How to fix the Dolby Atmos No Sound issue on Windows?

You probably found this article because you’re experiencing the Dolby Atmos no sound issue on Windows 10. Perhaps, you want to know how to learn how to enable this feature on your computer. In this guide, we’ll take you through a step-by-step approach to resolve Dolby Atmos’ no sound issue.

What Is Dolby Atmos?

Dolby Atmos is a digital surround sound system with various audio enhancements that enable users to enhance their gaming or video experience. It also supplements the conventional 5.1 or 7.1 audio configurations by allowing users to play multichannel movie soundtracks. This makes the audio output three-dimensional, providing the best video or gaming experience for users.

However, many people reported they experienced technical issues surrounding this technology. Some said they couldn’t hear any sound on their Windows computer, especially when trying to connect with the Dolby Atmos Home Theater mode.

Why Is Dolby Atmos Not Working?

Several factors could be responsible for audio malfunctions on a Windows PC. The common causes include the following:

Corrupt or Outdated Audio Driver

The audio driver is the chief culprit of most Windows audio-related issues. Malicious activities or excessive junk files could corrupt the audio driver, causing it to fail.

Also, running an outdated audio driver may lead to incompatibility issues, causing Dolby Atmos to malfunction. On that note, reinstalling or updating the existing driver might be the best way to resolve the issue.

Incompatible Configuration Settings

Wrong audio configuration settings may conflict with Dolby Atmos, causing it to fail. You can reconfigure your spatial sounds to resolve the issue.

Corrupt Registry Files

The action of viruses and malicious self-executing scripts may lead to Registry errors. This could lead to system instability or failure of affected programs.

Pending Windows Updates

System bugs can also cause Dolby Atmos to fail. Fortunately, Microsoft releases updates that contain bug patches. If you have any pending updates, it’s best to install them.

How to Fix my Dolby Atmos

Fixing Dolby Atmos is no longer a mystery. With the few methods we have listed below, you should get everything working seamlessly.

Run the Audio Troubleshooter

Generally, the first step to take when facing any challenge on Windows is to run the Windows troubleshooter. The troubleshooting tool helps detect problems and attempts to resolve the cause of minor issues on Windows computers.

You can follow the steps below to run the audio troubleshooter:

1. Press the Windows key + I simultaneously to open Settings.
2. Select Update & Security.
3. Click Troubleshoot from the left pane.
4. Tap Playing Audio and select Run the troubleshooter.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions and wait for the troubleshooter to end.
6. Restart your PC.
7. Then, right-click the sound icon on your taskbar.
8. Select Spatial sound > Dolby Atmos for Headphones to enable Dolby Atmos again.

If the errors were minimal, the Playing Audio Windows troubleshooter should resolve them. However, if this fix doesn’t work, you can try the following method.

Make Dolby Atmos for Home Theaters Your Default Output Source

Other conflicting audio devices could make Dolby Atmos fail. To check that, you can select Dolby Atmos as your default output source.

Follow the guide below to do that:

1. Right-click the speaker icon on your taskbar.
2. Select Playback device.
3. Then, Choose Dolby Atmos for Home Theaters from the list of your Playback devices.
4. Select Set Default and click Apply to save the settings.
5. Click OK to close the Playback devices window.

Afterward, check to see if Dolby Atmos now works well.

Use the ‘Test’ Function

Many users reported that they resolved the issue by testing Dolby Atmos sound via their computer sound settings.

To use this fix, follow the steps below:

1. Right-click the sound/speaker icon on your taskbar and select Sounds.
2. Navigate to the Playback tab.
3. Right-click Dolby Atmos and select Test.

Next, check to see if that resolved your sound issues.

Update/Reinstall Your Sound Driver

Most times, sound drivers are the primary reason your audio devices go south. Outdated sound drivers may cause conflicts among your audio devices. It’s best to update your sound drivers before re-enabling Dolby Atmos and Spatial sound.

Besides, Windows updates contain patches that help to resolve common bugs and incompatibility issues.

