When starting troubleshooting for no audio output, what should you check regarding the volume?

When troubleshooting for no audio output, one of the primary checks should be ensuring that the volume isn't muted. This is a common issue that can easily be overlooked, especially if a user is unfamiliar with the audio settings on their device. If the volume is muted, no audio will play through the speakers or headphones, regardless of whether the speakers are powered on or functioning properly.

In many systems, audio output is also often managed by both software and hardware controls. Users may have mistakenly turned the volume down or muted it using the operating system's volume controls, a media player, or even external hardware controls on speakers or headsets. Therefore, checking the volume isn't just about whether the speakers are connected—it's crucial to ensure that the audio signal is not being prevented from emitting sound due to muted settings.

Other checks, such as verifying that the speakers are on, unplugging and replugging them, or testing with another audio source, are certainly important as part of a comprehensive troubleshooting process, but they come after confirming the most straightforward potential issue: that the audio is not muted.