While audio devices are typically plug-and-play compatible with Windows 11, there may be occasions where you need to adjust the settings to ensure that audio plays correctly and according to your expectations, especially when dealing with different types of content.
Managing General Sound Settings
- Click on the “Start” button in the taskbar and select the “Settings” icon (gear icon).
- In the Settings window, select the “System” option.
- Click on the “Sound” option from the left menu.
- Here, you can adjust the volume level for your device by moving the slider under “Output volume.”
- You can also adjust the volume level for individual apps by clicking on the “App volume and device preferences” option.
- If you want to change the default audio device, such as changing from speakers to headphones, click on the “Choose your output device” option and select the desired device.
- If you want to adjust the sound effects, click on the “Sound control panel” link at the bottom of the page. In the Sound window, you can customize the sound scheme, set the default playback device, and configure other audio settings.
- Finally, you can also use the quick settings panel by clicking on the speaker icon in the taskbar. From here, you can quickly adjust the volume, select the playback device, and open the Sound settings.
Enabling Spatial Sound
- Right-click on the speaker icon in the taskbar and select “Spatial sound” from the context menu.
- Click on “Windows Sonic for Headphones” or “Dolby Atmos for Headphones” (if available) from the list of spatial sound formats.
- If you select “Dolby Atmos for Headphones,” you’ll be asked to install the Dolby Access app from the Microsoft Store. Click on “Get” to download and install the app.
- After installing the app, launch it, and follow the on-screen instructions to set up Dolby Atmos for Headphones.
- Once you’ve enabled spatial sound, you can test it by playing spatial audio content on supported apps, such as Netflix or Microsoft Edge.
Enable Enhanced Audio
- Right-click on the speaker icon in the taskbar and select “Sound settings” from the context menu.
- Click on the “Device properties” link under your selected playback device.
- In the “Device properties” window, click on the “Additional device properties” link.
- In the “Speaker Properties” window, go to the “Enhancements” tab.
- Check the box next to “Disable all sound effects” to turn off any pre-existing enhancements.
- Check the box next to “Loudness Equalization” to enable this enhancement. This will equalize the volume of your audio output, making it sound louder and clearer.
- You can also experiment with other enhancements, such as “Bass Boost,” “Virtual Surround,” and “Room Correction,” by checking their respective boxes.
- Click on “Apply” and then “OK” to save the changes.