How to Enable Monitor Speakers
By Mike Venture
Some computer monitors have built-in speakers, which can be convenient and save desk space. However, since the most common types of monitor connection, DVI and VGA, are not capable of carrying audio signals, you need to connect a separate cable to make use of the monitor's speakers for video conferencing, listening to music while you work, or anything else.
Step 1
Connect one end of the 3.5 mm cable to the audio output port on the computer. This port is usually on the back or front of desktop computers and the side of laptop computers and is black or green, represented by a headphones icon.
Step 2
Connect the other end of the 3.5 mm cable to the audio input port on the monitor. This type of port is standard for headphones.
Step 3
Look at the Windows sound icon (a speaker) in the system tray to make sure that the system sound is not muted or too low to hear. If the system is muted, the icon will be overlaid with a struck-through circle.
Step 4
Locate the monitor's built-in volume control, if any, and turn the volume up.
References
Tips
- Play something, such as an MP3 or YouTube video that has an audio track, to verify that the speakers are working. If you hear no sound, you've probably inserted the 3.5 mm cable into the wrong port on the computer. Try different ports until you hear the sound.
Writer Bio
Based in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mike Venture has been writing since 2005. He has written for the RAND Corporation, Sterling & Ross Publishers and Metropol Literary Agency. He has also worked as a technical writer at several software start-ups. Venture holds a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from the University of Pittsburgh.