If you have no sound coming through your MacBook, iMac, MacBook Pro and Air in OS X there are some simple fixes and solutions to resolve to this issue.
Some problems that you may be encountering include boot up sound but no sound when using applications when using your MacBook.
Others include headphone and external speakers working but no sound or built in speakers don’t work.
Below are some proven steps that fix the no sound problem for the Apple Mac range.
No sound or volume coming from MacBook (5 Fixes)
1. Adjust Internal Settings
This step is most likely to fix the no sound problem, thankfully by using Macs its very easy to troubleshoot when it comes to having issues like these. Firstly you want to go to System Preferences located in the Launchpad.
Alternatively you can go into system preferences by clicking on the Apple icon in the top left hand corner. Then scroll down to system preferences and then click on the sound icon in the menu box.
From there click on sound to insure that the Internal Speakers is type – Built-in. Also located down the bottom next to the volume slider is a mute button.
Be sure to uncheck this if it has been selected. For a quick mute/ un mute you can press F10 on the keyboard for that action.
2. Restart Your MacBook
Another successful step is to restart the MacBook or iMac you are using as there may be a temporary software glitch. This is easily done by pressing the power button located on the top right hand corner of you the keypad.
From there a power menu will pop up to which you can select the restart option.
3. Adjust Bluetooth Settings
There have been some similar problems with the iPhone and iPad when it comes to sound and speaker problems with bluetooth.
Sometimes when you connect you device to bluetooth speakers there can be sound problems when going back to the in built speakers. Simply turn you bluetooth off and on or just turn it off. This can be done by going into System Preferences> Bluetooth.
4. Update OS
Another successful step is by updating you operating system to remove any glitches or bugs that may have been released with an update. This can be done by going into Launchpad> App Store> Check for updates.
If any of these steps have help restore your sound or turn your speaker back to life please share what you did below as it all helps 😀
rusadrianewald says
This finally did the job for me. Thank you.
Leslie says
I have tried/confirmed all of these things but still no go. Just all of a sudden, came in one day and no sound. Any other possibilities? Never use headphones. Never plug anything into the computer. Only use internal speakers.
kim says
this happened to me last night-there aren’t even any in-built speakers to select just something called movavisound Graber
Robert Schleppi says
Shut down and restart worked for me.
Jyo says
Step one fixed the issue. Great post. Thanks.
Jo King says
None of these worked for me. Was listening to a Vimeo, nipped away and when I came back had no sound. Only thought is perhaps the kitten walked over the keyboard
Mim Eisenberg says
All of a sudden, no sound. I restarted. No sound. I shut down and rebooted. No sound except the startup sound upon turning the iMac back on. The dB shows zero on my transcription software program, and I hear nothing on YouTube or Facebook or anywhere. I do not have it muted on either the System Preferences>Sound or on the keyboard.
Under Sound>Output, the default is Name: Headphones, and Type: Headphone port. There are no drop-down or any other options, certainly nothing about Internal Speakers-Built In.
Mim Eisenberg says
Never mind. My kitten stepped on and turned off the power strip, which shut off the external speakers. Problem solved. Except how to keep him from doing that again.
John Sampson says
No sound from internal speakers or headphones on my 2009 iMac running Sierra. Happened suddenly after working well for months after installing Sierra. Preferences/Sound does not show either internal speakers or headphones. Does show Optical and my AV Sony STR-DN1060. AV in another room and I can get iMac sound via the AV and wifi headphones connected to it. Do not know how the AV established itself in Preferences/Sound.
How can I restore internal speakers to the Sound Pane? Have reinstalled Sierra, disconnected power cable, done the PRAM thing and all to no avail.
Very grateful for help. It’s driving me bonkers!
ben says
none worked for me
Nils says
I have the same problem. Nothing fixed it. I have the notion that it might be connected to an overnight itunes 12.5.4 update.
MRS. ALICE FOWLER says
Did all your steps=STILL NO SOUND, EXCEPT UPON POWERING ON.
maurin says
it isnt work for me… do you have another tips to fix it? my mac still silent. please help me.
k7vdo says
None of these steps worked for me, but this is the 4th or 5th time I’ve had this issue in the 5 years that I’ve owned this computer. Five years is a long time for a highly-used laptop to function, so I guess I’ll just count myself lucky and watch my TV programs with subtitles! 🙂
Magne says
Restarting solves the problem, but this has happened 3 times the past few weeks, and its pretty annoying having to reboot every time,.
