Having issues with no sound on Facebook videos? Don’t worry, this is a common problem that many users encounter. The good news is that in most cases, it’s an easy fix. In this article, we’ll walk through the top troubleshooting tips to get the sound working again on videos in Facebook.
Check Your Device Settings
The first thing to check is your device’s sound settings. Make sure that the sound is not muted and the volume is turned up on your phone, tablet, or computer. This includes checking:
- The volume buttons on the side of your device.
- The main system volume in your device’s settings app.
- The volume sliders within Facebook’s settings.
- Any physical volume knob on headphones, speakers, or your monitor.
It’s easy to accidentally toggle mute on or turn the volume down all the way. Run through these basic device sound settings to rule out this simple cause of no audio.
Restart the Facebook App
If your device volume is fine, the next step is to restart the Facebook app. This resets the app and clears out any glitches that could be preventing videos from playing sound properly.
On mobile, close the Facebook app completely and re-launch it. On desktop, logout of Facebook and log back in. This forces the browser cache to reset.
After restarting Facebook, check if videos are now playing sound again. Many times this quick refresh is all that’s needed.
Check Your Browser (Desktop Only)
On desktop computers, users sometimes encounter no audio due to settings in their web browser. If restarting Facebook didn’t fix the problem, the next troubleshooting area is your browser.
Check for these common browser-related causes of Facebook video sound issues:
- Browser Volume: Make sure your browser volume is turned up and not muted.
- Browser Extensions: An ad blocker or other extension could be blocking video sound. Try disabling extensions one-by-one.
- Hardware Acceleration: Turning this off in your browser’s settings might fix sound issues.
- Browser Permissions: Ensure your browser has permission to play sound from the Facebook site.
Going through your browser’s audio settings should reveal any problems that are preventing video sound from working properly on Facebook.
Update Your Browser or Facebook App
Outdated software versions can also cause technical issues like video audio not playing correctly.
On mobile, head to your device’s app store to ensure you have the latest version of the Facebook app installed. On desktop, check your browser’s update settings to upgrade to the newest browser version.
Facebook and browser developers are constantly working to fix bugs and improve media playback. Updating gives you the latest fixes.
Check Your Facebook Privacy Settings
Facebook has privacy settings that control which posts you can see and interact with. It’s possible your privacy settings are hiding posts with videos from your News Feed.
To show all posts, go to the menu -> Settings & Privacy -> Privacy Shortcuts. Then ensure “Who can see your future posts?” is set to “Public” or “Friends”.
Similarly, check that “Who can see posts you’re tagged in on your profile?” is set to “Public” or “Friends”.
With your privacy settings open to show all videos, you should now get sound when scrolling through videos in Facebook.
Switch to Mobile Data or Another WiFi Network
In some cases, the issue stems from your internet connection rather than your device. Troubleshoot your network connection by:
- Turning off WiFi and using mobile data instead.
- Connecting to a different WiFi network like a friend’s or a public hotspot.
- Updating your router firmware and resetting your network devices.
If Facebook videos load with sound over another internet connection, then you know the problem lies with your home/office WiFi network.
Clear Your Browser Cache and Cookies
Over time, excess browser data can slow things down and cause site issues. Clear out this temporary usage data to see if it brings back sound on Facebook videos.
On desktop, access your browser’s settings to delete the cache and cookies. In the Facebook app, go to Settings -> Account Settings -> Apps and Websites -> Logged in with Facebook -> Clear Data.
Wiping the slate clean gives you a fresh start, often resolving quirky Facebook problems like no video audio.
Update Your Flash Player
Facebook relies on Adobe Flash Player for playing some videos. On desktop browsers, make sure your Flash Player plugin is up-to-date.
Go to Adobe’s website to check for Flash Player updates. Install the latest version if prompted.
Change the Video Quality
Facebook dynamically adjusts video quality based on your internet connection speed. Try manually setting a lower video quality under Settings -> Media and Contacts -> Video Quality.
Sometimes this tricks Facebook into resetting the video playback and restoring sound.
Try Facebook Lite
Facebook Lite is a stripped down version of Facebook for Android devices optimized for areas with poor internet speeds. The slimmed down nature of this app can help resolve quirky issues like no sound.
You can install Facebook Lite from the Google Play Store and use it just for viewing videos. The normal Facebook app remains on your phone for other functions.
Use Facebook in a Web Browser
On mobile devices, try opening Facebook in your mobile browser instead of the app. Tap the menu icon -> Request Desktop Site.
The browser version sometimes fixes audio problems when the native app fails. It’s quick to test before reinstalling the Facebook app.
