Share via

Headphones are default communications device, won't change to default device.

Anonymous
2011-04-02T02:40:52+00:00

Hi,

I am having sound issues on my Compaq 610 laptop.  When I plug in my headphones, sound continues to come out of the speakers and not the headphones.   I tried going into the control panel and making sure the headphones were set as the default playback option.  "Headphones (RTC)" is set as the "default communications device" and the "Speakers/HP" is set as "default device."  It seems like a simple fix, I just need to change the headphones setting and make it the default playback, right?  But when I try to do this, it won't let me.  The option is there to make the headphones the default device, but when I click on it, it does nothing. I also tried disabling the speakers, in which case, nothing worked.  

I should also mention that when I test the headphones in the advanced properties menu, they work perfectly.  I also did a troubleshoot on playback devices in the control panel.  It comes up saying the problem is that headphones are not set as default.  I click on "Apply this fix" and it comes back saying "Not Fixed."?

I have Windows 7 and IDT High Definition Audio CODEC (already tried deleting and reinstalling the driver.)

I've seen this same issue from other people, but each thread has the same suggestions and in the end are left unsolved.  If anyone knows of anything else that I can do, please let me know.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Music, photos, and video

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
  1. Anonymous
    2011-04-03T08:42:59+00:00

    Hi danfriese,

    I would suggest you to check with  volume settings and check if it helps.

    1. Right click on the speaker icon in taskbar and select volume control options.
    2. put a check mark on "All devices currently playing sound".
    3. Make sure you have "The default communication device unchecked".
    4. Place a check mark on both speakers and headphones.

    70+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments

22 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2014-04-07T21:10:55+00:00

    Oh, and for the record, here is a possible solution that worked for me and a lot of people back at "Sevenforums":

       Quote: Originally Posted by chris1and2 ![](http://css.designermediacdn.com/images/styles/window7/buttons/firstnew.gif)

    so pretty much i took logic and threw it out the window.... go to playback devices and disable your headset by right-clicking. Now all sound should go through your headset. Moral of the day is **** Logic 

    When all else fails - do the opposite

    90+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2012-07-19T02:47:00+00:00

    If someone still has an issue with this, the following worked for me:

    1. Go to Control Panel -> Sound
    2. Here, I had two things that were apparently conflicting:

    (a). Speakers and Headphones (Set to "Default Device")

    (b). Independent Headphones (Set to "Default Communication Device")

    1. