Windows 11 keeps changing audio output.

Anonymous
2022-04-11T11:41:43+00:00

Hello,

Windows 11 keeps swapping between audio output devices at random times. Even if I "don't allow" a device in the settings or disable it through 'more sound settings'. Sometimes it happens after a reboot, sometimes it just does it for no reason. Sometimes it goes well for a day, maybe two, and then it'll swap things around again.

Is there a way for me to 'lock' the output device? My default device is set as the default. Sometimes it changes volume to maximum after a swap which you can probably understand is very inconvenient.

Did I miss a setting somewhere?

I'm using my earbuds plugged in to one of my monitors and the monitor is connected through DP, so the audio controller is my graphics card (nvidia) rather than the on-board one.

Can anyone help me out?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-06-06T05:04:07+00:00

    I have an HP Envy 17 laptop that changes the default speakers EVERY time I power cycle it. Not on a reboot, but every power up I have no sound and have to go choose my speaker/headphone again, EVEN THOUGH they are set and confirmed to be correctly set as default. I've also tried every "solution" I can find online. So frustrating.

    Screen shot shows what I have set correctly to default. On power up it always changes to the USB speakers.

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-06-06T14:36:31+00:00

    I disabled the monitor's sound in Device Manager too. This resolved the issue. My laptop's audio is way better than the monitor's speakers anyway.

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-07-14T12:10:49+00:00

    Same problem here with a high-end home-cinema setup. I basically have to reenable my Denon AVC-X7800H plugged into an RTX3090 every few days and it's annoying as hell. There should really be a way to clamp those configurations down without WIndows being able to change anything without user input. Apart from that I've only had good experiences with WIndows 11!

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-07-15T15:20:12+00:00

    I only have one audio device in my device manager left and that's the monitor that outputs sound (or should), I suppose.

    Due to other cirumstances, I've swapped monitors around and I'm now using a HDMI connection for the main one, but unfortunately that didn't change anything.

    I just want 'don't allow' in the sound settings to consistently 'not allow' a device to be used. However, everything just keeps changing and swapping and it's super frustrating.

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-07-15T15:39:46+00:00

    Absolutely. I've also resorted to uninstall and disconnect any other sound devices somehow capable of routing sound, but it keeps changing devices. Thankfully Discord and Teamspeak have an option to clamp down audio settings... why doesn't Windows have that?

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