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I've tried using a toothpick and headphones to fix it, but I think the volume could be broken for everything? I plugged in the headphones and tried to use them but the sound for video still wouldn't work, and i know the headphones work. Is there any other reason it could be doing this? How do I fix it?
 
I've tried using a toothpick and headphones to fix it, but I think the volume could be broken for everything? I plugged in the headphones and tried to use them but the sound for video still wouldn't work, and i know the headphones work. Is there any other reason it could be doing this? How do I fix it?

i really wish i knew exactly what to tell you. The only thing i can really think of is to go into your setting and make sure the audio output is set correctly. I'm sure you've probably tried this, but try restarting the computer. let me know how it goes
 
Volume Is Locked

I found the solution that doesn't involve fiddling with the audio jack. First you click on the finder icon or your desktop (so it says Finder in the menu bar) the go to "Go" and click on "Go to Folder" paste this link in - ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.audio.AudioMIDISetup.plist
When you are in this folder, delete the file named, com.apple.audio.AudioMIDISetup.plist - (It should be the first file) After that RESTART YOUR MAC. And the sound should be back on. And I'm pretty sure it wont happen again. It worked for me the first time and took only a minute! Hope this helped!
MCP7788
 
Thank you BarryKayton for the solution below!

I had a similar problem: using the volume control keys shows the volume set to max but there's a locked symbol below the indicator.

Removing and inserting the headphones made no difference.

I solved the problem by opening Terminal.app and pasting the following command:

Code:
sudo killall coreaudiod

This quits the Core Audio daemon. But the system then relaunches Core Audio.

Solved the problem without having to restart.

You can read more about the solution here:

http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-reset-the-audio-system-in-os-x/

Opened up my computer this morning to discover that the sound was locked like there was digital output and wouldn't make any sound. I tried plugging and unplugging headphones but it didn't help. I tripped the optical plug sensor in the port and it didn't help. System Preferences showed it as Headphones or Internal Speaker, with no output settings available. At first it allowed me to change Output volume in preferences but not with the volume buttons or from the icon in the taskbar, but then that got disabled at some point from my fiddling.

Basically it was being really, really weird, and who knows what happened but restarted Core Audio solved the problem. Again, thanks!

By the way I am a very technical computer user and would like to say that normally one should not paste commands into Terminal you got off the internet, especially when `sudo` is involved. But in this case I know it does exactly what he says it does, and I can vouch that this (exact) command is not dangerous.
 
Solved it!

Apparently, when plugging headphones or other devices, sometimes a little switch inside the output port clicks and it changes the sound output to "digital audio" or something of that kind.

What happens is usually this:
1. The internal speakers still chime when your Mac is powered on
2. A 'no parking' like symbol appearing below the sound icon whenever you attempt to manipulate the volume on your Mac
3. A red light continues to emanate from the audio output port
4. Only "Digital audio out" as the only output source displayed in the Sound panel of the System Preferences.

Sometimes, just plugging and unplugging the headphones again works, but what I actually did was, very gently, use a toothpick to click the little switch inside the port back on...and voila!

Hope this helps.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!! I got my first MacBook a couple years ago but still completely lost when it comes to the simplest things and zero time to tinker. A quick Google search led me to your post, grabbed my headphones out of my purse and FIXED! You're awesome!
 
Solved it!

Apparently, when plugging headphones or other devices, sometimes a little switch inside the output port clicks and it changes the sound output to "digital audio" or something of that kind.

What happens is usually this:
1. The internal speakers still chime when your Mac is powered on
2. A 'no parking' like symbol appearing below the sound icon whenever you attempt to manipulate the volume on your Mac
3. A red light continues to emanate from the audio output port
4. Only "Digital audio out" as the only output source displayed in the Sound panel of the System Preferences.

Sometimes, just plugging and unplugging the headphones again works, but what I actually did was, very gently, use a toothpick to click the little switch inside the port back on...and voila!

Hope this helps.


I realize this is an old thread but this worked on my iMac just now. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
[doublepost=1469104465][/doublepost]
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!! I got my first MacBook a couple years ago but still completely lost when it comes to the simplest things and zero time to tinker. A quick Google search led me to your post, grabbed my headphones out of my purse and FIXED! You're awesome!

I just saw your reply and see you said thank you three times as well. I was replying to jmartigu's post and after it popped up I saw above your triple gratitude. Funny, huh?! It is nice when you can troubleshoot the simple things. Thank goodness for this forum!
 
Solution: Use Terminal to reset audio

I had a similar problem: using the volume control keys shows the volume set to max but there's a locked symbol below the indicator.

Removing and inserting the headphones made no difference.

I solved the problem by opening Terminal.app and pasting the following command:

sudo killall coreaudiod

This quits the Core Audio daemon. But the system then relaunches Core Audio.

Solved the problem without having to restart.

You can read more about the solution here:

http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-reset-the-audio-system-in-os-x/


I tried this but it said it had a password or something. It was the word password with a key next to it
 
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