{"id":451053,"date":"2026-10-13T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T01:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.guidingtech.com\/?p=451053"},"modified":"2026-10-20T16:20:45","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T10:50:45","slug":"remote-desktop-doesnt-have-sound-6-quick-fixes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.guidingtech.com\/remote-desktop-doesnt-have-sound-6-quick-fixes\/","title":{"rendered":"Remote Desktop Doesn\u2019t Have Sound \u2013 6 Quick Fixes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Remote Desktop is a handy way to access a PC over a network without being in the same room. However, sometimes audio from the remote session doesn’t play as expected, making for a frustrating experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we\u2019ll be looking at 6 fixes for when your Remote Desktop doesn\u2019t have sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remote Desktop Doesn\u2019t Have Sound \u2013 Fixes to Try<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re stuck with Windows Remote Desktop no sound, try these fixes below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check the Sound<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A good place to start is somewhere obvious. If connecting to a remote desktop, ensure that its sound is not switched off. Click the Sound Icon in the System Tray at the bottom-right of the other desktop and check that it\u2019s both unmuted and not on \u201c0\u201d volume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check Sound Before Connecting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another area where things go wrong is failing to enable sound before connecting. This can be avoided by confirming settings in Remote Desktop\u2019s options. Here\u2019s what to do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1.<\/strong> When opening Remote Desktop Connection, click the \u201cShow Options\u201d button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Remote<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 2.<\/strong> Click the \u201cLocal Resources\u201d tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Remote<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 3.<\/strong> Under \u201cRemote audio\u201d click \u201cSettings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 4.<\/strong> Under Remote audio playback, select \u201cPlay on this computer\u201d if you want to hear the remote session’s sound on your local device. If you want sound to play on the remote computer instead, select the corresponding option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Remote<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Update Drivers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If the previous steps haven’t resolved the issue, check for audio-driver problems on the local and remote computers. If a driver is outdated, corrupted, or incompatible, updating or reinstalling it may help restore audio playback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Restart Audio Services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If the Windows Audio service isn’t running correctly on the computer responsible for audio playback, Remote Desktop sound may not work. You can check the service’s status and restart it if necessary:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1.<\/strong> Open the Run Dialog (Win + R) and type \u201cservices.msc\u201d before hitting OK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2.<\/strong> In Services, navigate to \u201cWindows Audio.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Remote<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 3.<\/strong> Right-click \u201cWindows Audio\u201d and select \u201cRestart\u201d if the service is running. If it isn’t running, select \u201cStart\u201d instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 4.<\/strong> See if this resolves things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Restart the Remote Desktop Service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While you\u2019re in the Services window, it might also help to restart the service associated with Remote Desktop. Here\u2019s what to do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1.<\/strong> In Services, locate \u201cRemote Desktop Services\u201d and \u201cRemote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector.\u201d Check whether both services are running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Remote<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 2.<\/strong> If a service isn’t running, try starting it. If you need to restart Remote Desktop Services, be aware that Windows may prompt you to restart dependent services as well. Save your work and ensure you can reconnect before proceeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3.<\/strong> See if the sound issue is resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enable Audio Redirection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re still having trouble, you can try enabling audio redirection via the Group Policy Editor. Ensure you have Admin permissions, then do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1.<\/strong> Open the Run Dialog (Win + R) and type \u201cgpedit.msc\u201d before hitting (Ctrl + Shift + Enter) to run as Admin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2.<\/strong> Once in the editor, head to \u201cComputer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > Remote Desktop Session Host > Device and Resource Redirection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3.<\/strong> Double-click \u201cAllow audio and video playback redirection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Remote<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 4.<\/strong> In the window that pops up, make sure that \u201cEnabled\u201d is checked, then click \u201cApply\u201d and \u201cOK.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Remote<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Step 5.<\/strong> Close the Remote Desktop session and reconnect to apply the updated settings. Then test the audio again.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

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