When your Counter strike audio is not working, it removes the fun as the sound is an important factor in your strategic movement, and helps keep you one step ahead of the enemy.
No sound coming through on Counter-Strike can be due to your audio settings, speakers, or a fault with the audio device of your chosen platform.
Nothing is more satisfying than the boom of firing an AWM at an unsuspecting target when playing counter strike global offensive, this is why we have created this quick-fire guide to help restore your audio when you play Steams multiplayer classic.
Why is my audio not working CSGO

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The sound in your CS: GO game may not be working due to the following reasons;
- Your in-game settings are not set correctly, causing an incompatibility with the platform you are playing your game on
- Faulty sound drivers on your PC will prohibit any sound from being able to come through on the speakers
- Corrupted cache files will interfere with the audio working in your Counter-Strike
- Headsets inserted incorrectly will stop any audios from being able to come through, as well as not being configured properly
Which audio output is best for CSGO?
To ensure your audio is on the optimal setting for the best sound experience when playing Counter-Strike, your in-game settings as well as your PC settings need to be set correctly.
- The audio setting on Counter-Strike should be set at ‘Stereo’ and NOT ‘Advanced 3D Audio Processing’
- Your Windows settings should also be set to ‘Stereo’
- The audio should be at 16-BIT along with 44100HZ
How do I enable audio in CSGO?

Photo by Alexander Jawfox on Unsplash
Your Counter-Strike audio not working is due to many possible reasons, all of which are fixable by flowing these easy steps;
Fix 1. Configure your headphones
It is highly recommended to always use headphones when playing Counter-Strike as this helps you to be able to listen to your surroundings in the game to be able to know where your enemies are, without being distracted by exterior noises.
Setting up your headphones on Windows
Step 1. In the ‘Control Panel’ press on ‘Sound’
Step 2. Press the ‘Speaker’ image and select ‘Configuration’
Step 3. Choose ‘Stereo’
Step 4. Click on the ‘left’ and ‘Right’ speakers
Step 5. Confirm these changes
Under the ‘Properties’ tab, check to see that your audio is set to 16BIT, 44,100HZ.
Fix 2. Check in-game settings
Your sound settings may be all correct on your gaming platform, however, if they are not set properly in the settings of your game, your Counter-Strike audio will not work.
Step 1. Launch Counter-Strike
Step 2. Select the ‘Settings’ button
Step 3. Click on ‘Audio Settings’ and choose the ‘Audio’ tab
Step 4. Make sure your ‘Audio Output Configuration’ is set to headphones
Note, check to see that your ‘Master Volume’ is not muted, or even set too low.
Fix 3. Update sound driver
Updating the sound driver on your PC will get rid of any faulty software that may be causing your Counter-Strike audio to not work.
Step 1. Select the ‘Device Manager’ on your PC
Step 2. Open up the ‘Audio Inputs and Outputs’ tab
Step 3. From the drop-down menu, right-click on the output device (headphones)
Step 4. You should now be able to select ‘Update Driver’
Step 5. Confirm this by choosing ‘Search Automatically For Updated Driver Software’
Note, this may take a few minutes.
If you do not want to complete these steps, you can download ‘Driver Easy’ which will automatically update your driver for you.
Fix 4. Verify game files
Verifying your CSGO files will get rid of any faulty cache files and check to see that all files are supported.
Step 1. Open your Steam game launcher
Step 2. Scroll to find ‘Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’ and right-click on it
Step 3. Select ‘Properties’
Step 4. On the left-hand side, you will be able to click on ‘Local Files’
Step 5. Now click on ‘Verify Integrity of Game Files’
This will take a couple of minutes to redownload and get rid of any corrupted files currently in place.
How do I change my CSGO voice input device?

How do I change my CS GO audio device?
Counter-Strike audio may not be working if you are using the incorrect device. Changing this setting is a simple process;
Step 1. Open up steam and select your friend list, this can be done by clicking the bottom right option (friends and chat)
Step 2. Once opened, click the ‘setting’ button located as a cog in the top right hand corner.
Step 3. A new window will open, here you will see the option named (Voice) click it.
Step 4. Located on a drop down menu the option (Voice input device) can now be seen.
Step 5. Simply select the device of your choice, the device you choose will be used when you head back over and play CSGO
Congratulations you have now successfully changed your voice input device.
How do I change my CSGO Audio output device
Changing your audio output device is just as simple as modifying your input device;
Step 1. Startup Counter-Strike and open the ‘Settings’ menu
Step 2. Next, select the ‘Audio’ tab
Step 3. You will see the option (Audio output device)
Step 4. Select the output of your choice
You have now successfully changed your CSGO audio output device.
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- How To Fix New World When The Game Won’t Stop Running On Steam
How do I unmute Counter-Strike?

Can you mute and unmute in CSGO?
There are a few ways to unmute player voices that you want to listen to when playing CSGO multiplayer;
Option 1. Entering into the game settings and selecting the ‘Communications’ tab you will be able to view the users that are muted or unmuted, simply unmute the player that you wish to listen to.
CS:GO does give you the option to mute the whole of your enemies team as well as everyone else except your friends.
Option 2. Under the ‘Communications’ tab, you will be able to select ‘Mute all but friends’ or ‘Mute enemy team’
Note, muting everyone can hinder your gaming experience as you will miss out on any important information.
For more options on muting other players, click here.
Final Thoughts
With the sound now restored, you can once again enjoy the amazing sound of Counter-Strike Global Offensive.
If for some reason the audio has not returned, there may be a physical problem with your hardware, which may require an inspection from a qualified specialist.
You can check out IFIXIT here, which provides all the necessary information on repairing speakers.
You can also contact Steam’s customer service who can help troubleshoot the loss of sound further. They have an online customer support page. Steam does not offer a telephone number, but you can email them at support@steampowered.com.