Google's Chromebook Help gives a short ladder for no sound: select the time at the bottom right and check the volume slider is not at zero or muted; open the same menu and select the arrow beside the volume slider to change the sound output, because a Bluetooth speaker, headset or monitor you used earlier may still be the chosen output; unplug audio devices such as headphones and speakers; then reset the Chromebook, and recover it if it is still silent. On the Chromebook Plus 514 the sound comes from two upward-facing speakers with DTS Audio, per Acer, so they fire out of the keyboard deck: a blanket, a sofa cushion or a closed sleeve can muffle them without any fault.
Test after each step, not after all of them, so you learn which one fixed it.
Differential
Likely causes of “Acer Chromebook Plus 514 has no sound or distorted audio”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Muted, or the slider is at zero
What separates it No sound anywhere, and the speaker icon shows a slash
How to confirm Select the time, drag the volume slider up and unmute, as Google says
- 2
The wrong output is selected
What separates it Video plays but the room is silent, while a Bluetooth speaker or monitor elsewhere may be playing it
How to confirm Select the arrow beside the volume slider and pick Speaker
- 3
A device is plugged in or still connected
What separates it The speakers go quiet when a headset or HDMI monitor is attached
How to confirm Unplug audio devices, as Google says, and disconnect the Bluetooth device
- 4
The speakers are covered
What separates it Sound is faint on a bed or a lap and normal on a desk
How to confirm The two speakers face up through the keyboard deck; move the Chromebook to a hard surface
- 5
A software glitch after an update
What separates it Sound stopped after a ChromeOS update and other apps also fail
How to confirm Restart, then use the hardware reset; recovery only if it is still silent
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The full model number (CB514-3H or CB514-4H and its suffix) and the ChromeOS version from Settings, About ChromeOS
- Whether the sound is missing from the speakers, from headphones, from the microphone, or from every one of them
- Whether a Bluetooth device, HDMI display or headset was connected when it stopped
- Whether it fails in every app and in Guest mode, or in only one website or app
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedCheck the slider
ReversibleSelect the time at the bottom right and drag the volume slider up. Unmute if it shows a slash.
Choose the output
ReversibleIn the same menu, select the arrow beside the volume slider and pick the internal speakers.
Unplug audio devices
ReversibleUnplug audio devices, by removing headphones, speakers and any HDMI cable, and switching off nearby Bluetooth devices.
Test on a hard surface
ReversiblePut the Chromebook on a desk so the upward-facing speakers are not muffled, then play a video.
Try Guest mode
ReversibleSign out and browse as Guest. If sound works there, the fault is in a setting, an extension or an app.
Restart and hardware reset
ReversibleRestart, and if it is still silent follow Google's hardware reset. Back up Downloads first.
Recover if needed
ReversibleIf the hardware reset did not help, use Google's recovery with a USB stick, which erases the Chromebook.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- The Chromebook Plus 514
- A ChromeOS laptop sold with an AMD Ryzen 7520C or an Intel Core i3-N305, 8 GB of LPDDR5 memory and a 14-inch 16:10 WUXGA (1920 by 1200) touchscreen, per Acer's product page. It runs ChromeOS, not Windows: web apps, Android apps from Google Play and Linux apps if enabled, and no .exe files.
- Speakers
- Two upward-facing speakers with DTS Audio on both the AMD CB514-3H and the Intel CB514-4H, per Acer's product pages.
- Model number instead of a part number
- No part number is involved for you. Acer identifies a Chromebook by its full model number, printed on the label under the laptop and shown in Settings, About ChromeOS.
- Tools and supplies
- The Acer charger and a second known-good cable, a flashlight to look into the ports, a dry towel for the desk, a USB stick of at least 8 GB if you need recovery media and a second computer with Chrome to prepare it. The Chromebook should not be opened at home.
- Repair cost
- A fault that clears with a setting or a reset costs nothing. A speaker or board repair at an independent shop is typically $99 to $299 with a free diagnostic, and a liquid-damage repair $199 to $399, per BadgerLayer.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If there is no sound from the speakers in Guest mode after a hardware reset and recovery, contact Acer Support with the serial number
- !If sound crackles or stops at the same tap on the keyboard deck, book a repair rather than pressing on it
- !If the Chromebook is managed by a school or employer, ask the administrator, because policy can mute or restrict audio
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Where the manufacturer's article stops. Repair figures are typical independent-shop ranges from ChromebookFixes and BadgerLayer, and the battery part number and price come from a parts listing.
The Sound doesn't work section: volume slider, output and input selection, unplug audio devices, reset, recover.
The hardware reset for a stubborn hardware fault.
Recovery with a USB stick when a reset does not help.
The built-in Diagnostics app.
Two upward-facing speakers with DTS Audio, a built-in MicroSD card reader and the double-storage claim.
The AMD model: two upward-facing speakers with DTS Audio and a built-in HDMI port.
The Chromebook and ChromeOS platform.
Shop price ranges for screen, battery, keyboard and charging-port repairs.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is there sound in headphones but not the speakers?+
Usually the wrong output is selected or a device is still connected. Select the arrow beside the volume slider and choose the speakers, and unplug audio devices as Google says.
Where are the speakers on the Plus 514?+
Acer describes two upward-facing speakers with DTS Audio, so they sit under the keyboard deck facing up. Covering the deck with a blanket or a cushion muffles them.
Does a hardware reset delete my files?+
Google's hardware reset restarts the hardware and does not remove your files, though it can clear some Downloads, so back up first. Recovery and Powerwash erase the Chromebook.
Why does sound stop when I plug in a monitor?+
The output can switch to the monitor. Select the arrow beside the volume slider and choose the speakers. The CB514-3H has a built-in HDMI port per Acer.
Why is my microphone silent too?+
The volume slider and the input choice are separate. Select the arrow beside the slider and pick the microphone, and see the camera and microphone page for that fault.
Is the sound worse after an update?+
A ChromeOS update can change the chosen output. Check the output first, then restart, before treating it as a hardware fault.
Can I test the speakers without a video?+
Play any short audio clip in the browser at a mid volume with nothing plugged in. If it plays in Guest mode, the fault is not the speakers.
What does a speaker repair cost?+
Speakers on a Chromebook are repaired as part of the base, and an independent shop repair is typically $99 to $299 with a free diagnostic, per BadgerLayer.