If you’ve ever been annoyed by hearing your own voice echoing back at you during a call or game, you’re not alone. Many people experience this issue on Windows 11, but luckily, it’s not too hard to fix—once you know where to look. Usually, it involves turning off the “Listen to this device” option in your sound settings, but the steps aren’t always straightforward. So, here’s a kinda honest breakdown that might help.
When your own voice is coming through your headset, it’s because Windows is set to loop it back—either in the sound settings or some audio device settings. You’ll want to disable that ‘listen’ feature so it doesn’t feedback. The thing is, sometimes, the options aren’t where you’d expect, or they’re hidden behind 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 manual might seem a little long, but trust me, it’s worth it. You’re basically going into the sound settings and turning off the playback of your microphone. Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Open Sound Settings
Right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar and click Sound settings. If your right-click menu is weird or you don’t see it, you can also go through Start > Settings > System > Sound. Once you’re in the sound settings, you might notice a lot of options, so be ready to dig a little.
Step 2: Access the Control Panel
Scroll down in Sound Settings and click on More sound settings or look for Sound Control Panel. Sometimes it’s hidden behind a link called “All sound devices” or “Advanced sound options”—depends on your build. On some setups, you might need to run mmsys.cpl in the Run box (Windows + R) to open the classic sound control. Yeah, Windows sometimes has multiple pathways to the same place.
Step 3: Choose the Recording Tab
In the Sound Control Panel, click the Recording tab. That’s where all your microphones live—kind of like the input hub. Make sure your mic is active; it’ll have a green checkmark if it’s default.
Step 4: Open Microphone Properties
Right-click on your active microphone and select Properties. Don’t just double-click; sometimes that opens the device info, but you want to manage settings more precisely.
Step 5: Disable “Listen to this Device”
Now, go to the Listen tab. You’ll see a checkbox that says “Listen to this device”. It’s kinda weird that this is enabled by default for some reason, but just uncheck it. That stops playback of your mic through the headset.
After you do that, click Apply and OK. When you’ve done that, speaking into your mic should no longer echo back, and you won’t hear yourself.
That’s usually enough to fix the echo issue. But if this didn’t do the trick, here’s what might help next.
Tips for How to Stop Hearing Yourself on Your Headset in Windows 11
- Make sure your audio drivers are up to date—older drivers can cause weird issues.
- Check connections — loose cables or bad USB ports can sometimes mess with audio routing.
- If you’re on a laptop or desktop with multiple audio devices, try switching the default device in the Sound control panel.
- Lower microphone sensitivity if it’s picking up too much background noise (Windows has a setting for that in microphone properties).
- If you’re using gaming software or voice chat apps, check their individual settings too—sometimes, they have their own echo-canceling options.
- For wireless headsets, ensure they’re correctly paired and the drivers/software for your headset are current. Some headsets have their own app—check that if you have it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I hear myself on my headset?
This is usually because the “Listen to this device” feature got turned on somewhere—either in Windows sound settings or maybe via your headset software. Kind of annoying, but easy to fix once you know where to look.
Can this damage my headset?
Nope, hearing yourself like that just means Windows is routing audio differently. It won’t harm your gear, it just makes things super distracting.
Will updating Windows fix this problem?
Sometimes. A fresh Windows update can fix underlying driver or software bugs, but most of the time, it’s just about changing the right setting. Still, it’s good practice to keep your system current.
Is this problem common with wireless headsets?
Absolutely. Both wired and wireless headsets can have this problem—wireless just makes it trickier to troubleshoot since there are more potential issues with pairing and Bluetooth.
What if I still hear myself after following the steps?
Then, try restarting your PC — weird, but sometimes Windows just needs a quick reboot to finalize these setting changes. Also, double-check whether your headset software or third-party mic apps are overriding Windows settings.
Summary
- Open Sound Settings.
- Jump into the Control Panel or run
mmsys.cpl. - Find your mic in the Recording tab.
- Open Properties and go to the Listen tab.
- Uncheck “Listen to this device”.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Not sure why it works sometimes and not others, but it’s often just those little hidden toggle settings causing the trouble. Good luck fixing that annoying echo!