# I screwed up my laptop's audio, how do I fix it **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 12, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-screwed-up-my-laptops-audio-how-do-i-fix-it/730878 "2015-09-12T18:06:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-screwed-up-my-laptops-audio-how-do-i-fix-it/730878/1 "2015-09-12T18:06:32Z")
I had something on the desk, so in trying to reach around it and type at the same time I somehow pressed on a combination of buttons on the lower left side of the keyboard. I saw something flash on the screen which resembled a speaker with a line through it. Now all my laptop’s audio is subdued. I don’t know what other word to describe it. It sounds like it is coming through a filter, or at 50% volume despite my volume being at 100%. Sooooooooooo, any idea? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-screwed-up-my-laptops-audio-how-do-i-fix-it/730878/2 "2015-09-12T18:26:59Z")
If you told us the make and model of the computer, someone might be able to answer, perhaps by reading the user manual. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-screwed-up-my-laptops-audio-how-do-i-fix-it/730878/3 "2015-09-12T18:29:32Z")
Why does it matter the make/model of laptop? I’m running windows 7 on a PC, and I pressed a combo of buttons on the lower left side of the keyboard. I’m not sure why the make/model of laptop would matter. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-screwed-up-my-laptops-audio-how-do-i-fix-it/730878/4 "2015-09-12T18:36:00Z")
The button combination to mute the computer might be unique to that manufacturer or even that model. But feel free to make it difficult for people to answer your question. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-screwed-up-my-laptops-audio-how-do-i-fix-it/730878/5 "2015-09-12T19:08:00Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The button combination to mute the computer might be unique to that manufacturer or even that model. But feel free to make it difficult for people to answer your question. Aw, you spoiled it! I was going to tell him how to fix it on a MacBook Pro running OS X, which is what I assumed he had. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-screwed-up-my-laptops-audio-how-do-i-fix-it/730878/6 "2015-09-12T19:53:20Z")
On my laptop it’s Alt-Fn-F3 to mute. You might try that. Next guess??? ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-screwed-up-my-laptops-audio-how-do-i-fix-it/730878/7 "2015-09-12T19:54:01Z")
You really do have to be specific; different laptops behave differently. I can mute by hitting the mute button (speaker with an X through it) at the top of my keyboard. Lower left sounds like you hit Fn in combination with something. Look very closely at your keyboard and see if there are any faint labels alongside the obvious labels on the keys that might be relevant. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-screwed-up-my-laptops-audio-how-do-i-fix-it/730878/8 "2015-09-12T22:18:11Z")
Mine isn’t muted totally, it just sounds different and I don’t understand why. I have a hp pavilion dv6-6135dx > **[TigerDirect.com](https://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/campaigns/deals.asp?campaignid=3983)** > > TigerDirect.com ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-screwed-up-my-laptops-audio-how-do-i-fix-it/730878/9 "2015-09-12T22:20:26Z")
Well, I ‘think’ what happened is on my model it comes with beats audio. Apparently fn+b will disable it. I turned it back on and I think it is back to normal. Apparently my laptop model did matter.