unable to unmute my surface 8

Hi @Gregory Farr

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.    

Regarding your issue, when Windows cannot correctly communicate with the Surface audio driver, the volume control may appear stuck on mute and cannot be changed, even though the system is running normally.  

Here are a few steps you can try: 

1. Force a Hardware Restart 

• Press and hold the Power button for a full 30 seconds. 
• The screen may turn off or show the logo; keep holding until the 30 seconds are up. 
• Turn it back on normally. This forces the Surface to re-initialize all hardware components, including the audio chip. 

2. Check the Device Manager 

• Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager. 
• Expand Sound, video and game controllers. 
• Look for Intel(R) Smart Sound Technology or Realtek Audio. 
• If you see a yellow triangle or it's missing, right-click the entry and select Uninstall device (do not check the box to delete the driver software). 
• Restart your Surface. Windows will automatically "discover" the hardware and reinstall the driver. 

3. Restart the Audio Services 

• Type Services in your search bar and open it. 
• Find Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder. 
• Right-click each one and select Restart. 

4. Check for Surface-Specific Updates 

• Go to Settings > Windows Update. 
• Click Check for updates and specifically look for anything labeled "Intel - System" or "Surface - Firmware."

5. Test with headphones or Bluetooth audio

• Connect wired headphones or pair a Bluetooth device to see if external audio works but the built‑in speakers do not as this may indicate a hardware‑related speaker issue rather than software. 

Hopefully it will help work with your issue and if you have any other questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask.   

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".     

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If you're unable to unmute the sound on your Surface Pro 8, here are a few steps you can try:

1. Check Volume Controls: Ensure that the volume is not muted or set too low. You can check this by using the physical volume buttons on the device.
2. Audio Troubleshooter: Since you mentioned that the audio troubleshooter was unable to help, you might want to try running it again or check for any updates that may be available for your audio drivers.
3. Device Manager: Open Device Manager and ensure that your audio drivers are installed and functioning correctly. You can also try updating the drivers or rolling back to a previous version if the issue started after an update.
4. Settings Check: Go to Settings > System > Sound and make sure that the correct output device is selected. You can also try toggling the output device to see if it resolves the issue.
5. Restart Your Device: Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve audio issues.
6. External Devices: If you have any external audio devices connected, disconnect them and see if that resolves the issue.

If these steps do not resolve the problem, you may need to consult further support resources or consider reaching out to Microsoft support for more assistance.

References:

• Troubleshoot Surface sound and audio accessories