Reinstall the Facebook App
As a last resort for mobile devices, uninstall completely and reinstall the Facebook app from the app store. This gives you a completely fresh install, wiping any corrupted files.
Reinstalling the app often resolves issues that can’t be fixed with standard troubleshooting. Make this the final attempt before contacting Facebook support.
Contact Facebook Support
If you still can’t get sound working on Facebook videos after trying all of the above steps, it’s time to contact Facebook. Describe the troubleshooting you’ve done and the timeline of the problem occurring.
To contact Facebook support:
- In the Facebook app, go to Settings -> Help & Support -> Contact Us
- On desktop, click the question mark icon -> Help Center -> Contact Us
Provide as many details as possible about when the video sound stopped working and what you’ve tried so far. The Facebook team can then investigate and hopefully resolve the audio issue.
Conclusion
With the right troubleshooting steps, getting the sound back on Facebook videos is usually quite straightforward.
Double check your device volume, restart the Facebook app, update software, switch networks, adjust settings, clear browser data, and contact Facebook support if needed.
Stick with it and methodically try each solution outlined here. Before you know it, your Facebook videos will once again play properly with sound!
| Troubleshooting Step | Details |
|---|---|
| Check Device Volume | Unmute and turn up system volume controls |
| Restart Facebook App | Force close and relaunch the app |
| Check Browser Settings | Volume, extensions, hardware acceleration |
| Update Software | Upgrade Facebook app and browser |
| Adjust Privacy Settings | Open settings to see all posts |
| Switch Networks | Try mobile data or different WiFi |
| Clear Browser Data | Delete history, cache, cookies |
| Update Flash Player | Install latest Flash plugin version |
| Change Video Quality | Lower quality may reset playback |
| Try Facebook Lite | Stripped down Android app |
| Use Browser Version | Instead of the mobile app |
| Reinstall Facebook App | Fresh install from app store |
| Contact Support | Get help directly from Facebook |
Following the solutions in a step-by-step manner will help you isolate and fix the root cause of Facebook videos not playing sound. With persistence, you can get your video audio back properly synced.
Let’s dig a little deeper into some of the most common reasons the sound may have disappeared in the first place…
Accidental Muting
It’s easy to accidentally mute a video or lower system volume while scrolling through Facebook. This could happen from:
- Hitting mute/volume buttons on your phone or computer
- Using keyboard shortcuts to control sound
- Pressing the mute button on videos themselves
- Adjusting external speakers or headphones
Running through a quick device volume check will uncover if accidental muting is to blame. Turn up volume levels and ensure mute is disabled across the board.
Software Bugs
With an app as complex as Facebook, software bugs can cause all kinds of quirky issues. Video sound suddenly stopping is most often a glitch rather than an actual problem with your device.
Restarting the app and updating to the latest version are key to fixing playback bugs. This resets things and applies new stability patches from the developers.
Connection Problems
Remote servers provide the streaming video content to your Facebook app. Slow internet speeds or spotty WiFi can disrupt the audio download portion.
Try loading Facebook videos over a different internet connection. If they play fine, you know it’s your regular network that’s the issue.
Incorrect Settings
While bugs cause some audio issues randomly, other times it’s a change in settings. You may have toggled an option without realizing it.
Review all of your Facebook and browser settings for anything audio related. Undo recent privacy, notification, autoplay, and permissions changes if needed.
Extension Conflicts
Browser extensions like ad blockers alter how Facebook video files load. If something is blocking key audio components from downloading, the sound won’t work.
Temporarily disable extensions one at a time until you isolate any problem addons. Then adjust extension settings or remove it.
Technical Malfunctions
In rare cases, there may be an actual fault with your device’s speakers, sound card, headphones, or other hardware components.
Seeing if the sound works properly on different sites/apps helps determine if Facebook specifically is the issue vs a wider technical malfunction.
Preventing Facebook Video Sound Problems
Once you fix your Facebook video sound issues, you’ll want to avoid them recurring. Here are some tips to keep audio working smoothly:
- Update Frequently: Install Facebook and browser updates right away to stay on top of bug fixes.
- Lower Video Quality: Streaming lower quality videos reduces bandwidth issues affecting sound.
- Don’t Multitask: Using too many system-intensive apps simultaneously can lead to performance problems.
- Check Settings: Periodically review settings to make sure nothing important accidentally got changed.
- Monitor Extensions: Keep tabs on extension updates that could cause conflicts.
- Test Alternate Networks: If your WiFi is temperamental, have a backup option.
Catching and preventing audio disruptions leads to smooth sailing next time you want to watch Facebook videos.
With billions of videos posted daily, sound glitches are inevitable now and then. But you’re now equipped with the top troubleshooting techniques to get your Facebook audio working again in no time!