You’ve just bought a new set of headphones, but to your disappointment, they’re not working as they should on your Toshiba laptop. Before calling the retail shop to request a refund, there are some troubleshooting steps you can take.

On average, computers can detect plugged-in headphones, and they will be used as the primary voice playback devices. If it doesn’t happen automatically, you can check the changes manually on the voice settings and check the plug if it’s properly inserted. If you’re using Bluetooth headphones, check whether the correct drivers are installed. 

That’s not all, as you still need to know how to manually set the headphones to the default sound device, update your audio drivers, and how to change the audio format, which you will learn if you read on.

Have Your Headphones Stopped Working on a Toshiba Laptop?

Whether you bought a new set of headphones or you’re using your old pair, there are times when they might not work on your laptop. While simple fixes such as checking whether the jack is inserted correctly might work, there are cases where the problem is not that simple.

Headphone failure can be attributed to many things such as:

  • Damaged cable or jackThe laptop’s sound port is damagedDamaged headphones’ speakersCorrupted sound drivers

The list of potential problems is endless, and unless you pinpoint what might be interfering with the sound system, you might find yourself replacing perfectly working headphones. Connection issues can be frustrating, especially if you just had trouble with your webcam too.

Here are some fixes you can apply when your headphones stop working on a Toshiba laptop:

Set the Headphones to Default Sound

Although your laptop is programmed to detect any sound output device such as headphones, there are cases where you might have to do this manually. It’s not as complex as it sounds, and it’ll work perfectly when you follow these steps:

  • Locate the Sound icon on your desktop. If you’ve never interfered with the desktop display options and you’re using the default settings, the icon can be found on the lower-right corner of your desktop.Right-click on the icon and select the ‘Sound’ option.A pop-up window will appear, and at the top menu, click on the ‘Playback’ option.Unplug the headphones and wait a few seconds before re-plugging them.The headphones symbol will appear below the ‘Speakers’ option. Make sure the headphones symbol is checked with a green mark, then click ‘OK’ to update the setting.

Update the Audio Drivers

The audio problems you’re experiencing might be caused by old or outdated drivers. Whenever your computer downloads and installs the Windows updates, it also updates the drivers. It’s a default setting that is enabled on every computer. However, sometimes you might be forced to make these changes yourself, and you only need basic computer skills. This option is perfect if you’re using Bluetooth headphones like Kvidio.

The easiest way is to use driver updating software like Driver Easy. It’s a computer program that detects drivers that need updating, downloads the required updates, and installs them. You don’t need to go through the drivers individually to get things working.

Another option is opening the ‘device manager’ options on your computer:

  • Click the Window key and X together to display settings options on the left side of the screen. Select the ‘Device Manager’ option, and scroll down to Sound.Right-click on this option and select the ‘Update Drivers’ option.The computer will ask you whether you want to check online or locally for updates. Choosing either option will work. The program will scan for any new drivers and install them.

Change the Format of the Audio

Sometimes the reason you do not hear any sound is that the audio format doesn’t correspond to the default settings. A simple audio format fix will help solve this problem, and you can do so by following these steps:

  • Locate the ‘Sound’ system on your desktop like you did when setting the headphones to default.Right-click on the icon and choose the ‘Playback’ as you did before.Right-click on the ‘Headphones’ option and choose ‘Properties.’Navigate to ‘Advanced’ and choose from the drop-down menu.Test each audio format until you find which one works.Once done, click on the ‘Apply’ option, then OK.

Outro

It’s frustrating when you can’t hear any sound using your headphones. While some reasons for this problem might be permanent and require buying a new set, some are caused by minor problems such as outdated drivers or wrong sound format. The ideal solution would be to check whether the jack is inserted correctly or make the headphones the primary audio device. Also, check for driver updates, especially if you’re using Bluetooth headphones. If these fixes don’t work, try changing the audio format to ensure the sound settings align with the default computer setting.