Listen up - easy ways to improve the sound on your Windows PC or Mac

Whether you rely on your computer for work, to relax with or perhaps a bit of both, sound quality can have a significant impact on your day-to-day use. Sub-par settings will make music or streamed videos sound dull, for example, and can affect the clarity of video phone calls.

The good news is that there are plenty of ways to improve your listening experience, even on laptops with the tinniest speakers. Our experts suggest diving into your device settings to make some tweaks. Alternatively, you can consult our in-depth reviews to see which headphones will make your audio sound crystal clear.

Here, we explain why many laptops sound rubbish and what you can do about it by changing settings and connecting your computer to external audio devices. We also have seven quick fixes you can try to troubleshoot any audio issues – including how to fix sound problems on video calls.

Join Which? Tech Support – stay on top of your tech and get unlimited expert 1-2-1 support by phone, email, remote fix and in print.

Why does my computer sound bad?

When we test laptops, we know from experience to keep our expectations in check when it comes to sound. 

It’s physically difficult to build decent speakers into compact laptops. In most cases, laptop speakers face upwards, which isn’t ideal for producing hi-fi quality sound. Some models fire out sound from the side or underneath, which is potentially even worse.

Laptop speakers are, at best, reasonable for mid-frequency sounds, such as dialogue or vocals. However, they often struggle to offer enough bass or higher-frequency detail. At worst, you might find the volume level is too low or movies and music are unlistenable. 

However, you can adjust the settings to improve your sound – keep scrolling to find out how.

But, ultimately, if you want to get the best sound from a laptop, it’s likely you’ll need additional audio equipment. The 3.5mm audio jack on your computer, for example, could be used to plug in a pair of headphones or, if you mostly use your computer at your desk, a set of external PC speakers. Even a relatively cheap set of wired in-ear headphones will improve matters significantly. 

Alternatively, you could consider connecting your computer wirelessly to either Bluetooth headphones, a smart speaker or a soundbar.

To see which audio accessories can complement your computer setup, check our expert headphones reviews and Bluetooth speaker reviews.

Windows sound settings

To configure your computer’s sound settings in either Windows 10 or 11, you’ll need to go to Start > Settings > System > Sound. You can also get there by right-clicking the speaker icon in the bottom-right of your taskbar and selecting Open Sound settings from the pop-up menu.

Here, under Output, you can choose your sound output device. In most cases this will be your speakers, but you might also be able to select headphones or choose alternative speakers if you have your PC plugged into a TV or monitor that has its own built-in speakers. 

There will be a volume slider here – this is the same as the general system volume setting that you can control by clicking the speaker icon in the taskbar or pressing the volume up/down buttons on your keyboard.

Tune the sound device settings

• Choose Device properties (or Choose where to play sound on Windows 11), then click on the device shown. The settings shown on this screen will vary, depending on the device and OS .
• Clicking Additional device properties (or Advanced on Windows 11) will reveal a useful hidden window of audio options, including the ability to alter left and right balance and enhance bass.

Audio input settings

• Under Start > Settings > System > Sound, you’ll find settings for your audio input device 
• Most laptops have a built-in microphone. To configure it, click Device properties (or Choose a device for speaking and recording on Windows 11), then click Start test to check and set sound levels.
• Among the other options available on the main Windows sound settings page, you’ll also find links to audio troubleshooting tools.

Keep scrolling to read our seven quick audio fixes.

To see which Windows-powered machines have aced our tests, check out our Windows laptop reviews.

Mac sound settings

If you’re a Mac user, you’ll find that the sound settings in Apple’s macOS are pretty straightforward. Click the Apple logo (top-left corner) > System Preferences > Sound to access them.

• Configure system sounds – here, you’ll find three tabs: Sound Effects, Output (shown below) and Input. Under Sound Effects, you can select and configure system sounds, such as the alert noise
• Choose a device – click the Output tab to choose the device you want to hear sounds through. You’ll also be able to select any AirPlay devices if you want to send music to a smart speaker. There’s a left/right Balance slider here, as well as a slider for the main system volume and a Mute option.
• Adjust input level – click the Input tab to configure your microphone. Start talking and you’ll see the Input level indicator react. If the level looks a little low or high, use the Input volume slider to adjust.
• Find audio controls – In Apple Music, for example, click Music > Preferences > Playback to access the app’s Sound Enhancer, which boosts the stereo field, and Sound Check, which automatically adjusts songs' volume so they’re all the same level. Click Window > Equaliser for advanced treble and bass controls.

If you're considering swapping out an aging Mac for a newer model, browse our MacBook laptop reviews first.

Try these 7 quick audio fixes

1. Buy new speakers – if the speakers built in to your laptop aren’t great, then even a cheap pair of external speakers might offer a noticeable improvement.
2. Get noise-cancelling headphones – cut out distractions with headphones that cancel out background noise. The effectiveness of the technology varies greatly from model to model, so check our headphones reviews before you buy.
3. Use Volume Mixer (Windows) – want to turn up the music without making all your system alerts louder too? Windows volume mixer lets you get the right balance. To open it, right-click the speaker icon in the bottom-right of your taskbar and select Open volume mixer.
4. Switch to mono sound (Windows) – enabling mono sound can make sounds more audible for those with hearing loss by combining left and right stereo into a single channel. Go to Start > Settings > Ease of Access (or Accessibility in Windows 11) > Audio to switch it on.
5. Check your sound isn't muted – not hearing any sound from your laptop’s headphones or speakers? Most computers have a mute button on the keyboard (usually in the Fn buttons along the top) and it’s easy to tap by accident. Press it to see if this sorts the problem.
6. Change Windows sounds – click Start, type ‘sounds’ and click Change system sounds to customise audio alerts for events, such as new email, errors and so on. Click an item in the Program Events list, then select a sound from the Sounds menu or click Browse to add your own.
7.  Fix sound problems on video calls – If you or your participants can’t hear each other, check you all have sound enabled. In Zoom, for example, move the mouse to show the icons below the video window. If it says Join Audio in the bottom left, click this, then Join with Computer Audio.

Do I need Dolby Atmos?

This is an object-based spatial audio format. When it’s employed on a laptop, Dolby’s tech uses software-driven techniques to generate a virtual 360-degree sound space.

That might sound good, but bear in mind the effect will only work properly with Dolby Atmos content, such as selected Disney+ and Netflix films and shows. And, as you might expect, it’s just not possible to recreate cinema-grade audio quality with a set of puny laptop speakers.

Spatial sound usually works better with headphones. You can try Dolby Atmos for Headphones free of charge on any Windows laptop by downloading the Dolby Access app from the Microsoft Store. This gives you a seven-day trial.

Join Which? Tech Support

Which? Tech Support can help you keep you on top of your home tech. Our experts explain things clearly so that you can resolve issues and feel more confident using your devices.

Get unlimited 1-2-1 expert support:

• By phone – clear guidance in choosing, setting up, using and resolving issues with your home tech devices.
• By email – outline the issue and we’ll email you our answer.
• By remote fix – we connect securely from our office to your home computer and resolve issues while you watch.
• In print – Which? Tech magazine, six issues a year delivered to your door.

You can join Which? Tech Support for £4.99 a month. You can cancel at any time.

Tech tips you can trust – get our free Tech newsletter for advice, news, deals and stuff the manuals don’t tell you

Additional reporting by Tom Morgan.