Windows change output audio when back from idle state ( I disabled Sleep)

imanub · Oct 17, 2024

Hello! I'm trying to figure out how to fix this annoying problem, but I just can't find a way.

I have a SAMSON Meteor USB microphone and I have headphones connected to it. For about a couple of weeks, both with Windows 11 23H2 and with 24H2, if I leave the computer on and go to dinner for example, when I return, once I turn the monitor back on, I find the audio connected to the DisplayPort output of the Monitor. I have to go into the control panel and disable the DisplayPort, but this comes back as soon as I leave the computer on again while I'm having dinner. I repeat: this has never happened. I've always had headphones connected to it for a couple of years now and I've never encountered this annoying problem.
What could be causing this? I thought it might be due to USB suspend, but I have already disabled this in control panel setting and it keeps changing output (only if I leave the computer in idle for a while). I don't use Sleep mode, because I always have it disabled.

Have a nice day!

glasskuter · Oct 17, 2024

Yes, it's happening to me as well on a clean install.

I do use sleep mode but quite often when it wakes, my audio , which is always supposed to have my speakers as default device randomly changes to Intel Display Audio. It doesn't happen every time, though and I am not able to make it happen by manually putting the system to sleep and waking it. It has a mind of its own.

imanub · Oct 17, 2024

This is so damn annoying. I even left Diablo IV on, turned off the screen, went to eat and when I came back while using my character I noticed that I had no audio. ALT + TAB, went to the desktop and saw that the audio had changed to the DisplayPort of the LG Monitor. Damn!

glasskuter · Oct 17, 2024

imanub said:
saw that the audio had changed to the DisplayPort of the LG Monitor. Damn!

Try disabling your display audio in device manager to see if it make a difference. Then restart to see if it's even an option in sound settings any more.I would experiment myself but since mine happens so infrequently it would be a while before I could tell it would stop the switching issue..I'm thinking out loud here. I don't know if it will remove it as an option or not.

neves · Oct 17, 2024

Win Key + R write/copy command mmsys.cpl

Does that still happen - if you Disable it from Sound devices?

You could also disable it from Device Manager: Win Key + X -> Device Manager - go to Sound, video and Game Controllers and Disable Intel (R) Display Audio.

imanub · Oct 17, 2024

neves said:
Win Key + R write/copy command mmsys.cpl

Does that still happen - if you Disable it from Sound devices?

You could also disable it from Device Manager: Win Key + X -> Device Manager - go to Sound, video and Game Controllers and Disable Intel (R) Display Audio.

You turn it off, but when you leave the computer on and idle for a while, LG Ultragear appears there too.
Let's say you disable High Definition Audio from Device Manager, the thing I don't understand is why this is happening, since I've never had this problem for two years. Could it be a Windows bug from the latest updates? Even with the updated version of Windows 23H2 (before formatting and putting in the 24H2) it did the same thing to me.

CarlSD · Oct 17, 2024

Thanks for this thread guys.

My next door neighbour is having the same problem with a PC he recently bought with Windows 11 installed. The sound through his connected speakers suddenly stopped working yesterday and he can't work out why.

After seeing this thread I'm betting his audio output has somehow 'magically' switched from his main speakers to the monitor speakers, he has the PC connected to the monitor with HDMI or DisplayPort, not sure which.

I'll go to see him in the morning and see if I can sort it out.

My own PC is connected to my monitor with DVI so I haven't seen this issue (the 9 year old 24 inch BenQ monitor I'm using only has DVI and D-sub and it also doesn't have it's own speakers).

imanub · Oct 17, 2024

CarlSD said:
Thanks for this thread guys.

My next door neighbour is having the same problem with a PC he recently bought with Windows 11 installed. The sound through his connected speakers suddenly stopped working yesterday and he can't work out why.

After seeing this thread I'm betting his audio output has somehow 'magically' switched from his main speakers to the monitor speakers, he has the PC connected to the monitor with HDMI or DisplayPort, not sure which.

I'll go to see him in the morning and see if I can sort it out.

My own PC is connected to my monitor with DVI so I haven't seen this issue (the 9 year old 24 inch BenQ monitor I'm using only has DVI and D-sub and it also doesn't have it's own speakers).

This problem is so stupid! The more I think about it, the more I'm sure it was some Windows update.

neves · Oct 17, 2024

imanub said:
View attachment 112874

You turn it off, but when you leave the computer on and idle for a while, LG Ultragear appears there too.
Let's say you disable High Definition Audio from Device Manager, the thing I don't understand is why this is happening, since I've never had this problem for two years. Could it be a Windows bug from the latest updates? Even with the updated version of Windows 23H2 (before formatting and putting in the 24H2) it did the same thing to me.

