Playback issues due to missing sound from all clips

Last updated on Jun 23, 2025

Learn how to troubleshoot if audio is missing from all clips across all projects.

Choose a system default audio device and check its volume

Your computer could have more than one device that can play back audio, for example, an internal speaker, external speakers, or headphones. Set your preferred device as the system default sound playback device and then verify that its volume is not muted or set low. 

Windows

Select Start Taskbar, then right click Volume Shape > Open Volume Mixer. Make sure that the volume in Premiere Pro is not muted.

macOS

  1. Open a Premiere Pro project that contains audio clips, video clips with audio, or a Bars and Tone clip.

  2. Select Premiere Pro > Preferences (Windows) and Settings (macOS) > Audio Hardware.

  3. Choose the audio device you want to use from the Adobe Desktop Audio settings under the Output Mapping section. Or select the Settings button to open the Settings dialog box and choose your default audio device.

  4. Select OK.

  5. Play a clip. If you still do not hear sound, then go back to Step 2 and try a different audio device.

Adjust the Audio Hardware driver settings in Premiere Pro

Windows

  1. Open an Adobe Premiere Pro project that contains audio clips, video clips with audio, or a Bars And Tone clip.

  2. Go to Premiere Pro Preferences and select Audio Hardware.

  3. From the Device Class dropdown menu, select an ASIO driver (if one is listed), otherwise, choose Premiere Pro WDM Sound (Premiere Pro CS6) or MME (Premiere Pro).

  4. Enable your preferred device by using the Default Output menu and selecting a device.

    Tip:

    For best results, enable the device that you chose as the system default playback device in the procedure here.

  5. Select OK to close the Preferences window.

  6. Play a clip. If you still do not hear sound, then go back to Step 2 and try a different driver.

Update the driver for your sound card, or install an ASIO driver

Windows

If you don't hear sound after completing the tasks above, then the driver for your computer's sound card could be out-of-date. Many sound card manufacturers frequently update their software drivers. Contact the manufacturer of your sound card or the manufacturer of your computer for an updated driver or download one from the manufacturer's website. When you have updated the driver, repeat the solutions above.

If no ASIO driver is installed and one is available for your sound card, then download and install the ASIO driver.