Arch Linux

timop

Member

Registered: 2026-01-01

Posts: 4

[SOLVED] Laptop speakers not working, suggestions for next steps

Hello all,

I have been having issues with bit older laptop (Lenovo Thinkpad X1 yoga 3rd gen, 2018).

Based on Arch Wiki, audio should work properly: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Lenovo … ga_(Gen_3)

And it kind of does. Except the laptop integrated speakers don't. I have been trying to get things working with Mint/Ubuntu also (and bunch of live usb distro testing) and the issue is always the same: the modern kernel probably does not know how to tell the laptop audio chip amp to enable speaker amplification or similar.

Everything else works perfectly. 3.5mm plug is detected properly, bluetooth earbuds work like a dream, wired plugs work perfectly. Integrated mic is working like intended. Alsamixer indicates that nothing is being muted accidentally/similar. But the laptop speakers just stay silent.

Before Linux the laptop had windows 11 installed and speakers worked normally.

I've gone through thorough diagnostics with Linux Mint, tried to change sound modules, install SOF drivers, modify how sound system should react to plugging/unplugging earphones etc and nothing has worked. I've changed also sound subsystems, tried to manually change flags for the sound card outputs etc and nothing has worked. And that is why I assume that the end result would be the same with Arch and have not started repeating all my steps for now.

Based on what I've read, something has probably broken with kernel updates in past ~2 years but people don't have hw and resources to test kernels against all known sound card chips etc...

And now I am asking for advice:

Any tips what I could do to try to get the sound working? Fill bug report to some tracker? Something else?

Last edited by timop (2026-07-06 06:55:31)

patrick4370

Member

From: Australia

Registered: 2018-07-19

Posts: 7

Re: [SOLVED] Laptop speakers not working, suggestions for next steps

Have you unmuted the speakers?

Unmuting the channels

ALSA by default mutes all the channels.

timop

Member

Registered: 2026-01-01

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Laptop speakers not working, suggestions for next steps

Thanks for the tip.

I've checked the alsamixer many times.

Got so pissed off about missing sounds that I borrowed win 11 ssd, booted windows up, installed sound card driver, verified sounds work, disabled fast boot/similar and shut down the machine within windows 11.

And now the speakers just work.

Not sure which specific step did the trick but I don't care anymore.

So just remember: if you are about to wipe out windows 11 installation and install linux with these ACL285 chips/similar. Just ensure you shut down the machine and don't reboot and you should be good....

Last edited by timop (2026-07-05 19:15:24)