Whenever I start my Windows 11 PC and log in, the system has no audio. Pressing Fn + F1 once mutes the system and pressing it again immediately restores sound for the rest of the session. Windows and the audio drivers are up to date, and uninstalling the latest Windows update made no difference. The computer is an MSI laptop. What could be causing this startup-only mute state, and what should I check?
4 Answers
Look through the BIOS/UEFI settings for an option that controls mute behavior at boot. It is also worth checking whether an Fn-lock or manufacturer keyboard setting is being initialized incorrectly when Windows starts.
Since the mute key fixes everything immediately, the speakers and basic audio driver are probably fine. Check MSI's hotkey, keyboard, and audio utilities, along with any related startup services. Temporarily disable those utilities in Task Manager's Startup apps section and see whether audio works normally after logging in.
Try restarting Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder through services.msc. Also check MSI's support software for updates. If the issue only happens after a normal boot, disable Fast Startup and test a full shutdown and restart, since hybrid boot can leave hardware state stuck.
A similar Windows audio glitch can sometimes be reset by toggling another sound setting, such as mono audio, off and on. That points more toward Windows or an audio utility getting stuck during startup than toward a damaged speaker. If the problem continues, compare the behavior with all manufacturer utilities disabled.
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