System Enable or Disable Spatial Sound in Windows 11


  • Staff
volume_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable Spatial Sound in Windows 11.

Spatial sound is an enhanced immersive audio experience that simulates a realistic environment where sounds can flow around you, including overhead, in three-dimensional (3D) virtual space. Spatial sound provides an enhanced atmosphere which traditional surround sound formats cannot.

Reference:
docs.microsoft.com

Spatial Sound for app developers for Windows, Xbox, and Hololens 2 - Win32 apps

Developer guidance for Microsoft Spatial Sound, Microsoft’s platform-level solution for spatial sound on Xbox, Windows and HoloLens 2, enabling both surround & elevation audio cues.
docs.microsoft.com


Contents

  • Option One: Enable or Disable Spatial Sound in Settings
  • Option Two: Enable or Disable Spatial Sound in Control Panel
  • Option Three: Enable or Disable Spatial Sound in Quick Settings Volume Mixer


EXAMPLE: Tooltip on volume icon to tell you when you’re using spatial sound

The spatial sound tooltip on the volume icon is only available starting with Windows 11 build 22598.

Starting with Windows 11 build 25231, when moving your mouse over the sound icon on Quick Settings, the tooltip will now display when spatial audio is in use – not just that it is enabled.



spatial_sound_volume_icon_tooltip.png





Option One

Enable or Disable Spatial Sound in Settings


1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on System on the left side, and click/tap on Sound on the right side. (see screenshot below)


Spatial_Sound_Settings-1.png

3 Under Output devices, click/tap on the sound device (ex: "Digital Audio (S/PDIF)") you want to enable or disable spatial sound for. (see screenshot below)

Spatial_Sound_Settings-2.png

4 In the Spatial audio drop menu, select Off (disable - default) or Windows Sonic for Headphones (enable) for what you want. (see screenshot below)

If you turned on mono audio, it will gray out and disable the spatial sound setting.


Spatial_Sound_Settings-3.png

5 You can now close Settings if you like.




Option Two

Enable or Disable Spatial Sound in Control Panel


1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Sound icon.

2 In the Playback tab, select the device (ex: "Digital Audio (S/PDIF)") you want to enable or disable spatial sound for, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)

Spatial_Sound_Control_Panel-1.png

4 Click/tap on the Spatial sound tab, select Off (disable - default) or Windows Sonic for Headphones (enable) for what you want in the Spatial sound format drop menu, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

Spatial_Sound_Control_Panel-2.png

5 Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

Spatial_Sound_Control_Panel-3.png

6 You can now close the Control Panel if you like.




Option Three

Enable or Disable Spatial Sound in Quick Settings Volume Mixer


This option is only available starting with Windows 11 version 22H2 KB5030310 Build 22621.2361.


1 Perform one of the following actions:
  • Press the Win + Ctrl + V keys.
  • Open Quick Settings (Win+A), and click/tap on the Select a sound output button. (see screenshot below)
Volume_Mxer_in_Quick_Settngs-1.png

2 Select Off (disable - default) or Windows Sonic for Headphones (enable) for what you want under Spatial Audio. (see screenshot below)

If you turned on mono audio, it will disable the spatial sound setting.


Volume_Mxer_in_Quick_Settngs-2.png



That's it,
Shawn Brink


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Click to expand...
Tutorial updated to add option three. :shawn:
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    APC SMART-UPS RT 1000 XL - SURT1000XLI,
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Spectre x360 2in1 14-eu0098nr (2024)
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 7 155H 4.8 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Graphics card(s)
    Integrated Intel Arc
    Sound Card
    Poly Studio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    14" 2.8K OLED multitouch
    Screen Resolution
    2880 x 1800
    Hard Drives
    2 TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
    Internet Speed
    Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE200 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
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