How to Get Sound to Play Through Other Monitor
Honestly, I spent way too much time staring at a silent second monitor, thinking I was missing some obscure Windows setting. Turns out, it wasn’t that complicated, but the sheer amount of garbage advice online made me want to throw my whole setup out the window.
Figuring out how to get sound to play through other monitor setups shouldn’t be rocket science. So many people just assume their audio devices will magically appear and work. Spoiler: they don’t.
I’ve wrestled with this more times than I care to admit, dealing with everything from basic connectivity issues to bizarre driver conflicts. It’s a common problem, and frankly, most of the ‘solutions’ out there are either overly technical or just plain wrong.
This isn’t about some fancy software trick; it’s about understanding the basics of how your computer sees audio devices.
Is Your Monitor Even Capable of Sound?
Before you go tearing your hair out, the very first thing you need to confirm is whether your monitor actually has built-in speakers or an audio output jack. Seriously, I’ve seen people spend hours troubleshooting a display that’s effectively just a fancy picture frame with no sound capabilities whatsoever. It’s like trying to get a fax machine to play Spotify. Sounds obvious, right? Yet, you’d be surprised how often this is the root cause of the problem.
Check the back or the side of your monitor. Look for speaker grilles, or a small headphone jack symbol. If you see nothing, then congratulations, you’ve found your culprit. No amount of software fiddling will magically make sound come out of a speakerless panel. I learned this the hard way after buying a supposedly ‘premium’ monitor that, upon closer inspection (and much frustration), had zero audio hardware. It was purely for visuals.
Windows Audio Settings: The Real Battlefield
This is where most of the actual work happens. Windows has a surprisingly robust, yet sometimes utterly confusing, audio management system. Most people only ever see the tiny speaker icon in the system tray, but there’s a whole universe behind it. You’ve probably clicked on it a million times, right? Maybe you’ve even right-clicked and gone to ‘Sounds’, but then bailed because it looked too complicated. Don’t bail. That’s the good stuff.
First off, plug in your monitor if it has speakers or is connected via HDMI/DisplayPort that carries audio. Then, right-click that familiar speaker icon in the bottom-right corner of your taskbar. You’ll see an option for ‘Open Sound settings’ or ‘Playback devices’ – click that. This is the main hub. You’ll see a list of all the audio output devices your computer can detect. Your primary speakers (or built-in laptop speakers) will likely be listed, and hopefully, your monitor should be there too, probably identified by its model name or something generic like ‘Philips Display Audio’ or ‘LG TV’.” (See Also: How To Speedrun With One Monitor )
My first encounter with this problem was on a fresh build. I’d connected a new LG 27-inch monitor, complete with what I thought were decent built-in speakers. Everything looked fine, I saw the monitor listed in devices, but no sound. Zero. Nada. I ended up spending about three hours that evening, convinced a driver was missing or a BIOS setting was wrong. Turns out, in the ‘Sound Control Panel’ (which you can access from the Sound settings window), the LG display was set as the ‘Default Communications Device’ but not the ‘Default Device’. A simple click on ‘Set Default Device’ solved it. I felt like a complete idiot, but also incredibly relieved. It cost me a bottle of decent whiskey I’d planned to enjoy that night.
The Hdmi/displayport Conundrum
This is a big one that trips people up constantly. If you’re connecting your monitor to your computer using HDMI or DisplayPort, these cables can carry both video and audio signals. This is great when it works, but it can be a source of confusion if not handled correctly. Sometimes, even if the monitor is selected as the output, the audio driver or the cable itself might be acting up.
If you’re using a separate audio cable (like a 3.5mm jack) for your primary speakers, Windows might default to that and ignore the HDMI/DisplayPort audio. You need to explicitly tell Windows to send audio through the video cable. This is done in the Sound settings, as mentioned before. Make sure the monitor’s audio device is set as the default. If it’s already set as default and still not working, try unplugging and replugging the HDMI or DisplayPort cable. It sounds basic, but I’ve had cables that just needed a firm reseat to start passing audio correctly. I’d say about seven out of ten times, a faulty cable or a loose connection is the culprit for HDMI audio woes.
Driver Issues: The Unseen Culprit
Drivers are the software that allows your operating system to communicate with your hardware. For audio, you’ve got your sound card drivers (like Realtek on your motherboard) and sometimes, drivers for your monitor’s audio capabilities, especially if it has advanced sound features. If these are outdated, corrupted, or missing, you’re going to have a bad time.
Getting the right drivers can feel like an archaeological dig sometimes. For your sound card, go to the motherboard manufacturer’s website and download the latest audio drivers for your specific model. For the monitor, check the monitor manufacturer’s website. Many monitors don’t require separate audio drivers beyond what Windows automatically installs, but it’s worth checking. Sometimes, a simple update can fix a host of problems that have been plaguing your audio output. I remember a time with an old Dell monitor where the audio kept cutting out. It turned out there was a firmware update for the monitor itself that fixed the HDMI audio handshake. Weird, I know.
Checking External Speaker Connections
This is for those who are using external speakers connected to their monitor’s audio-out jack. If your monitor has a headphone jack or an audio-out port, you can often pipe sound from your computer to the monitor, and then from the monitor to your speakers. This is a neat trick to reduce cable clutter going directly to your PC, especially if your PC is tucked away.
