Are you tired of plugging and unplugging your headphones to your pc and still hearing nothing inside the Discord app? Are you distressed because you couldn’t join your friends in the voice chat?
Then you just landed on the perfect page.
In this post, I will explain the reasons behind the headphone audio issue inside Discord and provide you with the methods to fix them and eliminate the issue.
So, don’t skip any part and read the whole post to fix headphones on Discord.
Why Don’t You Hear Any Audio Through a Headphone on Discord?
There are several reasons which can cause your headphone not to pick up audio from the Discord app. They can either be the issue of your device and accessories or the issue of the Discord app itself.
I’ve analyzed all the possibilities that might go wrong with your setup and cause you the audio issue.
Discord audio stops transmitting through the headphones because of a lack of output device permission, audio enhancer software, the device’s incorrect audio output selected, and Discord’s audio bug. The device’s audio port or a non-functional headphone can also cause blamed audio issues on Discord.
Let’s now look briefly at the reasons.
Here are the reasons why headphones are not working in Discord:
Incorrect Audio Output
An incorrect audio source is the primary source of any computer-related audio issue.
If a different audio source is selected for Discord, you will not hear anything unless you change it to your headphones. That’s why checking the audio output is always a good idea when connecting a new device.
Is your AirPods not working with Discord? Then check out our comprehensive guide to fix AirPods for Discord.
Discord Audio Turned Off
Sometimes a newly installed app’s audio might need to be manually adjusted from the Sound mixer settings.
The adjustment is necessary because the new app’s sound settings is different from the master volume of your pc.
Windows sometimes mute a newly installed app’s audio output. If that’s the case, you won’t hear anything on your headphones in the Discord app.
This step also helps in fixing Discord Krisp not working issue.
Incorrect Sound Output in Discord
Like the Windows audio settings, Discord also has it’s own sound settings, which provides you with the flexibility to choose audio input and output devices directly.
But, if there’s a wrong audio output device selected on Discord, you won’t hear anything on your headphone because it’s not selected as your primary audio output device.
Distant Server Selected in Discord
Using a distant server for audio calls in Discord can cause audio issue.
There are several servers in the Discord app to ensure a better user experience in audio chat. If you’re on a distant server and the audio is facing an issue reaching your Discord client from the server, you might face the headphone audio issue and hear nothing even if all the audio settings are ok with your setup.
Is Discord not alerting you for incoming calls? The only thing you see is an alert for a missed call. In that case, read our article on discord not ringing for incoming calls where we fix this issue.
Audio Enhancer Applications
If there’s any audio enhancer app installed on your device, you might face the no sound on headphone issue in the Discord app.
Audio-enhancing software picks up audio and boosts them to provide you with an enriched version of the original audio. But, if the enhancing software can’t recognize the audio codec of the Discord app, it might block the audio from the output device. Then you’ll hear nothing from the Discord app in your headset.
Faulty Audio Port/Headphones
Another common issue for no sound in headphones is a faulty audio port.
An audio port is the most common port to see a rough use if you like to use headphones. Although they are built for robust usage, they are not permanent, and they can wear off with time and usage.
Similarly if the headphone is damaged (there are several reasons for that), you cannot hear anything, even if the audio on Discord is working perfectly fine.
How to Fix Headphones Not Working in Discord
To fix a non-working headphone on Discord, first set the correct audio output device. Next, increase Discord’s volume from the app. Also, check whether the correct audio output is set on the app. Finally, try changing the Discord server and test the headphone for possible damage.
I’ll show you the fixes in detail now. I have covered everything here as a step-by-step guide. Feel free to go through the fixes and apply them as stated.
So, here are the methods to fix headphones not working in Discord:
1. Set the correct audio output device and turn up Discord’s volume
If your audio device isn’t set as your primary input and output device, then this is the cause of no audio on Discord. Setting your headphone as the primary output device will fix the issue for you.
