Sound Not Working on Linux: How to Fix It
Diagnose and fix the most common audio problems on Linux distributions.
1. Confirm the correct output device
Settings → Sound → confirm the active device is the right one (easy to get wrong after connecting and disconnecting headphones).
2. Restart PulseAudio/PipeWire
systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-pulse
(On older systems with PulseAudio instead of PipeWire:
pulseaudio -k, which restarts it automatically.)
PipeWire is replacing PulseAudio on modern
distributions — if you don't know which one you have,
pactl info confirms it in the first line of the
result.
3. Check it isn't muted at the hardware level
Some laptops have a physical mute key (often with Fn) — confirm it isn't turned on without you noticing.
4. Check the specific application's volume
pavucontrol
Install it if you don't have it — it shows each application's volume separately, not just the system's overall volume.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between PulseAudio and PipeWire?
PipeWire is the more modern audio system that is replacing PulseAudio on recent distributions, offering better, unified audio and video management. Use 'pactl info' to confirm which one you have.
Why is the overall volume fine but one specific app has no sound?
Check that application's specific volume with pavucontrol — each app can have its own volume level independent of the system's overall volume.