The volume icon is axed and unable to produce noice or sounds from the computer

Hi Craig Bui Mana,

Thank you for reaching out. When the volume icon appears crossed out and no sound plays, it usually means Windows is unable to use the selected audio device correctly. This can happen if the device is muted, disabled, not set as default, or if the audio service or driver needs to be refreshed.

In addition to Q&A Assist's answer, here's the verified list of troubleshooting steps that you can try in order to restore sound:

1, Check Volume Mixer

• Right‑click the speaker icon > Open Volume mixer
• Ensure neither the device nor the app is muted

2, Verify the output device

• Go to Settings > System > Sound
• Select the correct output device (speakers or headphones)
• Open Device properties and confirm it is not disabled

3, Restart audio services

• Press Win + R, type services.msc
• Restart Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder

4, Set the default playback device

• Open Control Panel > Sound > Playback
• Right‑click your speakers/headphones and select Set as Default

5, Refresh the audio driver

• Open Device Manager > Sound, video and game controllers
• Right‑click the audio device > Update driver
• If needed, uninstall the device and restart the PC to reload it automatically

You can consider using the Audio Troubleshooter

• Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Playing Audio

If the volume icon remains crossed out after these steps, installing the latest audio driver from the device manufacturer’s support site can help ensure compatibility.

Let me know if you need further assistance, feel free to ask me by clicking "Add Comment" or "Add Answer" if you cannot add comment so your response will be visible. Thanks for your effort.

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1

Right click your Start Button and open Device Manager.

Expand the 'Sound, Video and Game Controllers' section.

Please provide a screenshot of that full Device Manager window.

2

Click your Start Button, then just type msinfo and press Enter, please provide a screenshot of the resulting System Information window.

Follow these steps in Windows 10 to restore sound when the volume icon shows as muted/“axed” and no audio is heard:

1. Check that the device and apps are not muted
   1. Right-click the Speakers icon on the taskbar and select Open Volume mixer.
   2. In the Volume Mixer, make sure none of the sliders (Device or Applications) show a red circle with a line through it. If they do, click the icon to unmute and raise the volume.
2. Make sure the output device is enabled
   1. Select Start > Settings > System > Sound.
   2. Under Output, select the correct audio device (speakers/headphones) that should play sound.
   3. Click the device and then Device properties.
   4. Ensure the Disable checkbox is cleared so the device is enabled.
   5. Repeat for the Input device to ensure it is not disabled.
3. Set the correct default playback device
   1. In the search box on the taskbar, type control panel and open it.
   2. Go to Hardware and Sound > Sound.
   3. On the Playback tab, select the speakers/headphones that should output sound.
   4. Right-click them and choose Set as Default Device, then select OK.
4. Turn off audio enhancements (if enabled)
   1. In Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound, open the Playback tab.
   2. Right-click the Default Device > Properties.
   3. On the Enhancements tab, check Disable all enhancements (or Disable all sound effects, whichever appears), then select OK and test audio.
5. Update or reinstall the audio driver
   1. In the search box, type device manager and open it.
   2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
   3. Right-click the sound card or audio device (for example, Realtek, speakers, or headphones) and select Update driver > Search automatically for updated driver software. Complete the update and test.
   4. If the problem continues, right-click the same device and select Uninstall device and check Delete the driver software for this device if available.
   5. Restart the PC so Windows reinstalls the audio driver automatically, then test sound again.

If the icon remains disabled or no device appears, it may indicate that no audio device is installed or the driver is missing; in that case, install the correct audio driver from the PC or motherboard manufacturer and then repeat steps 1–3.

References:

• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows
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• How to fix this. no audio device is installed - Microsoft Q&A
• Logitech G560 Speakers detect audio (volume bar moves) but no sound comes out - Microsoft Q&A