When I link a phone to a Bluetooth speaker, the volume control on the phone and the volume control buttons on the physical speaker appear to be linked or unified (those are the best terms I can think of). What I mean by this is that if I adjust the volume up or down from the physical speaker, the volume control on the phone also goes up or down in sync with the physical speaker volume. In other words, those volume controls are linked or unified.
However, in Windows 10 and 11 the behavior is very different. There are effectively two separate volume controls. If I adjust the volume on the physical speaker, it has no effect on the volume control in Windows. Likewise, if I adjust the volume control in Windows, it doesn't affect the volume control on the speaker.
Let me clarify this a little because the above statement might be a bit hard to understand without more clarification.
Let' say that on the physical speaker, I set the volume to 25%. This acts like a limiter. If I now adjust the volume within Windows, the volume on the speaker will change, but it maxes out at 25%. In other words, if I crank the Windows volume to 100%, the speaker is still limited to 25%.
To get the full range of volume I first need to set the volume on the physical speaker to 100%. Only then can I control the volume fully from Windows.
The same holds true the other way around: If I were to set the Windows volume control to 25%, then adjusting the volume controls on the physical speaker maxes out at 25%.
This behavior is especially annoying when the computer and speaker are some distance apart because you must get up to do a volume control dance with the device on the other side of the house.
Is anyone aware of a setting that can make Windows behave more like a phone in this regard?
NOTE: There is a registry entry called "DisableAbsoluteVolume" that addresses issues with low volume or inability to control the volume at all from Windows. I am already aware of that setting, but that does affect the behavior I have described.
TEST SCENARIO: Note that I have tried this with a minimum of four different speakers and three different computers with different Bluetooth versions including Bluetooth 5 on both PC and speakers. The results are the same every time.
However, in Windows 10 and 11 the behavior is very different. There are effectively two separate volume controls. If I adjust the volume on the physical speaker, it has no effect on the volume control in Windows. Likewise, if I adjust the volume control in Windows, it doesn't affect the volume control on the speaker.
Let me clarify this a little because the above statement might be a bit hard to understand without more clarification.
Let' say that on the physical speaker, I set the volume to 25%. This acts like a limiter. If I now adjust the volume within Windows, the volume on the speaker will change, but it maxes out at 25%. In other words, if I crank the Windows volume to 100%, the speaker is still limited to 25%.
To get the full range of volume I first need to set the volume on the physical speaker to 100%. Only then can I control the volume fully from Windows.
The same holds true the other way around: If I were to set the Windows volume control to 25%, then adjusting the volume controls on the physical speaker maxes out at 25%.
This behavior is especially annoying when the computer and speaker are some distance apart because you must get up to do a volume control dance with the device on the other side of the house.
Is anyone aware of a setting that can make Windows behave more like a phone in this regard?
NOTE: There is a registry entry called "DisableAbsoluteVolume" that addresses issues with low volume or inability to control the volume at all from Windows. I am already aware of that setting, but that does affect the behavior I have described.
TEST SCENARIO: Note that I have tried this with a minimum of four different speakers and three different computers with different Bluetooth versions including Bluetooth 5 on both PC and speakers. The results are the same every time.
My Computers
System One System Two
-
- OS
- Win11 Pro 24H2
- Computer type
- PC/Desktop
- Manufacturer/Model
- Kamrui Mini PC, Model CK10
- CPU
- Intel i5-12450H
- Memory
- 32GB
- Graphics Card(s)
- No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
- Sound Card
- Integrated
- Monitor(s) Displays
- HP Envy 32
- Screen Resolution
- 2560 x 1440
- Hard Drives
- 1 x 2TB NVMe SSD
1 x 4TB NVMe SSD
1 x 4TB 2.5" SSD
- PSU
- 120W "Brick"
- Keyboard
- Corsair K70 Mechanical Keyboard
- Mouse
- Logitech MX Master 3
- Internet Speed
- 1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
- Browser
- Edge
- Antivirus
- Windows Defender
-
- Operating System
- Win11 Pro 23H2
- Computer type
- Laptop
- Manufacturer/Model
- Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
- CPU
- Intel i7-1255U
- Memory
- 16 GB
- Graphics card(s)
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Sound Card
- Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
- Monitor(s) Displays
- 13.3-inch IPS Display
- Screen Resolution
- WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
- Hard Drives
- 2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
- PSU
- USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
- Mouse
- Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
- Keyboard
- Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
- Internet Speed
- 1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
- Browser
- Edge
- Antivirus
- Windows Defender
- Other Info
- WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
