Is iTunes not playing sound through your headphones on Windows 11/10 PC? Some iTunes users have reported that the music plays through their speakers instead of plugged-in headphones on their computers. If you’re experiencing a similar situation, this post will interest you.
Why is iTunes not playing through my headphones?
If iTunes is not playing through your headphones, it might be your headset device at fault. Hence, check your headset and ensure that is working fine. Besides that, there can be some other factors responsible for this issue including faulty or outdated audio drivers, incorrect playback device settings, iTunes preferences, etc. In any case, we bring you the working solutions that will help you get rid of this problem. So, check out!
iTunes not playing through headphones on Windows 11
If iTunes is not playing through your headphones on Windows 11, try restarting the app or your computer and see if it helps. In case the issue persists, here are the solutions you can use to fix it:
- Make sure your headset is connected properly.
- Check your PC’s sound settings.
- Update or reinstall your audio drivers.
- Change your iTunes playback preferences.
- Disable all other unnecessary sound devices.
- Uninstall, then reinstall iTunes.
1] Make sure your headset is connected properly
Your headset might be loosely or incorrectly connected to your PC which is why you can’t hear music through your headphones. Hence, if the scenario is applicable, unplug your headset and then reconnect it to your computer to fix the issue. You can also try using a different port to plug in the headphones.
In case you are using a Bluetooth headset, make sure it is fully charged. You can also check whether or not it is connected in Windows Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices. If it is connected but the problem remains the same, remove the headset and add it back to check if the problem is resolved.
2] Check your PC’s sound settings
Another culprit of this issue can be your computer’s sound settings. First of all, ensure that your PC is not muted. Second, check whether you have selected the correct playback device or not. Here are the steps to do that:
- First, open the Run command box using Win+R.
- Now, enter “mmsys.cpl” in the Open box to quickly open the Sound settings window.
- Next, select the headphones you want to use from the Playback tab and click on the Set Default button.
- Finally, press the Apply > OK button to save changes.
You can now reopen iTunes and check if the issue is resolved.
Read: iTunes Error 0xE8000003 on Windows while connecting iPhone.
3] Update or reinstall your audio drivers
If you are also noticing some other audio issues, your audio drivers are likely corrupted or outdated. Hence, you can update your audio driver to its latest version and check if the issue is fixed. If not, uninstall and then reinstall your audio driver and see if it helps.
4] Change your iTunes playback preferences
Some users have confirmed that changing their iTunes playback preferences has helped them fix this issue. So, you can try doing the same and see if it works for you. Here’s what to do:
- First, open iTunes and click on the Edit > Preferences option.
- Now, move to the Playback tab.
- After that, set the Play Audio Using option to Direct Audio.
- Next, press the OK button to save changes.
- Finally, restart iTunes, plug in your headset, and see if the issue is fixed.
5] Disable all other unnecessary sound devices
An online user has reported that disabling unnecessary sound devices that were previously connected helped him/her fix the issue. So, if the above fixes don’t help, you can disable unnecessary playback devices to fix the issues. Here’s how:
- First, open the Sound window using the steps mentioned in solution (2).
- From the Playback tab, right-click on a device that you don’t use anymore.
- Next, choose the Disable option from the context menu.
- Repeat the above steps for all other sound devices than the one you are currently using.
- Once done, press the OK button and reopen iTunes to check if the issue is resolved.
6] Uninstall, then reinstall iTunes
The final option to fix the problem is to uninstall the iTunes application and then reinstall it. You might be dealing with a corrupted installation of iTunes which is causing the issue. So, uninstall iTunes using Windows Settings and then install it again via Microsft Store to check if the issue is fixed.
Read: Headphones plugged in but sound coming from speakers on Windows PC.
Hope this helps!
Why are my earphones not working when I plug them in Windows 11?
Earphones might not work on your PC in different scenarios. It could be a silly mistake of putting your PC on mute or your headphones might be broken. Other than that, audio driver issues, incorrect sound configurations, and glitches with the Audio service can also cause the same problem.
