Headphones/Microphone suddenly stopped working?

Has your headset or microphone suddenly stopped working, and you've no clue why? 

Check these steps to try and troubleshoot the issue. 

If these do not end up helping you, reach out to your IT Department for assistance.

Let's start with the simplest things first:

Check and make sure that Headset is powered on and plugged in.

        If already connected, try unplugging your cable/receiver for a couple seconds, and then plug it back in.

    *- If your computer is unable to detect the headset and you've confirmed it is on and plugged in, try plugging the receiver / dongle into a different port (if you're plugging the headset into the dock, try plugging into the laptop directly to see if this has any effect).

Check Sounds Settings (Playback & Recording tabs) to see if the microphone is being detected by the computer.

    - Right-click on the sound icon in the bottom right, and click on 'Sound Settings.'

    - Scroll past the inputs and outputs section of the page, and under the 'Advanced' section click on 'More Sound Settings.'

On the Playback tab, you're looking for the device with a green check mark to be your Headset's earphone. If this is not the case, try right-clicking on the entry for your earphone and then click on 'Enable.'

On the Recording tab, you're looking for the device with a green check mark to be your Headset's microphone. If this is not the case, try right-clicking on the entry for your microphone and then click on 'Enable.'

There is an optional 'Set Default' button you can also use to force the computer to use that device every time after startup.

Check Device Manager to see if the microphone shows up in 'Audio inputs and outputs.'

    - Right-click on the Windows Start icon, and click on 'Device Manager.'

    - Click 'OK' when notified that you will not be able to make changes as a standard user.

    - Expand the 'Audio inputs and outputs' category at the top. 

You're looking for two entries for your headset that is currently experiencing issues: One for the earphone, and one for the microphone. If you are able to see both devices, then your headset is being properly detected by your computer.

    - In Device Manager, scroll down a little bit an expand the 'Sound, video, and game controllers' category.

You're looking for an entry from your headset's manufacturer/brand. For example, if you use a one-eared headset like a Yealink WH62, you'll want to make sure you see an entry related to 'Yealink.' This ensures that the proper drivers are installed for the device you're attempting to use.

       *- If you do not see a 'Realtek' entry within the 'Sound, video, and game controllers' category, you may need to search for the 'Realtek Audio Driver for Windows 11' online and install it. This can also cause headsets and microphones to misbehave if it's not present on the system.

Check Lenovo Vantage & Windows Updates for any updates that need to be installed pertaining to audio drivers.

    To check available Vantage Updates:

        - Type 'vantage' in the bottom search bar, and click on Lenovo Vantage (or Commerical Vantage, whichever you have).

        - For normal Vantage, in the top-right, click 'Check for Updates.' For Commercial Vantage, scroll down a little and click 'Check for Updates' along the center-left of the screen.

        - If there are any updates that it finds to install, go ahead and check the boxes for all updates shown, and click Install.

            *- If no Vantage application shows up in the results of Step 1, we'll have to get it from the Microsoft Store.

            *- Type 'store' in the bottom search bar, and click on Microsoft Store. Once within the Store window, search 'vantage' in the top search bar and click on Lenovo Vantage.

            *- Click on 'Get' and it will download the app. Once installed, click on 'Open.' Return to Step 2 (you can close the Microsoft Store window at this point).

    To check Optional Windows Updates:

        - In the bottom search bar, search 'update' and click on 'Check for Updates.'

        - From Windows Update settings scroll down and click on 'Advanced Options.' On that page, scroll to where it says 'Optional Updates' and click on that.

        - Open the drop-down menu for Optional updates and Driver updates, and check all the boxes for any listings shown, and click 'Download and Install.' If the Cumulative update appears in the 'Windows Updates' section, leave that unchecked.

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Once the headphone / microphone is being properly detected and everything passes inspection:

Perform a test call through MS Teams to ensure proper functionality.

   - With Teams open, click the Ellipses (. . .) in the top-right and click on 'Settings.'

   - On the left-hand side of the Settings window, click on the 'Devices' section.

   - In the center of the screen, under the 'Audio Settings' section, you should see a button to 'Make a test call.'

Ensure that everything sounds the way you want it to, and adjust microphone volume levels if need be. At this point, you should be in business and good to go!

Again, if these steps do not resolve your issue, reach out to your IT technician and let them know what you've been able to uncover about the problem.