Win 11 multiple sound devices, how to?

Elf_Boy

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With Win 11, can we use multiple sound devices, say set the Chrome tab on my left monitor to use the built in (via hdmi) speakers for the episode of Law & Order I am watching, while using the much better quality Sterio/5.1 sound system for my game?

Another variation of this, between my 3 monitors I have 7 speakers. Could I router surround sound to them somehow?
 
So, this won't be a 'Windows' thing, but more of an application-specific thing.

Which is to say that I can give you examples but I don't really have an answer.

Essentially, applications can use whatever sound devices that Windows makes available. One way to see this in action with with video conferencing software like Zoom, Teams, or even Facebook Messenger.

What you'd want to accomplish is coercing specific applications that play sound to use specific outputs. And if you find a way, I'd like to know about it too, as many games with VOIP don't necessarily follow Windows suggestions.

(the one I've fought with is Battlefield 4 - I've had game sound coming out of whatever the primary output is, and had in-game VOIP from other players coming out of another... somehow)
 
I think if you have an app (like Spotify or Discord) - inside the app you can set their sound output to specific devices - if the app supports it.

Windows 10 you could in the Sound system setting, but I don't see the same thing in Windows 11 anymore.

I ran across this, but I haven't tried it out, YMMV:

SoundSwitch: Control your audio output

SoundSwitch is a free open-source application for Windows that let you switch your default playback devices and/or recording devices using simple hotkeys.
soundswitch.aaflalo.me soundswitch.aaflalo.me
 
New to me too, actually.

May be misremembering, but I think this feature got removed with the new Win 11 UI.
 
Space_Ranger said:
If I am understanding the question correctly, I believe you can setup something under System > Sound > Volume Mixer: Apps is where you wanna go

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I'd swear I've seen something like this in W10 but couldn't find it just now. Only some things that are really basic and essentially useless instead but I know I've seen something like this before in W10 as well. Based on other responses in this thread regarding W11 it looks like MS has been tinkering with things.

@Elf_Boy, yeah let us know how your results go as that is an interesting idea of selectively choosing which app uses what but as @LazyGamer mentioned it can be useful for games, VOIP, etc. I've done some tinkering with Teams and been annoyed by it resetting itself somehow even when I know I left it at default settings and have even had to help other staff at my job with the same issue.
 
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