Windows 10: My headphones are not in the "select playback section" even though they are plugged in and...

I am reporting this problem because my computer, a windows 10 used to work completely fine but all of the sudden my headphones did not produce any sound at all. I do not know where this problem came from but I remember every time I had no sound I switched the playback device to "High definition 32 headphones" and it worked, but now that option is nowhere to be seen. I watched numerous tutorials about it and it worked but as soon as I turned off my computer and turned it back on it had a red X on the sound bar and when I troubleshot my sound or reset my pc that X disappeared, but when I wanted

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How do I add headphones to the playback section?

So awhile I back I mistakenly damaged the audio and couldn't hear sound (red x symbol ), but recently I had got some new headphones and plugged it in and I can hear sound fine (of course the red x wasn't there for some reason ).
So the main sound was disabled ( no red x there ), but yet when I plugged in headphones I was able to hear sound.

Okay so here's the main issue:

The internet was going slow, so I restarted it and now the red x is back and not only that, but now no sound s playing when the headphones are plugged. So now I want to set the default audio output to headphones.

I want to change the default sound to headphones. The red x is where the sound is. Yes, I did go to Control Panel, and etc and I end up in the Sound/Playback section. Right clicked and selected "show disconnected devices" And it says that "no audio devices are installed under the playback section.

Step by step, how do I add the headphone symbol to the playback section so that I can set it to be the default audio output? And for the record since if I were to set headphones to default audio output, will it play sound as long as headphones are plugged in? And yes I do have headphones plugged in at the moment.

I'm just really confused right now. hopefully I'll check back in soon.

 

Computer Won't Auto Change the Playback Device When Headphones Plugged In/Out

Hi Michael,

I understand your concern and will be happy to assist you.

Is the issue specific to only Headphones/ Does External Speaker play when plugged in?

I suggest you to try resetting the default device as shown in the steps given below and check if the issue persists.

• 
  Plug in the Headphones in the machine.
  
• 
  Go to Start and Control Panel.
  
• 
  Select 'Hardware and Sound'.
  
• 
  Click 'Change system sounds'.
  
• 
  Click 'Playback' tab. (It should then show you your headphones in the list).
  
• 
  Select your proper Headphone device from the list, then Click 'Set Default'.
  
• 
  Now unplug your Headphones and select speakers from the list, then Click 'Set Default'.
  

Hope it helps. Please reply for further queries on this.

 

How do I add headphones to the playback section?

All you have to do is plug in Headphones/Headset and this should mute internal Laptop speakers.
No need to add headphones to the playback section.

It does not matter whether you have a picture for Speakers or Headphones/Headset in the Playback Tab, that is just an icon which you can change in properties. I don't bother, so it is always a Speakers picture.

You do not need a headphones entry in there.

If you get the red cross on the speaker Icon bottom right then go to the Task Manager > Services Tab > Look for "Windows Audio".
If that has stopped then restart it > Right Click > Restart.

What happens is some startup process interferes with the Windows Audio Service start.