If you’ve ever gone mental hearing your own voice bouncing back at you during a call or gaming sesh, you’re not alone. Plenty of folks run into this on Windows 11, but lucky for you, it’s usually a pretty easy fix—once you know where to look. Mostly, it’s about turning off the “Listen to this device” option in your sound settings, but the steps can be a bit tricky. So, here’s a straight-up guide that might help you sort it out.
When your voice is coming through your headset, it’s because Windows is looping it back—either in the sound settings or somewhere in your audio device options. You just need to disable that ‘listen’ feature so it stops feedback. The thing is, sometimes the options aren’t where you’d expect or are hidden in different menus. That’s why going through the Sound Control Panel can make all the difference.
How to Stop Hearing Yourself on Your Headset in Windows 11
This might seem a bit long-winded, but trust me, it’s worth it. Basically, you’re diving into the sound settings and turning off the playback of your microphone. Here’s how:
Step 1: Open Sound Settings
Right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar and select Sound settings. If that menu’s weird or you don’t see it, you can also go via Start > Settings > System > Sound. Once you’re in, there’ll be a lot of options, so get ready to dig around a bit.
Step 2: Get into the Control Panel
Scroll down in Sound Settings and click on More sound settings or look for Sound Control Panel. Sometimes it’s tucked away behind links like “All sound devices” or “Advanced sound options”—depends on your build. On some setups, you might need to type mmsys.cpl into the Run box (Windows + R) to open the classic sound control. Yeah, Windows has a few ways to get to the same place.
Step 3: Hit the Recording Tab
In the Sound Control Panel, click on the Recording tab. That’s where all your mics are listed—kind of like the input hub. Make sure your mic’s active; it’ll have a green tick if it’s the default device.
Step 4: Open Microphone Properties
Right-click on your mic and choose Properties. Don’t double-click; sometimes that just brings up info about the device, but you want to tweak the settings.
Step 5: Turn Off “Listen to this Device”
Now, head over to the Listen tab. You’ll see a box that says “Listen to this device”. Pretty strange it’s enabled by default, but just untick it. That stops your mic from looping back into the headset.
After that, hit Apply and OK. Once done, speaking into your mic shouldn’t echo back at you, and you won’t hear yourself anymore.
That’ll usually do the trick. But if it’s still playing up, here are a few tips to try next.
Tips to Stop Hearing Yourself on Your Headset in Windows 11
- Make sure your audio drivers are up to date—outdated ones can cause grief.
- Check your cables and connections—loose or faulty USB or jack plugs can muck things up.
- If you’ve got multiple audio devices on your PC, try switching the default in the Sound Control Panel.
- Lower your mic sensitivity if it’s picking up too much background noise (there’s a setting for that in microphone properties).
- If you’re using any gaming or chat apps, check their settings too—some have built-in echo-cancellation options.
- For wireless headsets, make sure they’re paired properly and the drivers or software are current. Some headsets come with their own apps—check those for settings too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I hear myself on my headset?
This usually happens if the “Listen to this device” feature is turned on somewhere—either in Windows sound settings or via your headset’s own software. Not a biggie, just a matter of turning it off.
Can this wreck my headset?
No worries, mate. Hearing yourself through the headset just means Windows is routing audio differently. It won’t damage your gear, but it sure is annoying!
Will updating Windows fix this?
Sometimes. Newer Windows updates can iron out driver or software bugs, but most of the time, it’s just about changing the right setting. Still a good idea to keep your system up to date.
Is this common with wireless headsets?
Too right. Both wired and wireless headsets can have this issue—wireless just makes troubleshooting a bit trickier thanks to Bluetooth and pairing quirks.
What if I still hear myself after trying all this?
Give your PC a restart—you’d be surprised how often a quick reboot sorts things out. Also, double-check if your headset software or any third-party mic tools are overriding Windows settings.
Summary
- Open Sound Settings.
- Jump into the Control Panel or run
mmsys.cpl. - Find your mic under the Recording tab.
- Open its Properties and head to the Listen tab.
- Uncheck “Listen to this device”.
Hope this sheds some light and saves you hours of frustration. It’s all about those sneaky hidden settings causing the trouble. Good luck fixing that bloody echo!