First, make sure you’re sending audio to the monitor from your computer, as described in the Windows Audio Settings section. Then, connect your speakers to the monitor’s audio-out jack. You might need to adjust the volume on both your computer and the monitor itself. Some monitors have a physical volume knob for the audio-out jack, while others rely solely on the software settings. It’s like a two-stage volume control. I once spent a solid hour trying to get sound out of my speakers connected this way, only to realize I’d plugged them into the monitor’s *input* jack, not the *output*. Facepalm. (See Also: How Do I Get Loom To Record The Correct Monitor )
Contrarian Take: Maybe You Don’t *need* Sound From the Monitor
Everyone wants sound from their monitor these days, right? It feels like the default expectation. But honestly, I disagree. For me, the built-in speakers on most monitors are, at best, mediocre. They sound tinny, lack any real bass, and often have a very limited volume range. They’re usually designed for basic system alerts or very casual video watching, not for immersive gaming or critical audio work.
My reason for this is simple: if you’re serious about audio quality, you’re probably already using dedicated speakers or a decent pair of headphones. Trying to force sound through a monitor that wasn’t designed with audio as a priority often leads to frustration and, frankly, subpar sound. It’s like trying to use a butter knife as a screwdriver; it might technically ‘work’ for some things, but you’re not getting the best result. I’d rather have my audio source be dedicated and excellent, rather than trying to make a visual device do a job it’s not built for. If your monitor has good speakers, great! But don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t, or if you can’t get them working perfectly.
Troubleshooting Table: Quick Fixes
| Problem | Likely Cause | My Verdict/Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No sound at all from monitor speakers | Monitor not selected as default audio device in Windows. |
Fix it: Open Sound settings, find your monitor under ‘Output devices’, right-click, and select ‘Set as Default Device’. If that doesn’t work, try changing the ‘Default Communications Device’ too. It’s surprisingly common. |
| Sound cuts in and out | Loose HDMI/DisplayPort cable connection or outdated monitor firmware. |
Fix it: Reseat the cable firmly. Check the monitor manufacturer’s website for firmware updates. Sometimes a simple reboot of the PC can also clear temporary glitches. |
| Sound is distorted or tinny | Poor quality built-in monitor speakers or audio drivers not optimized. |
Fix it: Honestly? Use headphones or dedicated speakers. If you must use monitor speakers, ensure drivers are up-to-date. Adjust EQ settings in Windows if available, though it rarely helps much. |
| Monitor speakers work, but external speakers connected to monitor don’t | Incorrect audio output selected on the monitor itself, or speakers plugged into the wrong jack. |
Fix it: Ensure the monitor is set to output audio via its headphone/audio-out jack. Double-check your speaker connections – they must go into the *output*, not *input*. |
People Also Ask Section
My Monitor Has Speakers but No Sound Is Coming Out, What Should I Do?
First, verify the monitor is selected as the default audio playback device in your Windows Sound settings. Right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar, choose ‘Open Sound settings’, and ensure your monitor’s audio output is selected. If it is, try unplugging and replugging the HDMI or DisplayPort cable that connects to the monitor. Sometimes, a simple restart of your computer can also resolve temporary audio glitches. (See Also: How To Get Rid Of Black Border On Dell Monitor )
Can I Use My Monitor as a Speaker?
Yes, if your monitor has built-in speakers or an audio output jack. For built-in speakers, you just need to ensure your computer’s audio is routed to the monitor via HDMI or DisplayPort, and that the monitor is set as the default output device in your operating system. If your monitor has an audio-out jack, you can connect external speakers to it, effectively using the monitor as a pass-through device.
Why Is My HDMI Audio Not Working?
HDMI audio issues often stem from the cable not being properly seated, or Windows defaulting to another audio device. Ensure the HDMI cable is fully plugged into both the computer and the monitor. Then, go into your Windows Sound settings and explicitly select the HDMI output device associated with your monitor as the default. Sometimes, updating your graphics card drivers can also resolve HDMI audio problems, as these drivers manage the HDMI signal.
How Do I Switch Sound to My Other Monitor?
You switch sound to another monitor by going into your Windows Sound settings. Right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar, select ‘Open Sound settings’ or ‘Playback devices’. You will see a list of available audio output devices. Simply click on the one that corresponds to your second monitor (it might be named after the monitor model or say ‘Display Audio’) and select ‘Set Default Device’. Make sure the monitor is connected via a cable that supports audio, like HDMI or DisplayPort.
Conclusion
So, the process of how to get sound to play through other monitor setups boils down to a few key checks: Is the monitor capable? Is Windows pointing the audio in the right direction? Are the cables seated correctly? It’s rarely one single magic bullet, more often a series of simple, logical steps.
Honestly, I’ve found that most of the time, it’s a simple setting in Windows or a loose cable. Don’t let the tech jargon scare you. You’ve got this.
If you’ve tried all the software tweaks and cable checks, and you’re still getting silence, it might be worth considering if the monitor’s audio hardware itself has failed, or if the audio cable you’re using isn’t capable of carrying the signal. It’s not ideal, but it happens.
My final thought for you today: start with the basics. Check the settings, jiggle the cables, and restart your PC. If that doesn’t solve how to get sound to play through other monitor, then you can start digging into drivers and firmware. Good luck.
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