Most PC users use either a headphone or PC’s built-in speaker as the default audio output device. But then there are PC users like gamers who would like to use different audio output devices for different applications.
There are many users who prefer to set different audio output devices for different programs. For instance, one might want to set 5.1 surround setup for VLC Media Player (to watch movies), and headphone as default audio device for applications like Groove Music (to listen to music).
Up until now, there was not an easy way to set different audio output devices for different applications. But you can now set different audio devices for different applications in Windows 10 without the help of third-party applications. Additionally, you can also set different sound levels for different applications.
The option to set different audio devices for different applications has been introduced with Windows 10 Redstone 4. So, you must be running April 2018 Update for Windows 10 (version 1803) or later to be able to use this new feature.
Following are the step-by-step directions to set different audio output devices for different applications and games in Windows 10.
Set different audio devices for different applications in Windows 10
Step 1: Navigate to Settings app > System > Sound.
Step 2: In the Other sound options section, click App volume and device preferences option. Clicking the option opens App volume and device preferences page.
Step 3: As you can see in the picture below, the page displays all currently running apps and games on the left side. If the program or app for which you want to set default audio output device if not showing up, make sure that the app or program is running. If it’s already running, restart it.
If there are multiple tabs playing audio in a web browser, all tabs will show as separate entries.
Step 4: To set a default audio output device for an application, click the select an audio device from the Output drop-down next to the application entry.
You can also set different volume levels for different applications from this page. Simply move the slider next to an app entry to set the default volume level for that app.
Of course, you can also set different input devices for different applications.
You might also like to read our how to use both speaker and headphone at the same time in Windows 10.
Zag says
Windows Setting App is like using 1980s DOS because you can’t multitask with it. (e.g., you can’t have sound settings open and Bluetooth settings open at the same time in different instances (windows). You can’t see both settings at the same time. It’s like having a browsers that can only use one tab at a time. This reduces productivity. And, that why s many of us in IT are moving from Windows to Linux. Windows is becoming so dumbed down it’s impossible to use productively.
Damian says
I’m trying to use SichboPVR on my second monitor (with hdmi audio) and it works when I set it to the kogan device, but if I close the app and reload it, it fails to produce any sound and the application is erroneously listed as Microsoft Speech Recognition and the app crashes.
One step forward, two steps back yet again for microsoft. Back to AudioROuter. :(
Jasperwillem says
Hey all, thx for this insight.
Let me leave this here; you can put a VB script on your desktop to auto-open the menu.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/8ggozl/1803_volume_mixer_shortcut_name/dybktq4/
In my case its tab position 9 instead of 6.
Christian Duque says
Hi,
There is an application that do that more easily 2/3 clicks on a icon in the taskbar, instead of going deep into windows configuration menus…
Here is the link to it : chevolume.com
The app always stay easily accessible in the taskbar and you can handle all your output and volume at once in a single screen.
have a nice day
Stan Walker says
Here’s what happening to me. I start up the app and begin playback. Once playback begins it shows up in “App volume and device preferences”, I can set it to the desired audio device (let’s call the default device “Speaker A” and the desired device “Speaker B”). The problem is, even though it’s set to Speaker B, the app still plays on Speaker A.
In order to fix this, after setting Speaker B in “App volume and device preferences”, I then have to manually change my default device to Speaker B. Now the app works with Speaker B and, even after changing the default back to Speaker A, the app still uses Speaker B (while everything else goes back to Speaker A). And that’s fine as long as the app runs continuously.
But if I ever stop and re-start the app, even though “App volume and device preferences” still recognizes that the app should use Speaker B, it goes back to the default, Speaker A. What do I need to do to get the app to play on Speaker B on each re-start without having to swap defaults manually?