Stop windows from auto switching audio devices when plugged in?

[Gershy13]

Does anyone know of a way to stop windows from switching my input and output devices whenever something new is plugged in?

 

I have voicemeeter that i always want to use for my audio, but i am always connecting other devices which have audio (ps4 controller, bluetooth devices, etc)

 

Is there a way i can get it to always output/input to voicemeeter and never change (no matter how many new devices i plug in)?

Maybe something in the registry?

 

Thanks

Gershy13

[Moonzy]

9 minutes ago, Gershy13 said:

Does anyone know of a way to stop windows from switching my input and output devices whenever something new is plugged in?

unfortunately, no

 

you might be able to use virtual mixer to set audio to output at desired output and not rely on windows default, that might help

[Gershy13]

Just now, Moonzy said:

unfortunately, no

 

you might be able to use virtual mixer to set audio to output at desired output and not rely on windows default, that might help

virtual mixer being voicemeeter? It still has the issue that whenever i plug something in it will switch my devices to prefer the new device.

[Moonzy]

1 minute ago, Gershy13 said:

virtual mixer being voicemeeter? It still has the issue that whenever i plug something in it will switch my devices to prefer the new device.

yea this can work

can't you map an output to a fixed device instead of relying on the windows default?

 

i never used it personally, but i think it's feasible

[Gershy13]

Just now, Moonzy said:

yea this can work

can't you map an output to a fixed device instead of relying on the windows default?

 

i never used it personally, but i think it's feasible

i dont think so, as voicemeeter relies on windows to output to its device, and then you can route from there...

if there was a way for windows to set voicemeeter as fixed and never change, that would be perfect.

[homeap5]

If you're using integrated card, install drivers (realtek probably). Drivers have tool included that has option to disable detecting jacks.

[Gershy13]

1 minute ago, homeap5 said:

If you're using integrated card, install drivers (realtek probably). Drivers have tool included that has option to disable detecting jacks.

No it's mainly usb or Bluetooth devices

[homeap5]

25 minutes ago, Gershy13 said:

No it's mainly usb or Bluetooth devices

They have software included too.

[Joshua]

On 10/14/2020 at 2:46 PM, Gershy13 said:

Does anyone know of a way to stop windows from switching my input and output devices whenever something new is plugged in?

 

I have voicemeeter that i always want to use for my audio, but i am always connecting other devices which have audio (ps4 controller, bluetooth devices, etc)

 

Is there a way i can get it to always output/input to voicemeeter and never change (no matter how many new devices i plug in)?

Maybe something in the registry?

 

Thanks

Gershy13

I find many of the responses in this thread confusing. I have a TV, a monitor, pair of speakers, USB headset and 3.5mm headphones that can all be used as output/input devices. I have spent that last 5 minutes plugging and unplugging all of these devices, and not once did the device change except for when my default device was unplugged. As soon as I plug my default device back in, the output device gets set back to it. 

 

My chosen output device is a set of 3.5mm speakers & subwoofer that have no attached software. I have my built-in sound card drivers installed but no utility. 

 

So my question is, have you set your desired output device as default? 

[Gershy13]

7 minutes ago, Joshua said:

I find many of the responses in this thread confusing. I have a TV, a monitor, pair of speakers, USB headset and 3.5mm headphones that can all be used as output/input devices. I have spent that last 5 minutes plugging and unplugging all of these devices, and not once did the device change except for when my default device was unplugged. As soon as I plug my default device back in, the output device gets set back to it. 

 

My chosen output device is a set of 3.5mm speakers & subwoofer that have no attached software. I have my built-in sound card drivers installed but no utility. 

 

So my question is, have you set your desired output device as default? 

Yes i have set the output device that i want as default. the issue is plugging in new devices that the system hasnt seen before/recently i believe.

[PaterFrog]

On 10/16/2020 at 6:44 PM, Joshua said:

I find many of the responses in this thread confusing. I have a TV, a monitor, pair of speakers, USB headset and 3.5mm headphones that can all be used as output/input devices. I have spent that last 5 minutes plugging and unplugging all of these devices, and not once did the device change except for when my default device was unplugged. As soon as I plug my default device back in, the output device gets set back to it. 

 

My chosen output device is a set of 3.5mm speakers & subwoofer that have no attached software. I have my built-in sound card drivers installed but no utility. 

 

So my question is, have you set your desired output device as default? 

It happens to me literally any time I unplug and replug my USB headset. Yes I have manually set VoiceMeeter as the default device, but this is ignored when I plug in the USB headset. Windows will be a smartass and switch to it regardless of what I manually defined to be the default device.
But funnily enough, this only happens in the Playback tab, NOT the Record tab.

What I manually set:


When I unplug and replug my USB headset, Windows smartass:

[Gershy13]

10 minutes ago, PaterFrog said:

It happens to me literally any time I unplug and replug my USB headset. Yes I have manually set VoiceMeeter as the default device, but this is ignored when I plug in the USB headset. Windows will be a smartass and switch to it regardless of what I manually defined to be the default device.
But funnily enough, this only happens in the Playback tab, NOT the Record tab.

What I manually set:


When I unplug and replug my USB headset, Windows smartass:

Happens to me in both tabs. Once a device has been connected and overridden as default windows will usually remember that even if you plug that device in, it won't set to default (although different usb ports seem to affect this differently)

[PaterFrog]

13 minutes ago, Gershy13 said:

Happens to me in both tabs. Once a device has been connected and overridden as default windows will usually remember that even if you plug that device in, it won't set to default (although different usb ports seem to affect this differently)

Have tested in different USB ports just now, but the behavior remains as consistently problematic in all aspects:

In the playback tab only, plugging in the headset will set it to be the default device, regardless of previous manual settings.

