Built-In Speakers Sound Output Missing.

After revisiting this for about the 5th time and trying the many different methods in this thread, the only way I've been able to restore my Internal Speakers was to plug in a 3.5mm headphone jack and leave it plugged in.

This causes the OS to register "Headphones" as the connected output device in Sound (System Preferences). From here, you can then set the "Use audio port for" setting to "Sound Input." This causes the audio port to switch to input mode which in turn brings back the Internal Speakers as the default Output device.

Essentially what you're left with is a dual-purpose stereo jack for your audio port: fix for your Internal Speakers and removable dust cover.

Mine was doing the exact same thing! Guess that's what I get for not constantly buying a new computer after 4 years... Wish these things were built for longevity rather than upgrades. Anyway, the way I fixed it was by inserting my headphones into the jack again and waiting (watching for) system preferences>sound>output to show it changed from "digital out" to "headphones" then I removed the headphones and it went back to "internal" again. Must be the monitor/switch/whatever in the jack messing up.

I'm having the same problem.. But for me I've tried all the recommended ways to solve this but I still can get it to work. I'm on the Air 11" and I never could get this to work. Tried plugging ear plugs in but there is still no sound. I can get sound only from connecting to bluetooth speakers or through hdmi cables to a projector. And both when connected don't show any in built speaker. Tried toothpick, earpiece, cotton buds but to no avail. HELP

On my 17" early 2011 Macbook Pro I had to press the switch on the top(inside) of the headphone/digital out jack, and the internal speakers came back in the system preferences. I used a Q-tip with the end cut off.

I found no sound from built in output, and saw the red light coming from my headphone port.

I opened the sound pane in system preferences and saw 'digital optical output'. I inserted a set of headphones and just wiggled them a bit. A headphone option became available after doing so, and when I removed them, I saw that the built in output had returned - and hooray I have sound.

Found this tip on another forum and it worked for me:

-Open your Sound control panel so you can see your output options

-Get a toothpick, blunt the end just a bit, and gently poke around the back of your digital jack. You'll feel it give just a bit as the switch back there gets pressed.

-Watch the output in the control panel as it turns from Digital Out to Built-In Speakers!

It took a bit of poking, and I never saw the infamous red light showing I was in digital out mode, but it did finally let go and reset my output. YMMV, but give it a try.

I can't believe this worked - thank you Lee!

IT WORKED FOR ME

-Open your Sound control panel so you can see your output options

-Get a toothpick, blunt the end just a bit, and gently poke around the back of your digital jack. You'll feel it give just a bit as the switch back there gets pressed.

-Watch the output in the control panel as it turns from Digital Out to Built-In Speakers!

It took a bit of poking, and I never saw the infamous red light showing I was in digital out mode, but it did finally let go and reset my output. YMMV, but give it a try.

Its amazing.

Thank you

Seems like if the red light is ON in the headphone jack, you might have a 'sticky switch' problem - physical issue. However, I would try the 'software' fixes first.

I would try this in order:

1. Try the sound preferences - fixed it for one person, just set on the wrong thing.
2. Try the Audio Midi Setup utility - fixed it for one person.
3. Insert the headphone jack and take it out - fixed it for at least one person.
4. Zap the PRAM - reboot and hold cmd-option-P-R and let the computer restart a couple times, then let go.
5. Use something small and blunt and non conductive to gently prod/feel around the back of the headphone/digital audo out jack - keep the sound preference pane open and when it changes to 'internal speakers' you've got it.

#5 should only be done on an out of warranty computer, IMO just take it to Apple if under warranty. If you break your computer with #5 don't blame me, because you easily could.

Thanks to those who suggested poking the connector. It worked for me after 1-4 failed.

I had this problem after I plugged my Mac into some speakers at a party.... the next day I had no sound and a red light could be seen through the audio output hole. The toothpick did the trick for me, thanks!

hi all,

just FYI, same problem just started, same vintage MBPro... the toothpick worked!

VERY gently push pick till it stops, move in VERY gently circular path around the jack walls. O.

i tried the prefs rebuild first, but it didn't work.

(physical reality wins again ;-)

For anyone else coming here with this problem...

I didn't want to go poking around with a toothpick (and certainly not anything metal!) so I just plugged in a set of regular headphones, left them there a couple seconds, and pulled them out. When I plugged them in and immediately pulled them out it didn't reset everything.

I had tried using the earbuds+mic that came with my iPhone 4S (which works fine, btw) and that's what triggered this issue.

I believe it's software more than hardware, but since I don't know what the inside of the jack actually looks like that's purely speculation.

HTH.