System 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.

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




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.

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)

Open Sound settings


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)


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


5 You can now close Settings if you like.





1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Mouse 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)


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 audio format drop menu, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)


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


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


That's it,
Shawn Brink