No Headphone option coming in Sound setting

Hello. On the Playback tab, find a blank area and right click on it. Then select the option to "show disabled devices". If that doesn't work then choose "show disconnected devices".

I'm unclear as to what you are using. Is it a "headset"? A headset combines 2 devices, a headphones and a mic.

Headphones are output devices and as such are configurable on the Playback tab. Microphones are input devices and as such are configured on the Recording tab.

Note about headsets -- they come in 2 varieties. The regular type has 2 plugs, one for the headphones and one for the mic. You cannot use that type in your E5420. The headphones will work but the mic will not.

The other type of headset is a smart phone type that has only a single plug. That is the type that will work in the combo audio port of the E5420.

I hope this information was helpful.

Hey, I hope it's OK to post on this thread. It's the most related I've been able to find. I was issued an E5420 by my company, and the problem I am having  is that I cannot get REGULAR, NORMAL, PLAIN OL' headphones to work with this device. This laptop has only one jack, in the front on the right-hand side. The icon next to the jack shows a headset with phones and attached mic. Does this indicate that ONLY the combo sets will work with this jack? The speakers work fine and are silenced when I plug in the phones, but the phones do not play. I have tried more than one pair of headphones AND speakers, and all my headphones and speakers work on other devices.

I have tried to research this problem and have not been able to find a fix or a manual. The owner's manual provided by Dell seems to be corrupt. (http://www.dell.com/support/Manuals/us/en/19/Product/latitude-e5420) The other PDFs on the same page download and open fine. The user manual has only a few lines, some icons and a couple of pictures, so it is useless. My Acrobat is up to date.

The drivers for my laptop are all current. I have tried uninstalling and re-installing and updating the audio drivers. I own a USB external sound card, but I would rather not use it if not necessary. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you!

Does this indicate that ONLY the combo sets will work with this jack?

you'll find the discussion at http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3517/t/19511326.aspx

I was issued an E5420 by my company, and the problem I am having  is that I cannot get REGULAR, NORMAL, PLAIN OL' headphones to work with this device. This laptop has only one jack, in the front on the right-hand side. The icon next to the jack shows a headset with phones and attached mic. Does this indicate that ONLY the combo sets will work with this jack?

Hello. I also have an E5420 model.

The combo jack may be used either with regular plain headphones with a 3 segmented plug, or with a smart phone type of headset (the kind with a single 4 segmented plug that combines both headphones and mic). The limitation is that the jack cannot be used with a normal mic unless one has an adapter with a 4 segmented plug, and the jack cannot be used as a stereo line-in regardless of adapter.

Try this. When you select your playback device on the Playback tab of the Sound properties, make "Speakers/Headphones" the default playback device and disable "Communication Headphones" . If your headphones still do not work then there is possibly a hardware failure.

I have tried to research this problem and have not been able to find a fix or a manual. The owner's manual provided by Dell seems to be corrupt. (http://www.dell.com/support/Manuals/us/en/19/Product/latitude-e5420)

It works for me using Firefox. I should point out that the "Owner's Manual" is actually the Service Manual (don't know why Dell finds it so hard to name things properly). There is no complete owner's manual. Some other models have complete manuals but in the 10 years I have been here I have yet to see one that covers audio functions very much.