Quite likely some bug (obviously not a feature or intended). Truth be told - despite the blind claims of some people - that Windows has excellent Driver support. In reality, most of the times has... decent support - but with so many OEMs with their own set of drivers (usually outdated) - it's actually a big mess. Audio wise - seems tested mainly on specific OEM drivers (same ones shared by Microsoft driver data base). Using a different/updated driver - for exactly the same Chip - but updated by a different OEM - tends to cause issue. While the most common issue - is usually tied to sleep mode & waking up. Btw, do you have the latest OEM Audio drivers - apparently released just 2 days ago:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-Z790-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-DDR4/support#driver

imanub · Oct 17, 2024

neves said:
Quite likely some bug (obviously not a feature or intended). Truth be told - despite the blind claims of some people - that Windows has excellent Driver support. In reality, most of the times has... decent support - but with so many OEMs with their own set of drivers (usually outdated) - it's actually a big mess. Audio wise - seems tested mainly on specific OEM drivers (same ones shared by Microsoft driver data base). Using a different/updated driver - for exactly the same Chip - but updated by a different OEM - tends to cause issue. While the most common issue - is usually tied to sleep mode & waking up. Btw, do you have the latest OEM Audio drivers - apparently released just 2 days ago:

https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/MAG-Z790-TOMAHAWK-WIFI-DDR4/support#driver

Thanks for sharing, but as I wrote in my initial post, I'm using my USB Microphone's sound card.
No sleep for me, I just turn off the monitor and go away from the computer (e.g. dinner, take the dog out, etc...) I have sleep disabled, because I've never used it and having an NVME SSD; honestly, I prefer to turn off the computer instead of sending it to sleep.

neves · Oct 17, 2024

imanub said:
Thanks for sharing, but as I wrote in my initial post, I'm using my USB Microphone's sound card.
No sleep for me, I just turn off the monitor and go away from the computer (e.g. dinner, take the dog out, etc...) I have sleep disabled, because I've never used it and having an NVME SSD; honestly, I prefer to turn off the computer instead of sending it to sleep.

My bad, you said you disabled USB suspend - but did you Disabled (de-select) it from Device Manager as well? Do the same for all USB ports:

imanub · Oct 17, 2024

neves said:
My bad, you said you disabled USB suspend - but did you Disabled (de-select) it from Device Manager as well? Do the same for all USB ports:

View attachment 112910

I'll try tomorrow! Thanks so much!

Ibanez · Oct 17, 2024

Disable the graphics audio out in Device Manager, and also disable the Audio outs that is not used, like onboard (if not disaböed via uefi) still in Device Manager, i had issue with this, it shifted between cards without me doing it, in idle, and this was long time ago, over and year. And it was the only solution.
I disabled in my case:
High Definition Audio Device
Amd Streaming Audio Device

I believe it's the same for Nvidia and Intel (and igpu aduio out also)
Try that, and i hope you don't loose the audio device when idling.
I have an Audio interface as main sound device, i had to this to stop the audio to go out via Realtek onboard and Amd's HDMI audio out, it was really annoying. And it have persisted throughout updates also, and one repair install.

imanub · Oct 18, 2024

Since it didn't do it before, I'm waiting to change as many parameters as possible, because, I repeat, I've never had to intervene on Device Manager and Control Panels. Never.
So I'm trying to understand why it started doing this.This morning, for example, I went to have breakfast and left the computer on, turning off only the monitor. I came back after about twenty minutes and the audio had not been changed; then, I had to go away for about fifteen/twenty minutes and, this time, the audio had been changed. Who knows!

Ibanez · Oct 18, 2024

I believe that when it looses the connection to the sound device that enters the idle state, it just start to use the next one on the list in Sound Devicrs, and i believe it's an change that happened on an update, but can't remember when. And the only soultion i have come across when i searched is the method i use, and i know it's strange that this hapoens, but MS doesn't seem to fix it neither.
Hope you will find a solution.
I gave the only method i found after digging into it.

imanub · Oct 18, 2024

Ibanez said:
I believe that when it looses the connection to the sound device that enters the idle state, it just start to use the next one on the list in Sound Devicrs, and i believe it's an change that happened on an update, but can't remember when. And the only soultion i have come across when i searched is the method i use, and i know it's strange that this hapoens, but MS doesn't seem to fix it neither.
Hope you will find a solution.
I gave the only method i found after digging into it.

Yeah! In fact, I really appreciated it and I came to you to show you this annoying problem.

imanub · Nov 5, 2024

UPDATE: I bought a male to female audio extension cable and restarted the Sound BlasterX AE-5. The audio switch continues to do so randomly. I have not had this problem for several days. This is really annoying. With Windows 11 23H2 this does not happen, ergo it is this new Windows 11 24H2.

Windows change output audio when back from idle state ( I disabled Sleep)

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