Speakers not working − How to fix audio problems

If you've recently upgraded to OS X Yosemite and you are not getting sound from Safari, but apart from that the sound works fine, then: 

1. From the Apple menu or Dock, open System Preferences -> Sound.
2. Open the Sound Effects tab.
3. Tick "Play Feedback when volume is changed". 

If you use software such as SoundFlower it could have picked a wrong output sound for Safari.

How to fix this: 

1. From the Apple menu or Dock, open System Preferences.
2. Then open the Sound Pane and the Output tab.
3. If SoundFlower or something similar is selected, then switch the output to speakers you want to use.

If it happens every time you wake up your computer, then delete all extensions (SoundFlower or other strange extensions)

If you are using SoundMax audio software and you lose your sound after hibernation/sleep, then SoundMax may prevent the sound driver from re-initializing on resume.

Delete this program and try to see if it helps.

Your streaming audio/video application or web browser exhaust your bandwidth and thus reduces the sound quality. Close all other programs while talking on Skype.

When you exhaust all the solutions for your Mac, and nothing seems to work, then the last thing you can do is to reset the Mac. Click here if you decide to use this option.

If you notice the "X" red character on the speakers icon (e.g after you wake up your computer from hibernation / sleep), then scan for hardware changes to see if it helps.

To resolve the issue:

1. Click the Start button, right click on Computer and select Properties (Windows 8 & 10: enter Device Manager in the search box and select it from here then go to Step 3).
2. From the top left side select Device Manager.
3. Right click on Sound, video and game controllers and choose Scan for hardware changes.
   
   

Hardware changes should be detected and you won't see the red "X" character. Windows might ask you to insert the driver CD for your sound card.

If you cannot hear the other person during a call it might be due to your or their slow internet connection. Check out the solutions for no internet connection or slow internet connection. 

It is possible that your speakers aren't working properly due to audio enhancements. To have them fixed you can disable Audio Enhancements to see if it helps. To turn off audio enhancements, follow the steps below:

1. Click on the Start button and go to Control Panel. (Windows button +X -> Control Panel for Windows 8 & 10 ).
2. Select Sound and go to Playback tab.
3. Select the speaker device you use and go to Properties.
4. Go to Enhancements tab and select Disable all enhancements.

After upgrading to Windows 8 or 10, users reported that they had problems with their speakers not working well. They were able to resolve them by changing the bit rate, following the steps below:

1. Press Windows+X and choose Control Panel from it.
2. Go to Sound and Playback tab.
3. Choose the device you use and click on Properties.
4. Go to the Advanced tab and change the bit rate to 24bit/44100 Hz or 24bit/192000Hz - depending on the speakers' configuration. 

As time goes by, software are upgraded so that they meet the latest standards. Unfortunately, computers and mobile devices don't get upgraded, as software do, and a time comes when upgrading the device is imminent. You might have an old computer / cell phone that does not meet the minimum system requirements for Skype , or you use a modem / router that is also old. If this is a case you can't hear a voice, or you hear some crackling/distorted sound, then you should update your hardware.

Click here to see the system requirements for Skype.