Dell XPS 13 9340 Intel Core Ultra 7 165H Speakers Not Detected Fix Windows 11

Windows shows no audio output device on your Dell XPS 13 9340 Intel Core Ultra 7 165H – the speaker icon has a red X, sound settings shows No audio output device is installed, or the Realtek audio device is missing from Device Manager. Realtek HD Audio driver reinstallation from Dell Support restores speaker output on the XPS 13 9340.

This guide covers Realtek audio driver installation, Windows audio troubleshooting, and Waves MaxxAudio Pro configuration for the Dell XPS 13 9340 Intel Core Ultra 7 165H in Windows 11.

“XPS 13 9340 showed no audio output device after a clean Windows install. Speaker icon had red X. Downloaded Realtek driver from Dell Support with my service tag. Installed, restarted, and speakers worked immediately. Always use the Dell service tag for correct driver.” – Syazwani, marketing executive from KL Eco City

Why Speakers Are Not Detected on Dell XPS 13 9340

The Dell XPS 13 9340 speakers use a Realtek HD Audio controller that requires the Realtek High Definition Audio driver for Windows to recognize it as an audio output device. After a clean Windows 11 installation or after Windows Update removes the Realtek driver, the audio controller appears in Device Manager as an Unknown Device or simply does not enumerate as an audio device at all. Without the Realtek driver, Windows has no audio output device to route sound to, showing the red X on the taskbar speaker icon and the No audio output device installed message in Sound settings.

• Realtek HD Audio driver missing after clean Windows installation or Windows Update removal
• Windows Audio service stopped – audio devices not enumerated despite driver being installed
• Realtek audio controller in Device Manager with error code requiring driver reinstall
• Dell Waves MaxxAudio Pro app conflict with Realtek driver causing audio device initialization failure

Fix 1 – Install Realtek Audio Driver from Dell Support

Go to dell.com/support and enter the XPS 13 9340 service tag (found on the bottom of the laptop). Download the Realtek High Definition Audio driver from the Audio category for Windows 11. Install and restart. After restart, the speaker icon should display normally without the red X. Open Settings – System – Sound – Output to confirm the Realtek audio device appears as an output option. Select it and test sound by playing audio from any application. The Realtek HD Audio driver for the Dell XPS 13 9340 includes Dell-specific speaker tuning profiles that optimize bass and treble for the XPS 13 9340 compact speaker configuration.

Fix 2 – Restart Windows Audio Service

Press Windows+R and type services.msc. Find Windows Audio. If status is Stopped, right-click and select Start. Also check Windows Audio Endpoint Builder – start it if stopped and set both services to Automatic startup type. The Windows Audio service manages audio device enumeration and routing. If this service is stopped (can happen after certain Windows Update operations), the Realtek driver may be installed but audio devices do not appear in Sound settings because the service that presents them to Windows applications is not running. Starting these services restores audio output without driver reinstallation in some cases.

Run Audio Troubleshooter

Right-click the speaker icon (even with red X) and select Troubleshoot sound problems. Windows Audio Troubleshooter runs automated checks: verifies audio services are running, checks audio device driver status, tests audio playback path, and attempts to auto-fix common issues. The troubleshooter often identifies the specific cause (missing driver, stopped service, wrong default device) and either fixes it automatically or provides the specific error message that guides the next manual step. Run the troubleshooter before manual driver reinstallation to check if an automatic fix resolves the no audio device situation on the XPS 13 9340.

Fix 3 – Reinstall Waves MaxxAudio Pro

Open Dell SupportAssist and check for Waves MaxxAudio Pro application updates. If Waves MaxxAudio Pro is installed but shows an error or is outdated, uninstall it from Settings – Apps, restart, then reinstall the Realtek audio driver from Dell Support. Reinstall Waves MaxxAudio Pro from Microsoft Store or Dell Support afterward. On the XPS 13 9340, Waves MaxxAudio Pro integrates with the Realtek driver as an audio processing plugin – an incompatible or corrupted Waves MaxxAudio Pro version can prevent the Realtek audio device from initializing, displaying as no audio device even though the hardware is functional when the Waves component is bypassed.

Fix 4 – Check BIOS Audio Settings

Restart and press F2 for BIOS setup. Navigate to System Configuration – Audio or Integrated Peripherals. Ensure Internal Speaker or Audio Controller is set to Enabled. A BIOS update or incorrect BIOS configuration can disable the audio controller at the firmware level, making it invisible to Windows regardless of driver installation state. Enabling the audio controller in BIOS and restarting allows Windows to enumerate the Realtek HD Audio controller, after which the driver installation completes the audio device setup for the Dell XPS 13 9340 speakers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are speakers not detected on Dell XPS 13 9340 Intel Core Ultra 7 165H?

Realtek HD Audio driver missing. Install from Dell Support using service tag. Also check Windows Audio service is running in services.msc.

How do I fix no audio device on Dell XPS 13 9340?

Dell Support service tag Realtek audio driver download and install. Run Audio Troubleshooter. Start Windows Audio service. Check BIOS audio controller enabled.

Does Dell XPS 13 9340 Intel Core Ultra 7 165H have stereo speakers?

Yes – stereo speakers with Waves MaxxAudio Pro processing. Realtek HD Audio driver from Dell Support includes XPS 13 9340 speaker tuning profiles.

Why does Dell XPS 13 9340 say no audio output device installed?

Realtek driver missing or Windows Audio service stopped. Run Audio Troubleshooter first, then install Realtek driver from Dell Support if troubleshooter cannot auto-fix.

Conclusion

Dell XPS 13 9340 Intel Core Ultra 7 165H speakers not detected in Windows 11 is resolved by installing the Realtek HD Audio driver from Dell Support using the laptop service tag. Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder services must be running in Automatic startup mode for audio devices to be enumerated. Waves MaxxAudio Pro reinstallation resolves Realtek audio device initialization failures caused by incompatible Waves audio plugin versions. BIOS audio controller enable check addresses firmware-level audio controller disable that prevents driver installation from resolving the no audio device situation.