Windows 11 plays all audio through the single default audio output device by default. This means if you have both speakers and headphones connected, all sounds will play through whichever device is set as the default. But what if you want to play audio from a specific application through a different output? For example, make discord audio play through headphones while game audio plays through external speakers. Thankfully, it is pretty simple to configure Windows 11 to send audio from a specific program through a specific audio output device.
In this quick and simple tutorial, let me show you the steps to change the audio output device for specific applications on Windows 11.
Good to know: How to Control Volume with Mouse Wheel on Windows 11 & 10
Before You Begin
- Ensure the audio device you want to use is connected to the system.
- Play some audio from the application you wish to change the output for.
Steps to Change Audio Output Per App (Program)
- Open Settings using “Windows key + I”.
- Navigate to the “System” > “Sound” page.
- Click “Volume Mixer” under the “Advanced” section.
- Click the application name under “Apps”
- Select the audio device from the “Output device” dropdown.
- With that, you’ve changed the audio output device for that specific application.
Detailed Steps (With Screenshots)
As the first step, we need to open the “Volume Mixer” settings. To do that, you have two ways:
The first way is to open the Settings app by pressing “Windows key + I”. Next, go to the “System” tab, click on “Sound“, and then click the “Volume Mixer” option.
Alternatively, you can right-click the volume icon on the taskbar and select the “Open Volume Mixer” option.
Here, click the application name under the “Apps” section.
Note: If you don’t see your application in the list, try playing some audio in it. The Volume Mixer only displays applications that are actively outputting sound. If it still doesn’t appear, try restarting the application.
Now, select the audio output device you want to use with the application from the “Output” dropdown menu. For example, I want to use my monitor speakers with my Chrome browser. So, I selected it from the “Output” dropdown.
As soon as you select the Output device, Windows routes the audio from that specific device while using that specific app.
Wrapping Up: Setting Per-App Audio Output in Windows
As you can see, using the built-in Volume Mixer, you can easily route audio from specific applications to different output devices. You can also adjust the volume for each application individually. If you don’t see an application listed, make sure it’s open and playing media. Similarly, if your audio device isn’t showing in the “Output” dropdown menu, ensure it’s properly connected to your system. The best thing about this method is that your per-app audio settings will persist even if you change the default audio output device or switch to a different playback device.
If you have any questions or need help, feel free to comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
