How to change Default Sound Input Device in Windows 11

When you connect more than one microphone or recording device to your Windows PC, you can select which device to use by default. This post will show you how to change the Default Sound Input Device in Windows 11/10.

Change Default Sound Input Device in Windows 11/10

We can change Default Sound Input Device in Windows 11/10 in 2 quick and easy ways. We’ll explore this topic under the methods outlined below in this section:

1. Via Windows Settings
2. Via Control Panel

Let’s take a look at the description of the step-by-step process in relation to each of the methods.

1] Windows Settings

Windows 11

To change the Default Sound Input Device in Windows, take these steps:

1. Open Windows Settings > System
2. Click Sound settings and locate the Input section
3. Expand Choose a device for speaking or recording
4. If you have multiple devices connected, you will see them and you can choose one of them
5. If you do not, then click on Add device, against Pick a new device and select the kind of display you want to add.

That’s it.

Windows 10

To change Default Sound Input Device in Windows 10 via the Settings app, do the following:

• Press the Windows key + I to open Settings.
• Click System.
• Click Sound on the left pane.
• On the right pane, under the Input section, for the Choose your input device option, click the drop-down and select the input device you want.

Note: You will not be able to choose if you do not have multiple input devices connected to your PC.

• Exit Settings when done.

2] Control Panel

To change Default Sound Input Device in Windows 10 via Control Panel, do the following:

• Press Windows key + R to invoke the Run dialog.
• In the Run dialog box, copy and paste the command below and hit Enter to open Sound settings.

rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,0

• Click the Recording tab.

To set the default recording device, do one of the actions below:

• Right-click the recording device, and click on Set a Default Device.
• Select a recording device, and either:

Click on Set Default to set for both “Default Device” and “Default Communications Device”.

Click on the drop menu arrow to the right of Set Default, and click on Default Device.

Click on the drop menu arrow to the right of Set Default, and click on Default Communication Device. This will not be the “Default Device”.

• Click OK when done.
• Exit Sound settings panel.

That’s it!

Read: How to change Default Sound Output Device in Windows.