Windows xi lets you change the default audio output device from the quick settings panel. Useful when you want to chop-chop switch from your headphone to speaker and vice versa. Simply in that location is more than one-mode switch betwixt your audio devices.

Autonomously from the quick settings panel, you tin can change the sound output device from Windows Settings panel the archetype Sound Control panel. In this article, we show you the many ways to modify the sound output devices in Windows eleven.

1. Switch Audio Device Using the Quick Settings Panel

The easiest way to change the audio output device is via the Windows 11 quick settings panel. Here'due south how to bandy between audio devices in Windows 11 using the same.

  1. Make sure the audio devices yous want to use are connected to your PC.
    quick settings panel windows 11
  2. Side by side, click the quick settings console icon in the bottom left corner. It includes your Ethernet, Volume, and Bombardment control icons.
    switch audio device in windows 11
  3. When the panel pops up, click the right arrow icon at the end of the book slider. This will bring upwardly all the sound devices continued to your PC.
  4. Click on whatsoever device to gear up it equally the sound output device.

2. Switch Sound Output Devices via Book Mixer

Volume mixer in Windows eleven lets you manage your volume levels, input, and output devices, every bit well as configure book levels for unlike apps installed on your PC.

To set up the Output device using volume mixer:

  1. Right-click on the Volume icon in the quick settings panel.
    open volume mixer taskbar windows 11
  2. Adjacent, click on Open up volume mixer from the context menu. You can likewise open up the volume mixer from Settings > Audio > Volume mixer.
  3. In the Volume mixer window, click the driblet-down for Output device and select the audio device you want to utilise.
    select output device sound volume mixer
  4. Additionally, you can as well select your input device and set the volume level for multimedia apps that y'all are currently using.

3. Change the Sound Output Device Using the Settings Panel

If y'all want more command over the output device and its properties, you lot can do information technology in Windows Settings. Apart from swapping the output devices, you tin can also control volume, change output settings, enable or disable raise audio and choose your spatial sound engineering science.

Follow these steps to change your sound output device in Windows Settings:

  1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
  2. In the Organization tab, click on Audio.
    sound settings panel windows 11
  3. The Sound panel lists all the audio devices continued to your PC and can play sound. Click on the device y'all want to set as your Output device.
  4. To configure the output device for the advanced features discussed above, click the correct arrow icon for the output device to view its Properties.
    set default out device sound windows 11
  5. Here, y'all can change the audio quality, format, and more for the device. You can set up and use your sound device as a default device for audio and communications.

four. Set Default Sound Output Device Using Xbox Game Bar

xbox game bar windows 11 audio window

Xbox Game Bar is a built-in customizable game overlay bachelor on Windows 11 and 10 computers. You can access information technology with the Win + G shortcut. It gives y'all instant access to game capture tools, functioning statistics, and audio controls.

Y'all tin can also employ Xbox Game Bar to change your default audio device during gameplay or otherwise. Here's how to do it.

  1. Press the Win + G combo on your keyboard to launch the Xbox Game Bar overlay.
  2. In the Sound window, open the Mix tab.
  3. Click the drop-down for Windows Default Output and select your headphone or speaker.
  4. Printing the Esc fundamental to exit the overlay. The changes made via the Game Bar overlay are applied arrangement-broad.

5. Switch Audio Output Device Using SoundSwitch

SoundSwitch is a third-political party book command app for Windows. Information technology lets you switch between your audio output devices from the Taskbar. You lot can also utilise information technology to access the archetype volume mixer and audio control panel in Windows.

All the same, what makes SoundSwitch so interesting is that it lets yous set up custom book control hotkeys in Windows 11. You can assign multiple keyboard shortcuts to unlike sound output devices and switch between the devices instantly.

Follow these steps to assign hotkeys to your default playback devices in Windows using SoundSwitch:

  1. Go to the SoundSwitch page and download the latest installer. Then, run the installer and complete the installation.
  2. To assign a hotkey, you need to access the SoundSwitch settings. So, click the up pointer icon in the taskbar to expand organisation tray.
    soundswitch settings
  3. Right-click on the SoundSwitch icon (headphone icon) and select Settings.
  4. In the Playback tab, select your default playback device.
  5. Side by side, open the Profiles tab.
  6. Hither, click the Add button to create a new contour for your output device.
    soundswitch add new profile
  7. In the Add Profile window, type a name for the profile.
  8. Adjacent, select the Too switch default device option.
  9. Click the drop-down for Playback and select the sound output device for which you want to fix the hotkey.
  10. Next, click the drop-down for Bachelor Triggers and select Hotkey.
    SoundSwitch create new profile
  11. Click the Add together push.
  12. Click on the Hotkey field and press the hotkey you want to employ. For instance, if yous want to use Ctrl + M to switch to the default audio device, press Ctrl + Yard to assign it as the hotkey.
  13. Click Salvage to add the profile.
  14. Repeat the steps to add hotkeys for other devices.

To remove profiles, open SoundSwitch settings and click on the Profiles tab. Side by side, select the profile you want to remove and click Delete.

Download: SoundSwitch (Costless)

six. Set Default Sound Output Device using Sound Command Panel

set-default-device-sound-control-panel

Yous can use the classic Sound control console to set a default audio device in Windows xi. Useful if you use one audio output device more than the other and adopt to keep information technology as your default device for all the apps.

To fix a default output device in Windows eleven:

  1. Press Win + R to open Run.
  2. Type control mmsys.cpl sounds and click OK to open up the Sound command panel.
  3. Next, open the Playback tab.
  4. Right-click on the device that you desire to set equally default and select Prepare equally Default Device.
  5. Click Apply and OK to salvage the changes.

Swiftly Switch Between Sound Output Devices in Windows 11

In Windows 10, y'all could switch between different playback devices with a right-click on the volume icon. Nevertheless, Windows eleven, in its quest to simplify things, made the procedure a bit catchy.

Now yous need to use the quick settings panel and access the book settings to switch betwixt the devices. If you lot find the process fleck laborious, consider using the SoundSwitch app to swap your playback devices with a hotkey.

How to Ameliorate Audio and Sound Quality on a Windows eleven PC

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About The Writer

Tashreef Shareef (144 Manufactures Published)

Tashreef is a programmer and works every bit a technical author at MakeUseOf. With a bachelor's degree in Computer Applications, he has over five years of experience and covers Microsoft Windows and everything around it. When not looking for a missing semicolon or churning out text, y'all can detect him trying FPS titles or looking for new animated shows and movies.

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