Audio Issue Fortnite

Audio Not Working on Headphones - Fortnite PC Fix Guide

📅 Published: 2026-02-05 🔄 Updated: 2026-02-05 👥 Reports: 1 ⚡ Severity: 🟢 Low

🎯 Quick Answer

Set your headphones as the default Windows communication device and configure Fortnite's audio output device to match in the game's settings.

SECTION 1: OVERVIEW

The Fortnite PC headphone audio failure is a configuration conflict where the game client does not correctly route audio output to the user's selected playback device. This error exclusively affects the Windows PC platform across all current game versions, including those built on Unreal Engine 5. The problem is classified as a common occurrence, particularly following major Windows or graphics driver updates. Its severity is game-breaking for audio-dependent gameplay, as it completely nullifies directional sound cues and voice chat functionality. No specific error codes are generated by the game; the failure manifests as a complete absence of audio output through the intended device while other system sounds or applications function correctly.

SECTION 2: SYMPTOMS

The primary symptom is zero audio output through the connected headphones during all Fortnite client states, including the lobby, menus, and in-game matches. Audio through other system playback devices, such as monitor speakers, functions normally. The game's audio settings menu shows active volume sliders and a selected output device, but no sound is produced. The issue persists immediately upon launching the application and continues through gameplay sessions. No error messages, pop-up dialogs, or crash reports are generated by the game or the Epic Games Launcher. The audio meter for the selected input device in the settings may also remain inactive.

SECTION 3: COMMON CAUSES

Category: Configuration Error Specific Technical Explanation: Windows default communication device is set to a different output than the default playback device. Fortnite, like many communication-aware applications, can prioritize the Windows Communication Device for all audio output. Why this causes the problem: The game routes audio to the device Windows designates for communications, ignoring the user's primary playback device selection. Category: Configuration Error Specific Technical Explanation: Fortnite's in-game audio output device setting is configured to a specific device that is no longer connected, disabled, or has a driver conflict. Why this causes the problem: The game engine's audio subsystem attempts to initialize the hard-coded device from its settings file, failing silently when the device is unavailable. Category: Software Conflict Specific Technical Explanation: Third-party audio enhancement software (e.g., Nahimic, Sonic Studio, Dolby Access) or communication suite (e.g., Discord, Voicemod) has exclusive control over the audio endpoint. Why this causes the problem: The software holds an exclusive lock on the audio device, preventing the Fortnite process from accessing the audio stream. Category: Driver Issue Specific Technical Explanation: Outdated, corrupted, or generic Microsoft-provided drivers for the headphone's audio controller (USB, Bluetooth, or 3.5mm). Why this causes the problem: The driver lacks proper communication protocols or has stability bugs that cause the audio stream to drop when a high-performance application like Fortnite requests access. Category: Game Bug Specific Technical Explanation: A corrupted GameUserSettings.ini file contains invalid or conflicting parameters for the audio subsystem. Why this causes the problem: The game reads malformed data on launch, causing the audio engine to initialize incorrectly or not at all. Category: Hardware Issue Specific Technical Explanation: The headphone connection (USB port, 3.5mm jack, or Bluetooth adapter) has a faulty physical connection or power delivery issue. Why this causes the problem: Intermittent connection interrupts the device enumeration process during game startup, leading the system to mark the device as unavailable.

SECTION 4: SOLUTIONS

Solution 1: Configure Windows Default Audio Devices

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 3 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: None Steps:

Right-click the speaker icon in the Windows system tray and select Open Sound settings.
Under the Output section, ensure your headphones are selected as the Output device.
Scroll down and click More sound settings.
In the Sound control panel window, navigate to the Playback tab.
Right-click your headphone device and select Set as Default Device.
Right-click the same headphone device again and select Set as Default Communication Device.
Click Apply and then OK. Launch Fortnite and test audio.

Technical Explanation: This ensures Windows assigns all application audio, including game and communication streams, to a single, unified endpoint, eliminating routing conflicts. Verification: Play a system sound (like adjusting volume) through the headphones. Then, launch Fortnite and confirm audio is present in the lobby.

Solution 2: Set Audio Output Device in Fortnite

Difficulty: Easy Time Required: 2 minutes Success Rate: High Prerequisites: None Steps:

Launch Fortnite and proceed to the main lobby.
Open the main menu by pressing Esc or clicking the menu icon.
Navigate to the Settings gear icon.
Select the Audio tab from the left-hand menu.
Scroll to the Audio Output Device dropdown menu.
Select your headphone device from the list. The option "Default" uses the Windows default communication device.
Apply the settings and test audio without leaving the lobby.

