Laptop speakers on the whole are fairly reliable. While there are obvious compromises in audio quality and depth given their form factor, they tend to work regardless of what you put them through. Sound issues on laptops usually come from the audio driver or software rather than hardware. If you need to troubleshoot sound problems on the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, that’s where you should begin.
This tutorial will cover basic audio troubleshooting on a Windows 10 laptop. The same principles will apply to a Mac or Linux device but I’m using the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 as my example.
Troubleshooting audio on the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1
Troubleshooting audio issues, like many such problems is a process of elimination. We begin with volume and settings, then use the Windows Audio Troubleshooter and then update drivers. One of these will surely address any sound problems on your Dell XPS 13 2-in-1.
The first step is to check to make sure the correct output device is selected and that the volume has not accidentally been turned off.
1. Left click on the volume icon within the Windows Task Bar.
2. Make sure your speakers are selected and that volume is not at 0%.
3. Change these settings if necessary and change the volume incrementally anyway to test.
There should only be one option within the playback device section anyway but some apps can interfere with that setting, hence the check.
Next we can try the Windows Audio Troubleshooter. It is pretty good a picking up issues with playback.
1. Type or paste ‘troubleshoot’ into Cortana/Search Windows box and select Troubleshoot Control Panel.
2. Select Troubleshoot audio playback in the new window that appears.
3. Click Next and allow the troubleshooter to check your system.
4. Allow it to fix any issues it finds or click Close if it finds none.
If the troubleshooter found issues and repaired them, retest now. If the problem persists, we will have to update the audio driver.
1. Right click the Windows Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Select Audio, video and game controllers and your sound card within it.
3. Right click your sound card and select Update Device Driver.
4. Select Automatic in the next window and let Windows find and install a new driver.
If you updated the driver, retest your Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 to see if the audio issues are addressed. If they are, great. If they are not, you now have two options. You can download new drivers from Dell and force an update or take your device to a service center for them to check it out.
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