headphones not showing up on playback devices

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Next time your Windows is started, it will automatically attempt to install the best matched driver from the Windows Update database for your audio device.

Right-click your audio device, then select Uninstall.

If nothing from the above works for you and the Playback devices tab is still not showing anything at all, another workaround you can try is to uninstall and reinstall your audio device. Uninstall and reinstall audio device in Windows 10 Your audio should work in the next restart. When it’s done installing the driver, restart your PC. Windows will now install the driver automatically. For now, we will try with the Realtek High Definition Audio driver. You may see different models in the list. In the next screen, click on Let me pick a list of available drivers on my computer. This time, select Browse my computer for driver software. If it fails to find a suitable driver, right click it again and select Update driver. Related issue: Audio Not Working on Windows 10 After Update. For now, click search automatically to try letting it to find the driver automatically. Right click it and then select Update driver. If there is any, it means that the driver for the connected audio device is not installed. If you don’t see any device listed under “Sound, video and game controllers”, look under Other devices to see if there is any audio device with an exclamation mark.

When it’s done installing, restart your computer.

Click Search automatically for updated driver software.

In the screenshot below, I have multiple audio devices in my computer, you might see a different device on yours.

Expand Sound, video and game controllers.

Search for device manager and then open it. If you don’t have the driver, follow the solution below to re-install your audio driver. If you have a driver CD for your speaker, install it now and the problem should then be fixed.

Headphones not showing up on playback devices