How to enable Audio Enhancements on Windows 11

This is how you can enhance the audio output experience on Windows 11.

Windows 11 audio enhancements
Windows 11 audio enhancements
  • To enable Audio Enhancements on Windows 11, open Settings > System > Sound > All sound devices > Speakers, and turn on “Audio Enhancements.”
  • Then open the “Sound” page again and open the “More sound settings” page to access the “Enhancements” settings to choose “Bass Boost,” “Virtual Surround,” “Room Correction,” or “Loudness Equalization.”

On Windows 11, “Audio Enhancements” is a collection of settings you can configure to enhance the audio experience of your computer’s speakers.

The feature includes an option to normalize the audio output, which will come in handy to prevent commercials from playing louder than the actual content you are listening to or watching. You can turn stereo speakers into a surround experience, correct the audio in a room, and boost the bass of the speakers.

This guide will teach you the steps to enhance the audio experience on Windows 11.

Enable Audio Enhancements on Windows 11

To enable and configure “Audio Enhancements” on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 11.

  2. Click on System.

  3. Click the Sound tab.

  4. Under the “Advanced” section, click the All sound devices setting.

    All sound devices

  5. Under the “Output devices” section, select the Speakers setting.

    Speakers

  6. Under the “Output settings” section, select the Device Default Effects option in the “Audio enhancements” setting.

    Enable audio enhancements

  7. Open the Sound page again.

  8. Under the “Advanced” section, click the “More sound settings” option.

  9. Select the output device and click the Properties button.

  10. Click the Enhancements tab.

  11. Select the audio enhancements to enable on Windows 11:

    Enhance audio

    • Bass Boost: Boosts the lowest frequencies that the speakers can play.
    • Virtual Surround: Encodes surround audio for transfer as stereo output to receivers with a Matrix decoder.
    • Room Correction: Compensates for room and speaker characteristics.
    • Loudness Equalization: Uses an understanding of human hearing to reduce perceived volume differences.
  12. Click the Apply button.

  13. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the settings will apply to enhance the audio experience on your Windows 11 computer.

Disable Audio Enhancements on Windows 11

To disable “Audio Enhancements” settings on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings.

  2. Click on System.

  3. Click the Sound tab.

  4. Under the “Advanced” section, click the All sound devices setting.

    All sound devices

  5. Under the “Output devices” section, select the Speakers setting.

    Speakers

  6. Under the “Output settings” section, select the “Off” option in the “Audio enhancements” setting.

    Disable audio enhancements

After you complete the steps, the audio enhancements settings will disable on Windows 11.

Alternatively, you can also disable the enhancements from Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound, selecting the output device, clicking the “Properties” button, opening the “Enhancements” tab, and checking the “Disable all enhancements” option.

About the author

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 15 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 21 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].