Samuel Chiltern answered
If you can't work out how to turn the volume up on your computer, then the first thing to do is to check the physical hardware.
If you are using a desktop computer, then this is probably connected to a pair of external speakers. The volume through these speakers should be easily-adjustable by using their built-in knobs or dials.
If no sound is coming out of your computer, then you should always check to make sure that the speakers are switched on (and turned up to about mid-way) first.
There is also a chance that your keyboard has some form of hotkey (or short-cut key) that also controls the volume.
Many modern desktop computer keyboards have dedicated keys which allow you to adjust the volume, as well as to quickly mute the sound - so check that you haven't hit one of these keys by mistake.
A lot of laptops also have separate volume control keys, but some also have these controls integrated into the standard keyboard, as a secondary function. Usually, this control can be accessed by pressing the ‘Function’ button (often labelled as 'Fn').
If your laptop employs this approach, then you should see a series of symbols dotted around your keyboard - generally along the top row of keys.
When you are holding down the 'Function' button, these symbols become the active roles of those particular keys. Look for the symbols representing volume control - which will normally be a pair of speaker symbols.
Check Operating System Settings
If none of the above helps you to turn the volume up on your computer, then you will need to check your Operating System settings.
To do this in Windows Vista/7:
If you are using a desktop computer, then this is probably connected to a pair of external speakers. The volume through these speakers should be easily-adjustable by using their built-in knobs or dials.
If no sound is coming out of your computer, then you should always check to make sure that the speakers are switched on (and turned up to about mid-way) first.
There is also a chance that your keyboard has some form of hotkey (or short-cut key) that also controls the volume.
Many modern desktop computer keyboards have dedicated keys which allow you to adjust the volume, as well as to quickly mute the sound - so check that you haven't hit one of these keys by mistake.
A lot of laptops also have separate volume control keys, but some also have these controls integrated into the standard keyboard, as a secondary function. Usually, this control can be accessed by pressing the ‘Function’ button (often labelled as 'Fn').
If your laptop employs this approach, then you should see a series of symbols dotted around your keyboard - generally along the top row of keys.
When you are holding down the 'Function' button, these symbols become the active roles of those particular keys. Look for the symbols representing volume control - which will normally be a pair of speaker symbols.
Check Operating System Settings
If none of the above helps you to turn the volume up on your computer, then you will need to check your Operating System settings.
To do this in Windows Vista/7:
- Select ‘Control Panel’ from the ‘Start’ menu.
- Click on the ‘Hardware and Sound’ option.
- Under 'Audio Devices and Sound', click 'Adjust System Volume'.
- Use the volume slider to set a sensible volume. Don't push the slider all the way to the top, or you might cause the sound to distort, or to damage your speakers!