Why does my video recording have no sound?
Check Audio Sources
One of the most common reasons for no audio during video recording is that the microphone or external audio input source is not properly connected or configured. This includes checking that:
- The microphone is plugged in and powered on. Make sure cables are fully inserted and not loose.
- The microphone or audio input source is selected as the input device in your recording software/device settings.
- Microphone levels are adjusted to an appropriate volume – not too low or too high causing clipping.
- If using an external preamp or audio interface, ensure it is powered on and properly connected.
- Try using a different microphone and input method to isolate the issue.
Confirming these basic connection points will ensure your microphone or other audio source is actually being captured during recording. If audio levels show input activity but there is no sound, focus troubleshooting on playback devices and software settings next.
Adjust Audio Levels
One common reason for a video recording to have no sound is that the volume levels are too low, either system-wide or within the recording software specifically. Here are some tips for adjusting audio levels:
– Check the volume slider in your operating system’s audio settings. Make sure it is turned up high enough to capture sound.
– Open the audio settings in your recording software. Look for input volume sliders and make sure they are not muted or set too low. Increase the input gain if needed.
– Try doing a test recording and watch the input audio levels. Make sure they are responding when you speak into the mic. If levels are too low, boost the input volume.
– Beware of clipping or distortion if levels are set too high. Find the right balance between volume and quality.
– For advanced control, use compressors and limiters to boost quiet sounds without overloading loud sounds.
– Consider using a dedicated external audio interface with headphone monitoring if you need more control over gain staging.
– Finally, double check playback volume before rendering the final video.
Audio Codec Compatibility
The audio codec used when recording a video can lead to playback issues if it is not supported by your device or software. According to Epiphan, common video recording formats like MP4 and MOV support audio codecs like AAC, MP3, and PCM. However, formats like MKV may only support certain codecs. Older codecs like WMA are less universally supported.
The audio codec compatibility also depends on your playback device and software. For example, the AAC audio codec has broad support on mobile devices and modern media players, but some older DVD players may not support it. According to TechSmith, MP4 with AAC audio provides the most universal compatibility across devices and software. Checking your playback device or software’s supported audio codecs can help troubleshoot missing audio.
If you are recording software does not allow selecting the audio codec, changing the overall file format/container may provide more compatible default audio encoding. Or if possible, try re-encoding the audio track to a more widely supported codec.
Output Settings
One common cause of exporting a video with no audio is incorrect output settings. The output settings determine how the audio and video data are encoded in the final export file. Three key audio output settings to check are:
- Audio Channels: This specifies whether the export file should contain mono or stereo audio. Ensure this matches the number of audio channels in your source video. For example, if you have a stereo source file, make sure to export as stereo to retain both channels (source).
- Sample Rate: The sample rate determines the quality and frequency range of the digital audio. Common sample rates are 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz for most audio. Use the highest sample rate that your video source contains to avoid quality loss (source).
- Bit Depth: Also called bitrate, this determines the resolution of each audio sample, typically 16-bit or 24-bit. Again, match the bit depth from your source file to avoid unnecessary downsampling or quality loss during export (source).
So check that all of these settings accurately match your source audio in order to successfully retain the audio during the export process.
Playback Devices
The possible cause of no sound in your video recording could be that the wrong playback device is selected. Your computer uses a sound card, speakers, headphones, or other connected audio devices to play sounds and audio. Windows may have switched to an audio device that is disconnected or defective, preventing sound from playing properly.
First, open Sound Settings in Windows and verify that the correct playback device is selected under “Output”. The device name will depend on your specific hardware. For example, if headphones were used during recording but are now unplugged, Windows may still be directing output there. Select the speakers or another device currently connected.
Next, check that all connected audio devices appear on the list and that none are disabled. You may see “Not Plugged In” listed next to headphones, for example, indicating Windows cannot detect them. For speakers, headphones, or sound cards, be sure the device status shows as “working” and not disabled.
According to Microsoft’s troubleshooting steps, you should also confirm volume is up, all cables are securely connected between the computer and speakers or headphones, and any required power is on.
If issues persist, updating sound card drivers from the manufacturer may help resolve hardware conflicts or compatibility issues affecting playback.
Re-encode Video
An issue with corrupted or missing audio in a video file can sometimes be resolved by remuxing or re-encoding the video with a new audio track included. This re-exports the video file and gives it brand new header information, which can resolve issues with the initial audio in the file.
Here’s how to try re-encoding a video with new audio:
- Extract the audio track from the original video, if possible.
- Switch to a video editor program and import the video and extracted audio.
- Align and sync the audio to the video.
- Add in new audio or soundtrack if needed.
- Check that the video and audio are properly in sync.
- Export the file as an H.264/MP4 video file. This creates a brand new encoding of the video with refreshed header data.
- Playback the re-encoded video to see if the audio issues are resolved.
Several free video tools like VideoCandy can re-encode and add audio tracks to video files. This remuxing of the file often clears up audio corruption issues from the original recording.
Corrupt Recording
There are several instances where your video recording may become corrupted or incomplete. For example, if your screen recording or video capturing software crashes or gets interrupted. This can disrupt the audio encoding process and result in an out-of-sync or missing audio track. Other software errors may be the culprit such as audio codecs not being installed properly. If the software fails to encode or finalize the audio properly before crashing, it can prevent the audio from being embedded in the final MP4 file.
The good news is there are some repair tools that may be able to recover your audio and resync it back to the video if the file itself has not been overwritten. Software like iMyFone Fixppo performs a scan of corrupt MP4 files and isolates the audio and video tracks separately. It then attempts to reconstruct the file with the audio and video synchronized. While you may lose some content in the process, it’s often able to rescue at least a partial video.
Isolate Audio Track
If there are problems with the audio track specifically, you can isolate the audio track from the rest of the video to take a closer look at it. Many video editing programs like Shotcut allow extracting audio from Video (Source). This allows you to inspect just the audio track waveform without the video. Look for gaps or inconsistencies in the waveform that could indicate issues.
Update Drivers
One cause of lost audio recordings can be outdated or corrupted drivers, especially audio drivers. When a new driver update is released, it’s important to install it in order to access new features, security updates, and bug fixes that can resolve several issues.
To update your audio drivers and other key drivers related to multimedia recording on Windows, head to Device Manager. Right click on your computer’s speaker, microphone or webcam driver and select “Update driver”. This will search online and install the latest driver for that hardware.
Additionally, check your video editing or recording software. Many software platforms like Adobe Premiere have specialized graphics card drivers that are periodically updated. Head to the manufacturer’s website to download and install these drivers.
Lastly, update drivers for external audio interfaces, headphones, microphones or any other peripheral hardware related to audio. Installing the latest drivers ensures full compatibility and functionality with your operating system and recording software.
According to this Microsoft forum post, audio issues can occur after a Windows Update if drivers need to be updated for compatibility.
Hardware Faults
Sometimes no sound issues can be caused by broken or malfunctioning hardware. Two common hardware devices that can fail and cause no sound are microphones and sound cards:
Damaged Microphone: The most direct hardware issue would be a damaged or broken microphone. If the microphone hardware is not working, then it cannot properly detect and transmit audio, resulting in no sound on playback. If possible, try testing with another microphone to isolate the issue to that device.
Sound Card Issues: The sound card is the hardware device that translates audio from a digital signal into analog waves that are output to speakers or headphones. An outdated driver or an actual failed sound card can cause playback issues with no sound. Check that the sound card driver is up to date and run the hardware diagnostic tools specific to your computer brand and model (e.g. HP, Dell, etc.) to check the functionality of the sound card [1].