My sound icon is whited out on MBP

[peewee12345]

How do I turn sound back on to my MBP
sound turns on with 1. bluetooth device 2. headphones but when i turn bluetooth off or remove headphone jack from MBP the sound icon whites out.
I go into system preferences and can't figure out how to turn sound back on.
I can only hear sound through head phones or a bluetooth device.
Under SOUND and Output
I see this
Select a device for sound output:
NAME Type
DIgital Out Optical digital-out port
Monster iClarity Bluetooth headset
Monster iClarity Bluetooth Headphones
JBL OnBeat Venue Bluetooth Headphones
Thank you

 

[AcesHigh87]

I've had this happen before, the port gets gunked up and thinks it's outputting do digital. If you look in the headphone port do you see a red light? This is usually the easiest indication.

There's a bunch of stuff that can be done but I found none of them worked as well as the simplest solution: cut the end off a Q-Tip and stick it in the port. Wiggle it around a bit to clean off whatever is messing with the port and then when you go into your settings internal speakers should be available again.

 

[peewee12345]

I've had this happen before, the port gets gunked up and thinks it's outputting do digital. If you look in the headphone port do you see a red light? This is usually the easiest indication.

There's a bunch of stuff that can be done but I found none of them worked as well as the simplest solution: cut the end off a Q-Tip and stick it in the port. Wiggle it around a bit to clean off whatever is messing with the port and then when you go into your settings internal speakers should be available again.

Thank you I am not very handy- what port are you speaking about?
Are there other ways to correct this you mentioned something here about it

I think cause and effect is part or al of the pronblem
My girlfriend fiddled with a bluetooth speaker system
and that is when the problem occurred

If I plug headphone into MBP the Sound icon and sound activate!! but no sound with headphone
Thanks again

 

[AcesHigh87]

I'm talking about the headphone port, same one your plugging stuff into. Little known fact it works for digital signals but sometimes dirt gets on the receiver so the computer thinks a digital cable is plugged in when one isn't, that's why it won't let you switch back to the internal speakers.

The red light isn't always present but it usually is if this is what I think.

 

[simie]

I had this happen to a few weeks ago, I simply reinstalled OSX and it cured the problem.

I tried loads of different things to the sound back but nothing worked, so I backed everything up and started again and it now works again.

I have not reinstalled half the stuff that I once had installed and my mac is working great.