Technical Explanation: This directly instructs the Fortnite audio engine to output to a specific device, overriding any automatic Windows routing that may be malfunctioning. Verification: The selected device name persists in the Audio Output Device setting. Adjusting the Master Volume slider should produce immediate sound.

Solution 3: Update and Reconfigure Audio Drivers

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 10 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Administrator access recommended Steps:

Press Windows Key + X and select Device Manager.
Expand the Sound, video and game controllers section.
Right-click your audio device (e.g., Realtek Audio, USB Audio Device, NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device) and select Uninstall device. Check the box that says "Attempt to remove the driver for this device" if present.
Restart your PC. Windows will attempt to install a generic driver.
Visit your PC or motherboard manufacturer's website (for onboard audio) or your headphone manufacturer's website (for USB/Bluetooth models) to download the latest specific driver.
Install the downloaded driver and restart again if prompted.
Repeat Solution 1 to reconfigure the default devices after the new driver is installed.

Technical Explanation: A clean driver installation removes corrupted configuration data and replaces potentially incompatible generic drivers with manufacturer-optimized software. Verification: The device appears without warning symbols in Device Manager, and its properties show the new driver version and date.

Solution 4: Disable Audio Enhancements and Exclusive Mode

Difficulty: Medium Time Required: 5 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: None Steps:

Open the Sound control panel as described in Solution 1, Step 4.
On the Playback tab, double-click your headphone device.
Navigate to the Enhancements tab. Check the box for Disable all enhancements.
Navigate to the Advanced tab.
Under Exclusive Mode, uncheck both boxes: Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device and Give exclusive mode applications priority.
Click Apply and OK. Restart Fortnite.

Technical Explanation: This prevents system or third-party software from applying processing that can destabilize the audio stream and stops other applications from locking the device. Verification: The settings remain unchecked after applying. Audio from other applications continues to work while Fortnite is running.

Solution 5: Repair or Delete Fortnite Configuration Files

Difficulty: Advanced Time Required: 7 minutes Success Rate: Medium Prerequisites: Game must not be running Steps:

Navigate to the Fortnite local configuration folder: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\FortniteGame\Saved\Config\WindowsClient.
Locate the file named GameUserSettings.ini.
Create a backup by copying this file to your desktop.
Delete the original GameUserSettings.ini file from the WindowsClient folder.
Launch the Epic Games Launcher, but do not launch Fortnite.
Click the three dots under Fortnite and select Verify. This process will regenerate a fresh configuration file.
After verification, launch the game and reconfigure your audio settings (Solution 2).

Technical Explanation: Deleting the configuration file forces Fortnite to generate a new one with default values, eliminating any corrupted or invalid audio parameters stored within. Verification: A new GameUserSettings.ini file is created in the folder upon launching the game. All previous game settings will be reset to defaults.

Solution 6: Clean Boot to Isolate Software Conflict

Difficulty: Advanced Time Required: 15 minutes Success Rate: Low Prerequisites: Administrator access required Steps:

Press Windows Key + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
In the System Configuration window, go to the Services tab.
Check Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all.
Navigate to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
In Task Manager, disable every startup item.
Close Task Manager, click OK in System Configuration, and restart the PC.
After booting into a clean environment, launch only Fortnite to test audio.
If audio works, re-enable services and startup items in groups to identify the conflicting software.

Technical Explanation: This diagnostic step loads Windows with minimal third-party processes, determining if background software is causing a resource or access conflict with the audio subsystem. Verification: Audio functions in Fortnite while in the clean boot state. The conflict is identified when audio fails again after re-enabling a specific group of services.

SECTION 5: PREVENTION

To prevent recurrence, maintain a consistent Windows default audio device configuration. Establish a schedule to update audio and graphics drivers monthly from manufacturer websites, not through Windows Update. Before launching Fortnite, close third-party audio management applications. Periodically verify the integrity of game files through the Epic Games Launcher after major system updates. Monitor audio functionality by testing system sounds prior to launching the game to confirm the primary output device is active. Avoid switching default playback devices while Fortnite is running.

SECTION 6: WHEN TO CONTACT SUPPORT

Contact Epic Games Support if all solutions fail and the issue persists across a complete operating system reinstall with updated drivers. Prior to contact, gather the diagnostic output from the Epic Games Launcher logs, located in C:\ProgramData\Epic\EpicGamesLauncher\Data\Logs. Provide a DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag) report and full system specifications. Note the exact make, model, and connection type of the affected headphones. Official support channels are accessible via the "Contact Us" section of the Epic Games Help website.