Audio on the Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 comes from speakers tuned by Harman, a headphone jack and, optionally, HDMI or Bluetooth output, and a laptop that has no sound or crackles has a Windows setting or a driver issue more often than a damaged speaker. Begin with the volume and the output: click the speaker icon in the taskbar, check that the right device is chosen, such as the laptop speakers and not an external monitor or Bluetooth headset, and that the volume and the app's own volume in the mixer are up.
The checks in more detail
A display connected by HDMI or a Bluetooth device that was paired earlier can become the default output and silence the speakers, so set the laptop speakers as the default in Settings, System, Sound. Run the Windows audio troubleshooter and restart the Audio services if sound is missing after sleep. If the problem persists, check the driver. Open Device Manager, expand Sound, video and game controllers and look for marks;
uninstall the audio device and restart so that Windows reinstalls it, or update the Realtek audio driver from Lenovo's support page. Lenovo's own audio software, such as Nahimic or Dolby, can interfere: try turning its effects off, and in Windows turn off Audio enhancements for the device in the speaker properties, as these are a common cause of crackle. In the Advanced tab of the speaker properties, try a different format, such as 24 bit, 48000 Hz. Update the BIOS.
A loud fan can seem like an audio problem, so check Quiet mode with Fn and Q. Test with headphones to see whether the speakers or the sound system is at fault, and test with a different app or a browser. A crackle that follows heavy loads may be a latency issue, which a driver update or a change of power mode reduces. If speakers are silent after every step and headphones work, a speaker or connection fault is likely, and Lenovo can repair it.
Differential
Likely causes of “Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 9 has no sound or distorted audio”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The wrong output device
What separates it No sound from the speakers
How to confirm Set the laptop speakers as the default
- 2
Audio enhancements
What separates it Crackle or a thin sound
How to confirm Turn off enhancements in the speaker properties
- 3
A driver problem
What separates it A mark in Device Manager
How to confirm Reinstall or update the audio driver
- 4
Third-party audio software
What separates it Odd effects
How to confirm Turn off Nahimic or Dolby effects as a test
- 5
A hardware fault
What separates it Silent on every setting
How to confirm Lenovo repair
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The output device chosen
- Whether headphones work
- The audio driver version
- Whether the crackle follows load
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedChoose the right output
ReversibleIn Settings, Sound.
Raise the volumes
ReversibleSystem and app.
Turn off enhancements
ReversibleIn the speaker properties.
Reinstall the audio driver
ReversibleThen restart.
Try another format
ReversibleIn the Advanced tab.
Test headphones
ReversibleTo judge the speakers.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Output device
- HDMI or Bluetooth may take over.
- Enhancements
- They often cause crackle.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the speakers stay silent and headphones work, contact Lenovo
- !Update the BIOS and driver first
- !Test in more than one app
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my Legion have no sound?+
The wrong output device or a driver issue.
What causes crackle?+
Audio enhancements or latency.
How do I set the default output?+
Settings, System, Sound.
Could it be the fans?+
A loud fan can sound like an audio fault.