Learn How to Connect Speakers to Your PC Monitor

Why Your Monitor Might Already Have Built-In Speaker Options

When you buy a PC monitor, you might assume it's only meant to display images. But many monitors—especially newer models and larger screens—come equipped with built-in speakers. This feature often surprises new PC owners who don't realize their monitor can handle audio. Before you invest in external speakers or a sound system, it's worth checking whether your monitor already has this capability.

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Modern monitors, particularly those 24 inches and larger, frequently include small speakers as a standard feature. Manufacturers add them because monitors are already positioned in front of you at a comfortable viewing distance, making them a logical place to put audio output. You won't get concert-quality sound from these built-in options, but they work fine for video calls, YouTube videos, casual gaming, and everyday computer use. Some business-class monitors and curved gaming displays specifically market their audio features as selling points.

The challenge is that many people don't know their monitor has speakers because the feature isn't always prominent in the marketing materials or user manuals. You might have purchased your monitor years ago and never realized it could produce sound. Even if you know the speakers exist, connecting them properly to your PC requires understanding a few technical details about how audio signals travel from your computer to the monitor.

Not all monitors have built-in speakers, though. Older flat-screen monitors, ultra-wide curved displays, and some budget models skip this feature entirely. Professional monitors used for video editing or design work sometimes omit speakers to keep the focus on display quality. Checking your monitor's specifications—either in the user manual or on the manufacturer's website—tells you definitively whether this option is available to you.

Practical takeaway: Look up your monitor's model number (usually found on the back or in your purchase paperwork) and search the manufacturer's specifications sheet to confirm whether it includes built-in speakers. This single step saves time and prevents you from buying external speakers you may not need.

Understanding the Audio Cable Connection Between Your Monitor and PC

The physical connection between your PC and monitor is the foundation of getting audio to work. Most people connect their monitor using an HDMI cable, which is the standard video connection for modern computers. Here's the important part: HDMI cables actually carry both video and audio signals simultaneously. When you plug an HDMI cable into both your PC and your monitor, you're creating a complete pathway for both image and sound—if your monitor has the capability to produce that sound.

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HDMI has been the dominant connection standard since the early 2010s because it's convenient and reliable. A single cable handles everything. However, older monitors might use DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA connections instead. This matters because VGA and DVI cables only carry video signals, not audio. If your monitor connects via VGA or DVI and has built-in speakers, you'll need a separate audio cable running from your PC to the monitor to make the speakers work. This is where an auxiliary 3.5mm audio jack (the standard headphone jack) or sometimes a mini-jack connection comes into play.

Different monitor models have different audio input options. Some monitors have a 3.5mm audio jack on the back where you can plug in a dedicated audio cable from your PC's audio output (usually a green port on your computer tower or audio jack on your laptop). Other monitors might have USB connections that handle audio. Newer monitors increasingly use USB-C, which like HDMI can carry both video and audio through one cable. Understanding which physical connections your specific monitor has is crucial to setting things up correctly.

The cable itself is inexpensive and widely available. A quality HDMI cable costs between $5 and $15. If you need an auxiliary audio cable because your monitor doesn't have HDMI, a 3.5mm audio cable costs just a few dollars at any electronics retailer. The investment is minimal compared to purchasing separate speakers, which makes this worth exploring before buying additional equipment.

Practical takeaway: Check the back of your monitor for available connection ports. Make a list of what you see: HDMI, DisplayPort, 3.5mm audio jack, USB, or USB-C. Compare this list against your PC's available outputs. This inventory tells you exactly what cables you already have and what you might need to purchase.

Configuring Audio Settings in Windows to Output Through Your Monitor

Plugging in the cables is only half the battle. Your PC also needs to know that it should send audio to your monitor instead of (or in addition to) other speakers or headphones you might have connected. This configuration happens in your Windows audio settings, and it's a straightforward process once you know where to look.

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In Windows 10 and Windows 11, you access audio settings by right-clicking the speaker icon in your system tray (the small icons in the bottom-right corner of your screen). Select "Open Volume mixer" or "Volume mixer settings." This opens a window showing all the audio devices your computer recognizes. You should see your monitor listed here—it might be labeled with the monitor's brand name or simply as "HDMI Audio" or "Digital Audio Output." If you don't see your monitor listed, Windows hasn't detected it yet, which usually means the cable connection needs checking or a driver may need updating.

Once you locate your monitor in the list, look for a button or setting that says "Set as default device." Clicking this tells Windows that this is where audio should go by default. You can have multiple audio devices active simultaneously, so selecting your monitor as the default simply means it becomes the primary output unless you manually switch. This is useful if you have both monitor speakers and a separate speaker system—you can easily toggle between them depending on what you're doing.

Some users prefer to keep their monitor as a secondary audio option and use dedicated speakers as the primary choice. This is fine and depends entirely on your preferences. The Windows audio mixer lets you switch between devices with a single click whenever you want, so there's no need to feel locked into one choice. If you ever connect wireless headphones via Bluetooth, they also appear in this same list and can be selected just as easily.

A practical consideration: monitor speakers are typically small and produce lower volume than dedicated external speakers. If you're setting up your PC for general use—web browsing, email, video calls—monitor speakers usually suffice. If you're an audio professional, gamer seeking immersive surround sound, or music enthusiast, you'll probably prefer external speakers even if your monitor has built-in options.

Practical takeaway: Open your Volume mixer settings today and take a screenshot of the audio devices list. This visual record shows you what audio outputs your PC recognizes and provides a reference point if you need to troubleshoot later. If your monitor isn't listed, note that and follow the troubleshooting steps in the next section.

Troubleshooting When Your Monitor Doesn't Appear as an Audio Device

Sometimes you'll connect your monitor via HDMI, but Windows won't recognize it as an audio device. This is frustrating but usually fixable. There are several common reasons this happens, and working through them methodically solves the problem in most cases.

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The first and most common issue is that Windows simply hasn't detected the monitor yet. After connecting an HDMI cable from your PC to your monitor, sometimes you need to restart your computer for it to recognize the new device. This feels basic, but restarting clears Windows' device detection process and often works immediately. If you've just connected the cable in the last few minutes, waiting 30-60 seconds before checking the audio settings gives Windows time to scan for new hardware automatically.

Another frequent cause is outdated or missing display drivers. Your graphics card—whether it's built into your processor or a separate card—needs current drivers to properly communicate with your monitor via HDMI, including the audio signal. You can update drivers through Windows Update or by visiting your graphics card manufacturer's website (NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel are the most common). Updated drivers often include enhanced audio support and can fix detection issues. This process takes about 10-15 minutes and requires a restart.

Monitor-specific drivers might also be necessary. While less common, some monitors include driver software that needs installation for all features—including audio—to work properly. Check your monitor's manufacturer website and search for your specific model number. If a driver package exists, download and install it. Benq, ASUS, LG, and Dell all provide driver downloads for many of their monitor models.

HDMI version compatibility occasionally plays a role. Very old monitors might use HDMI 1.0