Fixing No Sound Issues With EarTrumpet

Check per-app sliders in EarTrumpet

Open the EarTrumpet flyout from the tray and look for the specific app you expect to hear. If its slider is muted or pulled all the way down, raise it. Also check whether the app is routed to a different output device than the one you're listening on.

Verify the Windows default playback device

Open Settings > System > Sound and confirm the correct speakers or headphones are selected as the output device. If a virtual or disconnected device is set as default, both Windows and EarTrumpet will appear silent.

Restart the Windows Audio service

1. Press Win+R and type services.msc, then press Enter.
2. Locate Windows Audio in the list.
3. Right-click it and choose Restart.
4. Play a test sound and check EarTrumpet's sliders again.

Restart EarTrumpet itself

Exit EarTrumpet from its tray icon and relaunch it so it re-reads the current audio sessions and devices, in case it cached an outdated device list.

Reinstall if sound still doesn't return

Uninstall EarTrumpet through Settings > Apps and reinstall it from the Microsoft Store or with choco install eartrumpet via Chocolatey.

Check for reported audio-loss issues

If the problem coincides with a recent Windows update, search the GitHub issue tracker to see whether others have reported the same pattern and any documented workaround.

Why sound loss coincides with EarTrumpet

Because EarTrumpet surfaces the same volume controls Windows already manages, it's easy to notice a sound problem for the first time while using its flyout, even though the underlying cause has nothing to do with the app. A muted per-app session, a default device pointed at unplugged speakers, or a driver hiccup after a Windows update will all show up as 'no sound' whether or not EarTrumpet is installed. Treating EarTrumpet's flyout as a diagnostic window into Windows audio — rather than the source of the problem — usually speeds up finding the actual cause.

For a deeper comparison of what each tool actually controls, see EarTrumpet vs Windows sound settings.

Testing with a different app or device

Play audio from two different apps and, if possible, test a second output device such as a different pair of headphones. If neither app produces sound on any device, the problem is almost certainly at the Windows or hardware level rather than with EarTrumpet specifically. If only one app is silent while others work fine, focus on that app's individual session in EarTrumpet's flyout or the classic Windows volume mixer rather than restarting services system-wide.

When only recorded audio (microphone) is affected

EarTrumpet focuses on playback volume rather than recording levels, so if the issue is a silent microphone rather than silent speakers, check the Input section of Settings > System > Sound instead, since that is a separate setting from anything EarTrumpet's flyout controls.

This distinction matters because restarting the Windows Audio service, while useful for playback issues, will not by itself fix a muted or misconfigured microphone if the input device itself is the actual problem.

Confirming the fix held after a restart

Once sound returns, restart your PC once to confirm the fix persists across a reboot rather than just the current session; some default-device issues quietly revert until Windows has fully reloaded its audio configuration.

Testing with headphones versus speakers

If you have both headphones and speakers available, testing sound through each helps isolate whether the fault is with a specific device rather than Windows audio broadly, since a single bad cable or disconnected device can otherwise look identical to a service-level problem.

Frequently asked questions

Did EarTrumpet mute my sound by itself?

EarTrumpet only adjusts sessions you or Windows have set; it doesn't silently mute apps on its own. Check its sliders and Windows Sound settings for the actual cause.

Why does one app have no sound while others work fine?

That app's per-app volume in EarTrumpet or the classic Windows volume mixer may be muted, or it could be assigned to a different output device.

Could uninstalling EarTrumpet bring sound back?

It can rule out the app as a factor, but since EarTrumpet doesn't alter drivers, a reinstall is usually more useful than a permanent uninstall.

Should I check sndvol.exe as well?

Yes — the legacy Windows volume mixer can confirm whether the issue is at the Windows level rather than specific to EarTrumpet.