Here’s how to update your sound driver:

1. Use shortcut Windows Key + X to open the Power User menu.
2. Open Device Manager and expand the Sound, video, and game controllers tab.
3. Right-click each of your sound drivers and select Update Driver.
4. Once the update completes, reboot your computer.
5. Then, right-click the sound/speaker icon on your taskbar or notification area.
6. Select Spatial Sound> Dolby Atmos for Headphones.
7. Play supported content to check for changes.

If that doesn’t work, you can try reinstalling your sound driver:

1. Open the Device Manager with the guides above.
2. Expand the Sound, video, and game controllers tab.
3. Then, right-click the sound driver you want to reinstall and select Uninstall.
4. Proceed with the uninstallation and then restart your computer.

However, updating your sound driver the conventional way is stressful and time-consuming. This is because you have to update each driver one at a time.

Fortunately, you can use automatic driver updaters, such as Auslogics Driver Updater, to perform multiple driver updates. That will save you a lot of time.

Roll Back Your Sound Driver

If your device Dolby Atmos stopped working after a recent driver update, it’s best to undo such an update to get it to work.

1. Use Windows shortcut Windows Key + X to open the Power User menu.
2. Open Device Manager and expand the Sound, video, and game controllers tab.
3. Right-click the sound driver and select Properties.
4. Go to the Driver tab, then click Roll Back Driver.
5. Choose a reason for rolling back and click Yes.
6. If the option to roll back the driver is not available, right-click the third-party sound device and uninstall it.
7. Reboot your computer and use the path below to re-enable spatial sound.
8. Right-click the speaker icon > Spatial sounds > Dolby Atmos for headphones.

If the rollback option fails to resolve the issue, you can try the next method.

Update or Roll Back the Dolby Access App

If the issue started after updating your Dolby Access app, it may be due to compatibility issues. Rolling back the update to a compatible version might be what you need to resolve the problem.

However, if you’re using an outdated Dolby Access app, installing the latest update might resolve the issue.

Here’s how to fix it:

Go to the app’s Home section.
Scroll down and select Info.
Click Dolby Access Support.
Scroll down till you see the “Still need help?” section.
Select Contact Us.
Then, fill and submit the form. Dolby’s support team will contact you via your email with the necessary information.

Enable Exclusive mode options

Exclusive mode grants access to third-party tools. Usually, Microsoft enables it by default, but it’s worth checking.

Here’s how to do that:

1. Right-click the Sound icon on your taskbar and Open Playback devices.
2. Select Spatial sound to enable Dolby Atmos for Headphones.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Navigate to the Exclusive mode and enable “Give exclusive application priority” and “Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device.”
5. Confirm the changes.

After that, check to see whether the Spatial sound features are working.

Reconfigure Your Device’s Dolby Atmos

Many users reported that they were able to resolve the issue by reconfiguring their Dolby Atmos.

Here’s how to give it a try:

1. Plug in your headphones, earphones, ear-buds, or home theater.
2. Right-click the Sound icon on your taskbar to open the Playback device.
3. Next, right-click your default playback device to open Properties.
4. Click the Spatial sound tab and select Dolby Atmos from the drop-down menu.
5. Windows will redirect you to Microsoft Store.
6. Download and install the Dolby Access app.
7. Launch the app and configure either headphones or home theatre, depending on your device.
8. Click Begin setup.
9. Select Configure PC setting and click Atmos for Headphones.
10. Play demos and listen to observe differences in the sound output.

Update Windows

If all other fixes failed to resolve the problem, it’s best to install all Windows updates. Microsoft updates come with patches that might resolve your sound problems.

Here’s how to update your PC:

1. Press the Windows logo keys + I simultaneously to open Settings.
2. Select Update & Security.
3. Then, select the Check for Updates option.
4. Once the update completes, reboot your computer and repeat the process until there are no available system updates.

Conclusion

Were these fixes helpful? Please leave a comment below.

Do you need any assistance? Please contact our support team.

Also, you can visit our blog for other useful tips for resolving common Windows 10 issues.