Alex says
I’d had this problem for quite some time. I’d tried everything from plugging in headphones (USB and in the socket) resetting disk permissions, resetting Pram and a lot more. In the end I read a user’s comment that suggested unplugging and plugging back in the left speaker- I did this and it worked. I have a feeling it was actually the unplugging of the battery (a step in the process) that did the job but I’m not sure. There are instructions on ifix it. You’ll need a tool to remove the screws on the base and inside, I thought it would be difficult but it was actually incredibly easy to do, there are no signs that it has been done. The screws inside seemed to be slightly larger than the ones outside so I used some paper towel between the screw and the screwdriver to give it the grip it needed. If you’ve tried everything else it’s worth a go.
Denise says
Thank you, turning off blue tooth worked for me.
a says
i unplugged and replugged the power cord. sound restarted after that.
Doom06 says
MacBook Air 2014. None of the above worked. The ‘Internal Speakers’ in System Preferences doesn’t come up. Only ‘Headphones.’ Thinking it is a hardware issue. A cable or something.
Karen Schmitt says
All steps not working. Before I lost sound, my glasses had slipped and fell onto my MacBook Pro keyboard. I think I saw the word, “sap” or something like that and then lost sound. Mute button is off – Sound / Internal Speakers on. Software updates and restart complete. Please help. Thank you
Clay Banks says
Still no sound! I fixed it once but it keeps happening. Should the machine go back in for a repair? Is there another way to get this fixed? Also, when it works and then I plug in an outside set of speakers, when I go back to internal, they don’t work again. Aaaaggg! Any help?
ilse daniel says
Tried everything – still no sound from my speakers – very annoying!!!!!!!
George says
nothing worked (restart, Bluetooth,settings,etc) until I checked HBOgo to see if sound was there. It was- and then normal sound function returned….?
Carol says
Thank you…
Patreeko says
This problem occurred for me on a 2010 macbook. . Settings>Sound indicated there were no speakers present. Turning on Bluetooth worked for me
Susan says
Mid 2015 Macbook Pro that lost its sound and has no where to go. Audio screen in system preferences doesn’t see output or input devices. No internal speakers detected. The mute button is checked but grayed out and unable to uncheck. Headphones or external Bluetooth speakers do not work. Tried many fixes with Apple support and genius bar. Only suggestion is to get t fixed for at least $500. Nope.
Shaun Goodrich says
Itunes 12.9.5.5 Tried everything even option command PR and shift control option with start. Unplugged, shut down. I have sound with utube videos but not with music in iTunes. Any help will really be appreciated.
Shaun Goodrich says
Just solved my issue with no sound., I had the apple tv selected in airplay instead of the computer!
michele a matilla says
MacBook Air . None of the above worked. The ‘Internal Speakers’ in System Preferences doesn’t come up. Only ‘Headphones.’ I tried turning the computer on and off = . and so on. the sound just stopped working. Any other ideas?
enochsoames says
Rebooting always works for me, but rebooting every week or two is not a solution.
Grant C says
Try this for those who have confirmed not muted and system preferences/Audio is set to Internal Speakers…
Open Terminal,
type “sudo killall audiocored” without the quotes and press enter, if required type your password.
Sound should start working instantly… no reboot necessary
Patrick S says
Turning off Bluetooth worked for me – thanks!
Donna Wannatellu says
Troubleshooting MBP 2014. Sign on chime works. SOund does not. No device listed in output for Sound under preferences. Disconnected both speakers. The one nearest the battery connector had tenuous solder connections and came off when I disconnected the speaker. I suspect this is a design shortcoming. It’s a surface mount connector and very delicate, with almost no solder lands . Mine appeared to be well ‘wetted’, but alas, all the lands turned loose and this connector is now unrepairable. It’s a many layered circuit board and even though I have fixed many older tech items manually, this one borders on microscopic and there’s no way to excavate additional soldering area on the board or to make permanent connections. (All the other nonsense, including safe mode, PRAM, power controller reset, yada yada… made no difference in this one. Sad because the machine is great. Running catalina. 16 GB and everything else, incuding battery, pristine. Oh, well. External sound via airplay is possible, and likely via AirPods, bit it’s a loss. ) Once I assess the rest of the parts for cannibalization, I’ll likely scrap it.) Was free, so no loss. Just hate to give up on such a small issue.
David Pickering says
Nono of that crap works. It is since I have STOPPED using Boom 3D it screwed my sound settings
Val says
The reboot solved the problem