How to Fix No Sound (Dummy Output) Issue in Ubuntu 24.04

If you’ve recently upgraded to Ubuntu 24.04 and found yourself staring at the frustrating “Dummy Output” in your sound settings, you’re not alone.

This issue has affected thousands of Ubuntu users and can be particularly baffling because your system appears to recognize audio hardware, yet refuses to produce any sound. As someone who battled with this problem for weeks on my development workstation, I understand the frustration all too well.

In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through several proven methods to resolve the “No Sound” issue in Ubuntu 24.04, explaining not just what to do, but why each solution works. Whether you’re an IT administrator managing multiple systems or a home user trying to restore your audio, these solutions should help you get your speakers working again.

Understanding the Problem

What is the “Dummy Output” Issue?

The “Dummy Output” problem occurs when Ubuntu’s audio system (typically PulseAudio or PipeWire) fails to properly communicate with your system’s audio hardware. Despite your sound card being physically present and detected by the system, Ubuntu routes audio to a non-existent “dummy” device instead of your actual speakers or headphones.

In Ubuntu 24.04, this issue often appears after system updates, particularly kernel updates to version 6.8 and above. The problem typically manifests in one of these ways:

• Sound settings show only “Dummy Output” in the output devices
• Audio works through headphones but not through speakers
• External audio devices aren’t recognized properly
• Sound worked previously in older Ubuntu versions but stopped after upgrading

Read: Troubleshooting and Resolving Audio Issues in Ubuntu 24.04

Identifying Your Audio Configuration

Before attempting any fixes, it’s important to understand your current audio configuration. Open a terminal and run:

aplay -l

This command lists all recognized audio devices. You should see output similar to:

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC897 Analog [ALC897 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [PHL 271V8]
  Subdevices: 0/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Another useful command to identify your current audio driver is:

inxi -A

This will show output like:

Audio:
  Device-1: Intel CM238 HD Audio driver: snd_soc_avs
  Device-2: NVIDIA GP107GL High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
  API: ALSA v: k6.8.0-48-generic status: kernel-api
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.5 status: active

Take note of the driver name (in this example, snd_soc_avs and snd_hda_intel), as this information will be crucial for our fixes.

Read: How to manage Audio using PulseAudio on Ubuntu 24.04

Solution 1: Fixing Audio Driver Configuration

The most common cause of the “Dummy Output” issue in Ubuntu 24.04 is a problem with the audio driver. Recent kernels have switched to using the Sound Open Firmware (SOF) drivers for many Intel audio chipsets, but these can sometimes cause compatibility issues.

Step 1: Create or Edit the ALSA Configuration File

We’ll need to create or modify a configuration file to force Ubuntu to use the more reliable snd-hda-intel driver instead.

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/audiofix.conf

Add the following lines to the file:

options snd-hda-intel dmic_detect=0
options snd-hda-intel model=generic enable=yes
blacklist snd_soc_avs

Note: Replace snd_soc_avs with whatever problematic driver you identified in the inxi -A output. Common ones include snd_soc_avs, sof-audio-pci-intel-tgl, or snd_soc_skl.

Save the file by pressing Ctrl+O, then Enter, and exit with Ctrl+X.

Step 2: Reload the ALSA Drivers

sudo alsa force-reload

Step 3: Reinstall Audio Packages

Sometimes, reinstalling the core audio packages can help:

sudo apt-get install --reinstall alsa-base pulseaudio

Step 4: Remove Conflicting Packages

The timidity-daemon package can sometimes conflict with audio settings:

sudo apt purge timidity-daemon

Step 5: Reboot Your System

sudo reboot

After your system restarts, check if sound is working. If this solution didn’t work, don’t worry—we have more options to try.

Read: How to display your sound card details using the terminal on Ubuntu 22.04

Solution 2: Using a More Specific Driver Model

If the generic driver configuration didn’t work, you might need to specify a more appropriate model for your specific hardware.

For Laptops:

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/audiofix.conf

Replace the previous content with:

options snd-hda-intel dmic_detect=0
options snd-hda-intel model=laptop-amic enable=yes

For Xiaomi/Redmi Laptops:

If you have a Xiaomi/Redmi laptop like the Redmi Book Pro series, try this configuration instead:

options snd-sof-intel-hda-common hda_model=aspire-headset-mic

or:

options snd_sof_intel_hda_common hda_model=alc255-acer

Remember to reboot after making these changes.

Solution 3: Downgrading the Kernel

If the driver configuration changes don’t solve your issue, downgrading to an older kernel version (specifically 6.5) often resolves the problem. This is a more drastic step but has proven effective for many users.

