Below is a list of things to try when your laptop is not recognizing external speakers or headphones:

1. Check that the external speakers or headphones are correctly plugged into the laptop’s audio port.
2. Verify that the speakers or headphones are plugged into the correct port (input / output).
3. Increase the volume in the laptop’s sound settings.
4. If using external speakers, check that there is power to the speakers.
5. Reinstall the audio driver for the laptop.
6. Install the latest updates for the laptop’s operating system.