Which device did you plug in message in Windows 11

If you want to enable the Which device did you plug in? popup for easy switching between audio devices on your Windows 11 PC, this post may help.

The Which device did you plug in? popup was commonly available in earlier versions of Realtek HD Audio Manager and older Realtek High Definition Audio (HDA) drivers. It was intended to allow users to manually specify the type of audio device they connected to a 3.5mm audio jack. This was useful for systems where the same port could function as both input (microphone) and output (headphones/speakers).

Which device did you plug in message in Windows 11

Newer Realtek UAD (Universal Audio Driver) versions and custom OEM audio software often disable or replace this option to streamline audio management. These software rely on automatic device detection, which is why the ‘Which device did you plug in?’ popup no longer appears in Windows 11.

See which device you plugged in

To see which device you plugged into on your Windows 11 PC, you may go to Sound Settings, Device Manager, or Control Panel.

Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray and select Sound settings. Under Output, see which audio device is selected. Under Input, check the microphone if you plugged one in.

Press Win + X and select Device Manager. Expand Sound, video, and game controllers to see installed audio devices. Expand Audio inputs and outputs to view active input/output devices.

Open Control Panel. Go to Hardware and Sound > Sound. Under the Playback and Recording tabs, you’ll see all connected and available devices. If something is missing, right-click and select Show Disabled Devices and Show Disconnected Devices.

Enable ‘Which device did you plug in?’ message

To enable, the ‘Which device did you plug in?’ message in Windows 11, you may need to install an older HDA driver.

Press Win + X and select Device Manager. Expand ‘Sound, video and game controllers‘ and locate Realtek Audio (or Realtek High Definition Audio). Right-click it and select Uninstall device.

Check the box that says Delete the driver software for this device (if available). Click Uninstall and restart your PC.

This will remove the Realtek UAD driver from your system.

Next, go to your PC manufacturer’s support website. Search for your laptop or motherboard model and navigate to the Audio or Sound drivers section. Look for a Realtek HDA driver, ideally version R2.79 or older (starting with Realtek driver R2.79, Realtek HD Audio Manager was removed from some driver packages, integrating audio settings into Windows Sound Properties).

Download the driver setup file. If your PC manufacturer’s website doesn’t list Realtek HDA (R2.79 or older) drivers, they may have switched to UAD-based drivers instead.

Run the setup file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the driver. When the installation is complete, restart your PC.

Next, open the Control Pane. Navigate to Hardware and Sound > Sound. Plug in a headphone, microphone, or speaker. The ‘Which device did you plug in?’ popup should now appear.

If the popup still does not appear, download and install Realtek HD Audio Manager on your Windows 11 PC. Then open the software (or any other audio management software provided by your PC manufacturer such as MaxxAudio Pro).

Look for an option related to Connector Settings (in Realtek HD Audio Manager, it appears when you click the folder icon), Jack Detection, or Device Advanced Settings, and enable the manual selection prompt.

Note:

Installing an older driver is not the best practice unless absolutely necessary.
Some brands like HP, Dell, Lenovo, and ASUS still use Realtek audio chips, but their custom software overrides Realtek HD Audio Manager (or Realtek Audio Console). If you have a PC from one of these brands, the ‘Which device did you plug in?’ popup may not appear.
If your system uses Microsoft’s default High Definition Audio Driver, you won’t see this popup at all.

Disable ‘Which device did you plug in?’ message

If you keep seeing this popup on your Windows 11 PC and want to disable it, follow these steps:

Open Realtek HD Audio Manager (if available). Click the folder icon on the right side. Uncheck ‘Enable auto popup dialog, when device has been plugged in‘.

Open WAVES MaxxAudio Pro (if available). Choose the device. Click Advanced in the bottom center of the window. Uncheck ‘Show pop-up dialog when device is connected’.

Go to Settings > System > Notifications and under ‘Notifications from apps and other senders’, scroll down, and turn off Realtek HD Audio Console.

Reboot your PC to apply the changes.

I hope this helps.

Read: How to use Realtek HD Audio Manager to boost up your PC Sound.

How do I find my device on my laptop Windows 11?

Press Win + I to open Settings. Go to Bluetooth & devices > Devices. Here, you’ll see all connected audio, USB, Bluetooth, and peripherals. To see connected audio devices, right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar and select Sound settings. Under Output, you’ll see the currently selected speaker/headphones. Under Input, you’ll see the active microphone.

How to see what devices are plugged into a PC?

Press Win + X and select Device Manager. Expand categories, including Audio inputs and outputs, Universal Serial Bus controllers, Network adapters, and Display adapters. Look for connected devices like USB drives, printers, headphones, and monitors. If a device isn’t showing, click View > Show hidden devices. For Audio devices, go to Settings > System > Sound. Under Output & Input, check which audio devices are connected.