Get sound back when your Mac is muted or the volume keys don't work

Why it happens

Often your Mac is simply muted or turned all the way down. The volume keys also only work for outputs your Mac can control, so many monitors and TVs ignore them and the slider turns grey. And if the top row is set to act as F1, F2 and so on, the keys need fn held down.

How to fix it

1. Press the Mute key, then press Volume Up a few times. On most Mac keyboards they're F10 and F12, with speaker icons. You should see the volume change on screen.

2. If nothing changes, open System Settings and click Sound. Under Output, untick Mute and drag Output volume to the right.

   Sound›Output

3. Look at the Output list on the same page and check which device is selected. If it's not the one you're listening to, click your Mac's speakers or your headphones.

4. If the slider is greyed out, the selected output, often a monitor or TV, has no volume your Mac can control. Use its own buttons or remote, or switch to your Mac's speakers.

Still not fixed?

1. If the keys only work while you hold fn, your top row is set to act as F-keys. Turn off Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys in Keyboard settings.

   Keyboard›Keyboard Shortcuts…›Function Keys›Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys

2. On a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, the volume and mute buttons sit at the right end of the Touch Bar instead of on physical keys.

3. Some keyboards from other makers have no Mac volume keys. Click Control Center in the menu bar and drag the Sound slider instead.

4. Restart your Mac. That resets the sound system and often brings back keys that stopped responding.

5. If the built-in speakers stay silent with Mute off and the volume up, but headphones work, the speakers may have a hardware fault. Contact Apple Support or a repair shop.