Step 1: Check Available Kernels

sudo apt list --installed | grep linux-image

Step 2: Install an Older Kernel (if not already installed)

sudo apt install linux-image-6.5.0-35-generic linux-headers-6.5.0-35-generic

Step 3: Set the Older Kernel as Default

Edit the GRUB configuration:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Modify the GRUB_DEFAULT line to point to the older kernel:

GRUB_DEFAULT="Advanced options for Ubuntu>Ubuntu, with Linux 6.5.0-35-generic"

Save and exit the editor.

Step 4: Update GRUB and Reboot

sudo update-grub
sudo reboot

Read: Master Linux Kernel Administration: The Ultimate Guide to Recompiling, Tuning, and Managing Kernel Modules

Step 5: Verify the Kernel Version

After rebooting, verify you’re running the older kernel:

uname -r

The output should show 6.5.0-35-generic or whichever kernel version you selected.

Solution 4: Installing the OEM Kernel

Some users have reported success using the OEM kernel, which often includes additional hardware support:

sudo apt install linux-image-6.8.0-1020-oem

After installation, reboot your system.

Solution 5: Simple Logout-Login Fix

Sometimes, the issue can be temporarily resolved without any configuration changes:

1. Save your work
2. Log out of your current session
3. Log back in

This simple fix works because it restarts the user-level audio services, which can sometimes resolve temporary glitches.

Troubleshooting and Verification

Verifying Your Fix Worked

After applying any of the solutions above, you can verify that the audio driver has changed by running:

inxi -A

If the fix worked, you should see that the driver has changed from something like snd_soc_avs to snd_hda_intel.

Using PulseAudio Volume Control

If you’re still having issues, the PulseAudio Volume Control application can provide more detailed control:

sudo apt install pavucontrol
pavucontrol

In the Configuration tab, you may see profiles marked as “unavailable.” Try selecting these profiles anyway, as sometimes they will become available after selection.

Checking for Audio Errors

If you’re still troubleshooting, check the system logs for audio-related errors:

sudo dmesg | grep -i audio

Look for error messages related to audio drivers or devices. If you find errors like sof-audio-pci-intel-tgl ... error -2, you can blacklist that specific problematic driver.

Why These Solutions Work

Understanding why these fixes work can help you maintain a stable audio setup in future Ubuntu updates:

1. Driver Configuration: The snd-hda-intel driver is older but more stable for many systems compared to newer SOF drivers
2. Blacklisting: Preventing problematic drivers from loading forces the system to use alternatives
3. Kernel Downgrade: Older kernels may include different driver implementations that work better with certain hardware
4. OEM Kernel: OEM kernels include additional patches and drivers specifically for consumer hardware

Prevention and Future-Proofing

To prevent audio issues after future Ubuntu updates:

1. Before Major Updates: Take note of your working audio configuration using inxi -A
2. After Updates: If audio stops working, apply the fix that worked for you previously
3. Keep Configuration Backups: Save working /etc/modprobe.d/ files so you can restore them if needed

Conclusion

The “Dummy Output” no sound issue in Ubuntu 24.04 can be frustrating, but as we’ve seen, there are several effective solutions. From simple fixes like driver configuration adjustments to more involved solutions like kernel downgrades, one of these approaches should restore your audio functionality.

I hope this guide has helped you solve your audio issues in Ubuntu 24.04. Remember that Ubuntu’s strength is in its community—if you’ve found another solution that works, consider sharing it with others in the Ubuntu forums or Ask Ubuntu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did this issue occur after upgrading to Ubuntu 24.04?

Ubuntu 24.04 includes kernel 6.8, which changed how certain audio hardware is handled. The switch to Sound Open Firmware (SOF) drivers for many Intel audio chipsets has caused compatibility issues with some hardware.

Will these fixes affect my system’s stability?

The driver configuration changes are safe and shouldn’t affect system stability. Kernel downgrades are generally safe but might mean missing out on security updates, so it’s better to use them as a temporary solution until a proper fix is available.

Do I need to repeat these steps after every system update?

Not necessarily. Once you’ve configured the audio driver correctly, it should persist through updates. However, major kernel updates might reset some configurations, in which case you’d need to reapply the fix.

What if none of these solutions work for my system?

If none of these solutions work, consider filing a bug report with Ubuntu. Provide details about your hardware using lspci -v | grep -A7 -i "audio", aplay -l, and inxi -A output to help developers understand the issue.

Is there a way to prevent this issue from happening again?

Setting apt-mark hold on working kernel packages can prevent automatic upgrades to problematic kernels:

sudo apt-mark hold linux-image-6.5.0-35-generic linux-headers-6.5.0-35-generic

Can I fix this issue without command line knowledge?

Unfortunately, most reliable fixes require at least some command line usage. However, the logout-login fix requires no terminal commands and might work temporarily.

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