For whatever reason, this does NOT happen in the Recording tab at all.

I'm mostly fine on reboots. Usually the default devices do not switch, but sometimes they do. I have a feeling it depends on whether Windows detects the headset (or the DAC of it, to be specific), or whether VoiceMeeter launches first, but I'm not sure if that is really it.

I#m thinking about writing a startup script that listens for any changes to this setting and reverts them to what I want it to be when they happen. But I haven't done anything like that before. Any suggestions?

[Gershy13]

4 minutes ago, PaterFrog said:

Have tested in different USB ports just now, but the behavior remains as consistently problematic in all aspects:

In the playback tab only, plugging in the headset will set it to be the default device, regardless of previous manual settings.

For whatever reason, this does NOT happen in the Recording tab at all.

I'm mostly fine on reboots. Usually the default devices do not switch, but sometimes they do. I have a feeling it depends on whether Windows detects the headset (or the DAC of it, to be specific), or whether VoiceMeeter launches first, but I'm not sure if that is really it.

I#m thinking about writing a startup script that listens for any changes to this setting and reverts them to what I want it to be when they happen. But I haven't done anything like that before. Any suggestions?

Not sure to be honest that's way over my head xD!

 

It's weird that it doesn't remember the setting if you plug it into the same usb port... Unless the driver of your headset reinitialises every time?

[PaterFrog]

6 minutes ago, Gershy13 said:

Not sure to be honest that's way over my head xD!

 

It's weird that it doesn't remember the setting if you plug it into the same usb port... Unless the driver of your headset reinitialises every time?

I actually think it does. I use this headset:

The little black bar next to the actual headset is called "GameDAC" and goes through a bootup whenever I plug it in. The headset is connected to this DAC, which in turn is connected to the PC via USB.
Because it has no external power and no battery, it needs the power from the USB and I believe it needs to power up every time. This could be or cause the reinintialising you speak of. However, I would think that this should also cause the Recording default device to switch, which it doesn't...

[Gershy13]

2 minutes ago, PaterFrog said:

I actually think it does. I use this headset:

The little black bar next to the actual headset is called "GameDAC" and goes through a bootup whenever I plug it in. The headset is connected to this DAC, which in turn is connected to the PC via USB.
Because it has no external power and no battery, it needs the power from the USB and I believe it needs to power up every time. This could be or cause the reinintialising you speak of. However, I would think that this should also cause the Recording default device to switch, which it doesn't...

hmmm yeah thats weird... im not really sure to be honest.

[PaterFrog]

Just now, Gershy13 said:

hmmm yeah thats weird... im not really sure to be honest.

I'll go on a hunt for a script, or how to write one. Will be at least several days I think. Have you been able to fix the issue for yourself in any acceptable manner?

[Gershy13]

7 minutes ago, PaterFrog said:

I'll go on a hunt for a script, or how to write one. Will be at least several days I think. Have you been able to fix the issue for yourself in any acceptable manner?

I don't plug in audio devices too often so it's not really a big problem for me. 

[oddbear]

Have not found anything to disable autoswitching, but there is a lot of applications and scripts to monitor it and switch it back.

Ex. Belphemur/SoundSwitch, or scripts based on AudioDeviceCmdlets

 

However from my understanding, setting the default device is not a part of the Windows API (getting is), and these application/scripts are using undocumented features.

[GoodBytes]

So, to answer people question... it has to do with the driver.

The driver of the device is making the switch. This is why some people have this behavior, others don't.

It's not Windows. 

[Kewk]

On 5/29/2021 at 11:36 AM, GoodBytes said:

So, to answer people question... it has to do with the driver.

The driver of the device is making the switch. This is why some people have this behavior, others don't.

It's not Windows. 

While this may be a driver issue, this should be something that windows is capable of handling in terms of allowing and disallowing. But then again, it seems Windows doesn't care a whole lot about audio in general. 

This issue, is currently a major issue for me and what led me here. My Artist 24 Pro is fighting with my audio interface for control right now. It is literally bouncing back and forth between them, the audio is cutting out and really just causing havoc. I have every sound device disabled in the sound control panel, despite that it is still fighting. It get's even better tho, in the Nvidia control panel it says that the monitor isn't even capable of audio. I think I'll try to remove the audio driver completely to see what happens. I cannot work in audio right now due to this but if I reboot it does go away. Something happens that triggers it tho and I am not sure what. 

Edit: I disabled all audio devices in the device manager and I believe this to be the solution. I only ever need my interface anyway. 

[Neekerz2u]

Okay, so I am here, probably for the same reasons as others have ended up here... did a search for conflictions between external USB microphone and speakers/headphones. My sound using speakers, or headphones, would work just fine until I plugged in my microphone. I was at my wits end trying to figure out a solution, when all of a sudden I did this...

 

First: in case they matter ( I have a sneaking suspicion the name brands don't matter though)

Using a Windows 10 Gaming PC with the following

 

Jlab Stand alone Mic, USB wired

Elegant Gaming Speakers

Hyperx Headphones, w/o microphone, USB wired

One of the sound devices uses NVIDIA and the other uses REALTEK, both are high definition audio.

 

Now to the solution.

 

Open device manager (just start to type in startup menu and it will appear, then you can just click on it to open)

Scroll down to Sound, video and game controllers.

Disable one of the sound output devices (either speakers or headphones) by right clicking on the one you choose and scroll over to disable, click that.

Voila, the sound works... at least for me, this was the solution to the same problems above it even stopped it from automatically reverting to change my default.

 

Good luck to anyone who finds this site through the same grueling process as myself lol