Sometimes, Discord’s default sound output can be set to null or zero. Then you’ll not get any sound output from the app. So, go to your Sound Mixer settings and check if the audio volume for Discord is not turned off.
For Windows 10:
Here’s how you can set your headphone as an audio output device in Windows 10:
- Right-click on the speaker icon in the bottom-right corner of your desktop.
- Click on Open Sound settings.
- Click on Choose Your Output Device.
- Set your headphones as your default output device.
- Scroll down and click on App volume and device preferences.
- Adjust Discord’s volume to your preferences.
Once you’ve selected the headphones as your primary input and output device, restart the Discord app to see if the problem is solved.
For Windows 11:
Follow the steps to change headphone as the audio output on Windows 11:
- Right-click on the speaker icon and go to Open volume mixer.
- Select your headphone from Output Device.
- Increase Discord’s volume by moving the volume slider.
Try using the headphones now. Do you see any difference? If not, move to the next section.
Sometimes your microphone can stop working on Discord. No matter what you say, your friends won’t seem to hear anything at all. To resolve this, read our troubleshooting guide where we fix Discord Browser Mic Not Working.
2. Set the correct audio output in Discord
If your default audio output devices are not set correctly inside Discord’s audio settings tab, it might conflict with your device’s audio output settings and block the audio output.
So, adjust the Discord audio output to your connected headphones.
Follow these steps to set a default audio output device in Discord:
- Open the Discord app
- Click on the Settings icon beside your username.
- Select Voice & Video.
- Go to Output and Input.
- Use the drop-down menu to select your headset.
Save the changes and check if the audio issue persists. Restart Discord to see the changes taking place.
3. Reset Device’s Audio
Sometimes Discord audio problems can be caused by Windows audio settings, and resetting the it will bring you back on track.
Here are the these steps to reset your audio in Windows:
- Press Win + R keys on your keyboard to open the Run command box.
- Type services.msc inside the box and hit the Enter key.
- Right-click on Windows Audio Services.
- Next, select Restart from the menu.
- Scroll down and restart Windows Audio Endpoint Builder and Remote Procedure Call (RPC).
4. Switch to Legacy Audio in Discord
Sometimes, Discord will experience hardware compatibility issues with audio equipment.
Although Discord’s latest audio subsystem is perfectly ok, it’s not compatible with all headsets. If this is the case, switching back to Legacy Audio Subsystem may solve the issue.
These are the steps to switch to legacy audio on Discord:
- Open the Discord app.
- Click on the Settings icon.
- Go to Voice & Video.
- Scroll down to Audio Subsystem.
- Choose the Legacy option and confirm.
Restart the Discord app and see if the issue persists when you’re done.
5. Change the Discord Server Region
Sometimes changing the server region can fix the Discord headset problem. Choosing the server closest to you will reduce the server response time and provide better audio quality.
Follow this guide to change your Discord Server region during a call:
- Click on the down arrow under the inbox icon during a call.
- Select your preferred Region the dropdown menu.
You can also change the region from the Discord server’s settings.
Here are the steps to change Discord server region from Settings:
- Open Discord and click on the server whose region needs to change.
- Click on the gear icon next to voice channels.
- Scroll down and find Region Override.
- Select your nearest region from the dropdown menu.
Now, plug in and test your headset to see if the issue appears.
6. Turn Off Audio Enhancement Applications
If you have any audio enhancer or tuning application installed on your device, they can block the audio output channel of the Discord app.
Using audio enhancing app may enrich your audio experience but, it can cut off Discord’s audio as the enhancer app filters all the output audio of your device. If Discord’s audio codec doesn’t match the enhancer software, it won’t relay the audio signal to the output device.
As a result, your headphones won’t work when the audio enhancer app is turned on. So, to get your headphones working, turn off any audio enhancing software before using the Discord app.
7. Check Audio Ports
The headphone issue’s root might be more profound than you think. If there’s an issue with your headphone port, the problem’s root might be there.
Check your audio port with another headphone borrowed from your friend. And if you see that one working, there’s no issue with your audio port. But, if there’s no sound on that headphone, too, you have a malfunctioning audio port on your device.
Use a Bluetooth headset if your audio port is faulty. There are plenty of choices of various price points in the market and choose a suitable one.
Having trouble unmuting a Discord server? Check our guide on fixing a Discord server that does not let you unmute.
How to Fix Discord Audio Issues on a Mac
To fix audio issues on your Mac, restart Discord and your device. Next, check if Discord’s volume is not low. Also, look out for the headphones detected as the audio output device and re-plug the earphones if it is not detected. Finally, reset Discord by pressing CMD + R.
Now let’s look at where to find these settings on your Mac.
These are the steps to fix Discord audio issues on a Mac:
- Click the Apple icon on the menu bar and go to Preferences.
- Go to Sounds.
- Now click on Output.
- Select the headphones from the device list. If you do not see your headphones, re-connect them to your Mac.
- Next, increase your headphone’s volume by moving the slider at the bottom.
Now make a call using Discord. If the audio errors persist, try opening Discord from Safari or any other browser. If Discord works fine, the app is facing some issues.
You can re-install Discord and see if the audio starts working again. If the same issue is present, maybe the server is experiencing a network outage. In that case, try using Discord sometime later.
How to Fix Discord Audio Issues on an Android/iOS
If Discord does not recognize headphones on your smartphone, try the following fixes below. This should work for both Android and iPhones.
1. Make Sure Your Headphone is Working and is Detected
A non-working headphone will result in no audio transmitting to the headphones. You may see the headphone icon on the status bar, but you won’t hear anything. The best way to check a functional earphone is by plugging it into other phones and looking out for audio playback.
If the earphone is damaged, the Discord audio fix is as simple as using a different or a new pair of earphones.
2. Change the Discord Server Region
If your Discord server is set to a distant location, you can experience an audio cut-off if the internet speed is slow. In that case, switch to the nearest server region closest to you.
The steps to change Discord’s server region are the same for both Android and iOS.
Follow the steps to change the Discord server region on Android/iOS:
- Open Discord.
- Swipe from the left to bring the servers.
- Tap on the server whose location needs to change.
- Now long, press on General under Voice Channels and select Edit Channel.
- Scroll down and open Region Override.
- Select the Region closest to you.
Now close Discord and re-open it. Look if the audio issues are solved by now. If not, move on to the next step.
3. Force Close Discord
You can fresh start the Discord app by force closing it. There is an option within Settings that allows you to do so.
You can only force close Discord on Android.
These are the steps to force close Discord on Android:
- Open Settings by tapping the gear icon from the navigation bar.
- Now navigate to Applications > Discord.
- Tap on Force stop.
Now re-launch Discord and look out for the audio issues.
4. Use Discord from the Browser
You can also use Discord right from your browser on Android and iOS. This is an alternative to using the Discord app if you are facing audio issues.
To use Discord from your browser, go to the Discord webpage and log in using your details. You can use any modern browser you want, which will surely work for you. Use Safari on an iPhone and Chrome on an Android for the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won’t Discord play through my headphones?
The audio issue occurs when Discord is muted inside Windows Volume settings, and adjusting Discord’s volume and selecting the correct output device fixes this issue. Also, if the headphones are not set as the default audio device, you won’t hear anything on Discord.
How do I get my Discord headphones to work?
Open Discords Settings and go to Voice and Video. Under Voice Settings, select your headphone as the output device. Then adjust the volume as per your preference.
Conclusion
Hope you don’t have any further confusion about why your headphones are not working in Discord.
The audio issues in Discord are mainly caused by muted/low volume on Audio Settings. Also, an incorrect audio output can also cause this issue.
If you want to fix the headphone not working issue inside the Discord app quickly, then move forward and apply the methods I’ve mentioned in my guideline.
If you’ve any further queries, feel free to comment below. Our experts will try to answer any of your queries right away.
Goodbyes for now.
