- To change the sound output device on Windows 11, open Settings > System > Sound and choose the audio output under the “Change where to play sound” setting.
- You can also open “Quick Settings” and change the output device from the “Manage audio and devices” page.
UPDATED 12/12/2023: On Windows 11, you can connect multiple sound peripherals to the output connection on your computer, including speakers, headphones, headsets, and more. You can quickly change between these devices to output audio if you have more than one. Usually, this comes in handy to quickly switch from your speakers and headsets. You can do this through the “Settings” app or “Quick Settings” flyout through the Taskbar.
In this guide, I will teach you the easy steps to select the default audio device to output sound on Windows 11.
Switch audio output on Windows 11 from Settings
To change audio output device (such as speakers, headphones, or headsets) on Windows 11, use these steps:
-
Open Settings (Windows Key + I).
-
Click on System.
-
Click the Sound tab.
-
Under the “Output” section, select the speakers, headphones, or headsets to output sound in the “Choose where to play sound” setting.
Once you complete the steps, the sound will start playing on the set of speakers you selected by default.
Switch audio output on Windows 11 from Taskbar
To quickly switch the sound output device, use these steps:
-
Click the Quick Settings (Windows key + A) button from the Taskbar’s System Tray.
-
Click the “Manage audio and devices” button beside the volume slider.
-
Choose the default audio output from the list of devices.
Quick tip: You can access this page even faster using the “Windows key + Ctrl + V” dedicated keyboard shortcut.
After you complete the steps, the system sound will output in the selected device.
Update December 12, 2023: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes with the process.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].