the window +X key from the keyboard. Then click the device manager option.
  2. Expand sound video and game controller.
  3. Right-click on the list on the screen and then click on uninstall.
  4. Choose the delete device driver software.
  5. Now restart your computer after the uninstall process finishes.
  6. Now download the driver and install it on your computer.