One of the characteristics of the computer is the possibility of connecting all kinds of peripherals to it. One of the favorite options for many users is the possibility of connecting headphones. Whether it is to listen to music, watch a movie or make video calls, the truth is that we are talking about a very common device. In general, its use should not present problems, although it may happen that Windows is not able to detect them.
Connecting our headphones to the computer and receiving an error message from Windows stating that it does not recognize them can be annoying and frustrating at the same time. Luckily, there are different ways to solve this problem from the operating system itself.
Identify the problem in order to solve it
If Windows 10 is having trouble detecting the headphones, it may be due to both a hardware and a software issue. The first thing to note is that it is a hardware failure of our own headphones that may have been damaged. Just try them on another compatible computer or sound device to see if they really work correctly. In case we are talking about a software problem, the main cause may be related to the drivers , which may be outdated or with errors, causing a rather frustrating experience. In the case that we use Bluetooth headphones, it is possible that we are out of range or that the battery is running low.
It can also happen that Windows 10 could be detecting headphones through the audio output that are not the ones we are using at the moment. Also, some sound cards do not work properly if Windows sound enhancements are enabled, which can also cause the problem.
Whatever the reason, the truth is that before throwing our hands at our heads, we must try to find a solution. And this is what we are going to try to do through some adjustments that we can make from the Microsoft operating system.
What to do if Windows does not recognize the headphones
Next, we are going to show you a series of actions that we can take to make Windows 10 able to recognize our connected headphones.
Check the output device
The first thing to do is verify that the device is listed as an output device. To do this, press “Windows + I”, and the “Settings” menu will open. Here we select “System” and later “Sound”.
On the right side of the screen we must choose the output device, clicking on the drop-down menu and selecting our connected headphones. In this way they should be ready to go.
Update the audio driver
The main cause of Windows not being able to recognize the headphones is a driver-related problem. In order to solve it, we write control panel in the search box of the Start menu and select it. Later in the “View by” section, we select small icons and click on the “Sound” section.
Later we go to the “Playback” tab and select our headphones. By clicking on them in the “Properties” and “Change settings” section. From the Driver tab we select “Update driver” and let the update download automatically. Once done, we connect the headphones to confirm if they work.
Change the default sound format
Another reason why Windows 10 cannot recognize our headphones is the sound format. If not configured correctly, the problem may repeat itself over and over again. To try to solve it we write control panel in the search box of the Start menu and select it. We go to the “Sound” section and in “Playback”, we double click on the “Default device”.
This will open a new window where we will access the “Advanced options” tab. Next, we change the default sound format within the drop-down menu. Finally, we reconnect the headphones to see if this solution eliminates the problems of Windows to recognize the headphones.
Set headphones as default devices
If changing the default sound format does not solve the problem, we can try setting our headphones as the default playback device. To do this we write control panel in the search box of the Start menu and select it and click on “Sound”.
Within the “Playback” section, we click on the headphones and select “Set as default”. Finally, click on Apply and OK. Once finished, we reconnect the headphones and check if they work.
Disable audio enhancements
Sometimes some sound cards do not work properly if Windows sound enhancements are enabled, so we can try disabling them. We write control panel within the search box of the Start menu and select it and click on the “Sound” tab. Later we select the headphones and click on “Properties”.
This will open a new window where we will click on the “Advanced Options” tab and uncheck the “Enable audio enhancements” option. Finally, click on Apply and OK to save the changes.
Restart the audio service
Another option to solve the problem is to restart the system audio service. To do this, we execute the keyboard shortcut “Windows + R” to launch the Run command. Here we write services.msc and press Enter or the OK button. Once it appears, we must look for a service called Windows Audio in the list. We click on it with the right mouse button and select the “Restart” option. Once this is done we can test again if Windows recognizes the headphones and we can listen through them.
Check the Bluetooth settings
In the event that we are using Bluetooth headphones, we must verify that they are activated. To do this we press the keyboard shortcut “Windows + I” to open the “Settings” menu. Then we click on the “Devices” and “Bluetooth and other devices” section. Here we must check if it is activated, if it is already on, we turn it off and turn it on again.
We must also check that our headphones appear in the “Audio” section. Otherwise, we must add them by clicking on the “Add Bluetooth or other devices” button and select them from the list.
Use the Bluetooth troubleshooter
Windows may have something wrong with Bluetooth, so we can use their troubleshooter to try to fix it. To do this, press “Windows + I” to access the “Configuration” menu. Later we click on “Update and security”.
On the next screen, in the left column we select “Troubleshoot” and in the lower right we click on “Additional troubleshooters”.
In the new window we select “Bluetooth” and “Run troubleshooter”.
