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Everyone likes to have different sound levels on their computer.Ìý Some people prefer a bit of peace and quiet, whereas others need things to be a bit louder - either because they're in noisy surroundings, or perhaps because of a hearing impairment.Ìý Most audio or video players have easy-to-find volume controls next to the play button, but sometimes these don't quite do the trick - so how can you make sure the audio settings on your computer meet your needs?Ìý Let's troubleshoot two very different but very common issues that people have with sound on their computer.

1. The sound's too loud/too quiet

If you can definitely hear sound coming out of your computer, but it's either too loud or too quiet (and you've adjusted the sound controls on your video/audio player as much as you can) then there's one more place you can turn to.Ìý

On a Windows PC, you'll see a clock in the bottom right hand of your screen, in the task bar.Ìý Next to that is a row of icons, one of which shows a speaker (if you can't see it, try clicking the arrow button to the left of the icons).Ìý Click on this once, and you'll see the main audio controls for the computer as a whole - changing the sound here will probably solve your problem, although be aware that it'll change the sound levels on everything you listen to on your computer.

2. There isn't any sound at all

If you haven't got any sound on your computer at all - and you've tried listening to CDs, online videos and music files, so you know it's a problem affecting all types of sound on your computer and not just your CD drive or music software - things can be more difficult to fix.Ìý Here are some common issues:

• Often, the sound will be muted - follow the instructions for changing the sound above, but instead of adjusting the sound level de-select the "mute" tick-box to un-mute the sound.Ìý
• You might want to check that your speakers or headphones are plugged into the right place, or try different sets - your headphones might be broken (this happened to me recently!).
• Try checking the settings - in Windows, use the Start Menu to navigate your control panel (make sure you're in classic view, if you have Windows XP or higher) and double-click on "Sounds and Audio Devices" - you can see a more detailed view of the volume settings here, but don't change anything if you don't know what it means!

If none of these options fix your issue, then it's worth finding a techy friend or failing that, finding a reputable local computer shop who can help you out.Ìý Good luck!

As well as working on the WebWise production team, Helen has an interest in short-form video, social media and online marketing.