Setting up the wrong audio device can be quite unpleasant – thankfully, it’s an easy mistake to fix if it does happen, and it can even be prevented pretty easily. Windows lets you configure a default audio output device, that way you know which of your connected speakers or audio devices will be prioritized.
Tip: Some apps let you override Windows’ default audio device. Changing the default device will not affect those apps once the setting has been overridden, you’ll need to manually configure them to follow the default audio device again. Some games do this, for example, but you can generally fix it in the game-specific settings.
To change your default audio device, press the Windows key, type “Sound”, and then hit enter. This will open the Settings app on the sound settings page. The first setting is “Choose your output device”. Click on the dropdown box and select which device you want to be your default.
You don’t need to press anything for the change to apply. As soon as you select an option from the dropdown list the setting will be updated.
Tip: Most, but not all apps that use the default output device, will immediately change to respect the new default output device. However, some programs may need to be restarted for the change to apply. If in doubt, restart your computer, to make sure all programs start again with the new setting!
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