Ever wanted to listen to Spotify through your speakers while watching a YouTube vid in your headphones? Or maybe stream your game audio to a headset but still get alerts through the speakers? Yeah, Windows 11 can do this — bit weird, but it’s possible. The tricky bit is, it’s not exactly straightforward and sometimes takes a bit of tinkering. If you’re sick of swapping cables or just want to split your audio without buying fancy gear, this guide’s got you covered. Expect to have a fiddle with the settings, enable some hidden features, and maybe restart your audio service a few times. It’s not perfect on every machine, but on some setups, this sort of thing works after a restart or a quick driver update.
How to Enable Dual Audio Outputs in Windows 11
This whole thing is about fooling Windows into sending audio to two spots at once — like your speakers and headphones, separately. The idea is to get some apps to send their sound to a different device than the default. It’s a bit of a half-arsed solution, but for most folks looking to do a bit of multitasking with their audio, it’ll do the trick. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Enable Stereo Mix and Set Up Virtual Audio Cables
First up, Windows doesn’t natively support “sending different outputs” easily. So, the trick is to use something like Winhance or similar tools to create a virtual audio device. But if you just want a simple fix and skip extra apps, you can try enabling Stereo Mix — it’s a bit hidden and not always there.
Open Settings > System > Sound. Scroll down to Advanced sound options and click More sound settings. Or right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and choose Open Sound settings. Then, click Sound Control Panel on the right.
In the window that pops up, go to the Recording tab. Right-click inside the list, and if you see Stereo Mix, select Enable. If it’s not there, you might need to update your sound drivers or turn on hidden devices in Device Manager. Sometimes updating drivers from your sound card’s website or through Windows Update can bring Stereo Mix back if it’s been hiding away.
This is a bit weird, but enabling Stereo Mix tricks Windows into letting you broadcast your audio stream to another device. On some setups, Stereo Mix only appears after a reboot or a driver refresh — annoying as hell. After you turn it on, right-click Stereo Mix again and pick Set as Default Device. Now Windows considers Stereo Mix as a real device you can select and set up.
Set Your Primary and Secondary Outputs Properly
Head back to Sound Settings. Under Output, pick your main device (say, your speakers). Then, open the app you want to hear differently — like Spotify, VLC, or your game. Many apps let you pick their audio device — check their settings. If not, you might need to route their sound through Stereo Mix, which gets a bit complicated but can be done with some extra software tweaks.
For more control, you might wanna use a free app like Voicemeeter. It creates virtual audio buses so you can choose where each app’s sound goes — about time Windows made this easy, right?
Balance Your Volumes and Tweak Settings
Once your outputs are sorted, right-click the speaker icon and choose Open Volume Mixer. Here you can tweak individual app volumes, so everything sounds nice and balanced. Sometimes, restarting the apps or re-selecting the outputs helps settle things down.
Be aware: Bluetooth audio can have latency issues or desync, which can cause a bit of lag. Test your setup and see if everything’s running smoothly. Wired headphones are still the go-to if you need zero lag.
Tips and caveats for using dual audio outputs in Windows 11
- Try different apps — some are better at handling multiple outputs than others.
- If Stereo Mix doesn’t show up, update your sound drivers or consider grabbing the latest chipset drivers from your motherboard or sound card maker.
- Bluetooth delay can mess with your sync, so test before you jump on a call or stream.
- Consider using software like Voicemeeter or similar for more control over audio routing.
- Keep Windows up to date — sometimes these annoyances get sorted out in patches.
FAQs
Can I use Bluetooth and wired headphones as dual outputs?
Yeah, some setups can handle a Bluetooth and wired device at once, but beware—the Bluetooth might lag a bit, which can be annoying.
What if Stereo Mix doesn’t show up?
Update your sound drivers, enable hidden devices in Device Manager, or reinstall your sound card drivers. Windows often hides it unless you ask to see hidden devices.
Will this slow down my PC?
Nah, running dual outputs via Stereo Mix or virtual devices doesn’t take much juice. Unless you’re running a tonne of heavy audio apps, you should be fine.
Wrap-up
This dual-output setup in Windows 11 can be a bit clunky, but once you get it sorted, it’s a real game-changer for multitasking or just messing about with your sound. Expect some trial and error — drivers, settings, restarting. Not sure why Microsoft makes it so convoluted, but that’s tech for ya. Just keep fiddling, and with a bit of luck, you’ll get a setup that splits your sound with minimal fuss. Good luck!
Summary
- Enable Stereo Mix (or try Voicemeeter) for virtual audio routing.
- Set your main device as default in Windows Sound Settings.
- Configure individual app outputs when possible.
- Tweak volume levels for a good balance.
Final thought
Hopefully, this saves you a few hrs figuring out how to run two outputs. Not perfect, but it gets the job done on many setups. Just something that worked for me — hope it works for you too!