So, you inserted your headphone jack into the front panel of your PC but there were no sounds?
Don’t worry, you are not alone. This type of problem is faced for newly bought computers.
Why is my front panel audio jack not working?
Your front audio jack won’t work if the connected device is not set as default. Additionally, a bad connection between the motherboard and the module can cause this issue. To enable the front panel audio jack you need to Toggle the Front panel audio jack Detector from Realtek HD Audio Manager.
If you are a beginner scrolling for the fix, then you landed on the correct page.
In this post, I will show you the easiest way to activate the front panel audio jack in Realtek HD Audio Manager.
So, Let’s begin.
Where is my Realtek HD Audio Manager?
Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers and navigate to Realtek HD Audio Manager.
If you can’t find Realtek High Definition Audio Manager in the Control Panel then go to Local Disk C:\Program Files\Realtek\Audio\HDA and Double-click on RtkNGUI64.exe.
Still no luck? Then you better know-
Why is Realtek HD Audio Manager missing?
Realtek Audio Manager is missing from your PC because Realtek is not supported by your manufacturer’s motherboard. Go to your Motherboard’s Manufacturer site, and search for the Audio driver for your Windows Operating system. If you want, you can download Realtek Audio manually.
But for that, you need to know some basic information about the software. It’s because there are five executable files available. You might get confused about which to download.
I have made an epic guide on which Realtek driver should you install?
You can check the post and download the latest version required according to your System Demands.
I highly recommend checking the post now because by downloading the driver, your problem might solve in seconds. So, that’s a 20 minute saved.
How to Enable Front Panel in Realtek Audio Manager
I know how important front panel jacks are. Nobody wants to attach their headphone cables or any necessary USB devices to the back panel in case of emergency.
The easiest and most user-friendly port is in the front panels. But sometimes, the front audio jack won’t work because of some technical or software issue.
Before doing anything, update your audio drivers. Check if you have Realtek installed. If not, I recommend you download it right now (If you don’t know how to download Realtek Audio, check out the previous section).
As I have mentioned earlier, you need to toggle the Front panel audio detector.
So, you might ask: Where is front panel jack detection? The front panel audio jack detector is located in the Connector Settings of the Audio Manager.
Here are the steps to enable the front panel in Realtek HD Audio Manager:
- Go to Realtek Audio Manager from the Control panel. You can also search for HD Audio Manager in Windows Cortana.
- Click on Connector Settings at the right bottom portion of the popup window.
- Toggle the Detect Audio Front panel jack Mode and notice the activation of the front panel jack at the right side of the window.
- Select Okay and add a headphone jack to your PC.
So, in this way you can easily activate the front panel audio jack in Realtek HD Sound Manager.
How to Enable Back Panel Audio in Realtek HD Manager
Realtek is one of the most leading choices for motherboard manufacturers. Many computer models designed these days are equipped with Realtek-powered audio jacks on the front and back of the motherboard.
By default, if you plug in any USB Headset or any audio device to the front panel, then the audio output may cease in the rear panel. At first, try the windows Troubleshoot and let the windows itself fix the issue.
Here are the steps to enable the rear panel Audio jack in Realtek:
- Remove all the audio devices from the front and rear jack.
- Open Realtek Manager from the Windows System Tray.
- Click on the Device advanced settings and put a checkmark on Enable Jack detection when the device is plugged in.
- Uncheck the box that says Mute Rear Panel Output when Front Headphone Plugged in.
- Click OK and close the Audio Manager.
Here you go, In this way, you can easily set up your back panel audio is Realtek Sound Manager.
Should You use the front panel audio jack?
Yes, it is necessary to use the front panel audio jack in case of an emergency. The front panel gives the sound a major boost in lows, while on the rear panel the sounds often seem a little flat. The front panel always tends to be the amplified one.
However, The Sound varies from Motherboard to Motherboard. Sometimes you may find the sounds from the front panel with more treble. Again, sometimes gigabyte Realtek HD audio manager is problematic whereas, sometimes the ASUS Realtek HD Audio Manager is troublesome.
I once had an Antec P180 case, and there I heard a noticeable noise (little HDD IO and a little USB WiFi stick noise) whenever I plugged in my headphone jacks into the front panel.
So, in general:
Is front panel audio good?
It depends on the motherboard and CPU Casing. Better CPU Cases have excellent front and back panels that don’t get damaged easily.
Final Words
Front Panels are necessary because these panels come in handy in case of emergency and are easy to reach. Imagine joining a Zoom meeting urgently on your PC but there ain’t any front panel audio jack on your PC case. You will be late to join the meeting if you start reaching the back panels of your case.
That’s where the Front Panel sound jack comes in handy. Don’t worry if the front panel audio jack won’t work, you can simply follow the step-by-step tutorial from this post and you are all set!
Also, Be sure to update and install the latest Realtek Drivers for your Windows.
