Getting two Bluetooth headphones to play at once on Windows 11 isn’t exactly straightforward — of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary. There’s no built-in way to do this natively, so you have to get a little creative with some software tricks. This can be useful if you want to share your music or game with someone else without blocking out all other sounds, or just wanna have a personal stereo experience with two wireless sets. The process involves connecting both headphones, enabling some system settings, and using virtual audio devices to route sound properly. It’s kinda messy, but it works once you set it up correctly. Just don’t expect perfection, especially with latency, but hey — it’s better than just one device at a time.
How to Fix Using Two Bluetooth Headphones at Once on Windows 11
Connect both headphones to your PC
This first part is pretty simple but essential. Turn on each Bluetooth headphone and put them in pairing mode (usually holding the power button until an LED starts flashing). Then, head over to Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices and click on Add Bluetooth or other device. Pair each headset separately. On some setups, Windows might only recognize one at a time, but just keep trying and ensure they’re both marked as connected in your device list. It’s frustrating, but once connected, you should see both devices listed under sound output options.
Set both headphones as default playback devices
This is where it gets a bit weird. Right-click the speaker icon on the taskbar and choose Open Sound settings. Under Output, you’ll see a dropdown with your devices. Normally, Windows only lets you pick one. So, you need to enable “Stereo Mix” or set up a virtual audio device. On some systems, both headphones might appear here, but often only one or none. If they’re not selectable simultaneously, don’t worry — you’ll need to use software for this next part.
Download and install virtual audio cable or stereo mix software
This is the trickiest part — Windows by default doesn’t let you play audio on two outputs at once. So, you need a virtual audio device like VB-Audio Cable. It’s free but kind of clunky. Download and install it, then set it as your default playback device temporarily. This software creates a fake sound device that can route audio to multiple outputs simultaneously, including your Bluetooth headphones.
Configure the virtual audio device and set up the output
Open the VB-Audio Cable Control Panel and ensure your system is routing sound through the virtual cable. Then, in Sound Settings, set the virtual cable as the default device. Afterward, add each Bluetooth headphone as an output device. Some trial and error might be needed to get both recognized as outputs. On some setups, just selecting both in the sound mixer or in stereo mix settings will do the trick. The goal is to have the system send audio to both headphones via the virtual cable, which then distributes it.
Adjust volume for clarity and sync
This part can be frustrating — audio delay or volume imbalance. Use the sound mixer (right-click speaker icon, choose Open Volume Mixer) to tweak individual levels. You might need to play with the balance or latency settings in your virtual cable software, which isn’t always perfect. Sometimes, plugging in wired headphones temporarily can help calibrate the sound, then swap back to Bluetooth. On some setups, the sound may lag a bit if the codecs aren’t optimized, so patience is key here. Also, keep your Bluetooth drivers updated — outdated drivers cause a lot of weirdness.
Tips for Making It Work Better
- Check for driver updates regularly, especially for Bluetooth chipset and headset firmware.
- If possible, use headphones from the same brand or with low latency specs — less delay, fewer weird sync issues.
- Avoid other heavy network or Bluetooth traffic on the same PC; it can cause hiccups.
- Test different virtual audio software options. Besides VB-Audio, options like “Voicemeeter” or other free virtual mixers might be worth trying.
- If things seem wonky, try restarting your PC after setting everything up — Windows can be stubborn about recognizing multiple outputs properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different brand headphones?
Sure, but expect more latency or sync issues, especially if they use different Bluetooth codecs. For best results, try to stick to the same brand or at least similar models.
What if Windows doesn’t recognize both headphones at once?
That’s pretty common. Your best bet is to use the virtual cable trick and set up your system to route audio through it, which makes Windows think it’s just one device controlling multiple outputs. Otherwise, some hardware setups might not support this at all.
Is there a lag or delay?
More than likely. Bluetooth isn’t known for super low latency, and with multiple devices involved, it gets complicated. You might notice some lag, especially between two different brands or if codecs differ.
Do I need special software?
Yep, a virtual audio cable like VB-Audio Cable or Voicemeeter — that’s usually what makes this possible. No way around it without some hacky workarounds.
Will it work with Bluetooth speakers?
Yup, same deal. Just connect your Bluetooth speakers and set up the virtual audio routing as with headphones.
Summary
- Pair both Bluetooth headphones or speakers.
- Set up a virtual audio cable or stereo mix software.
- Configure your sound settings to route audio through the virtual device.
- Adjust volume and latency to get things synced up.
Wrap-up
Honestly, getting two Bluetooth devices to run at the same time on Windows 11 feels like a hack, but it’s doable. Usually, you just need to connect both devices, set up a virtual audio route, and do some finicky tuning. If it works, it’s kinda awesome — no wires, no fuss, just shared audio. Not perfect, but it beats swapping between devices all day. Fingers crossed this saves someone hours of messing around with settings and driver updates. Good luck, and enjoy your dual wireless listening adventure!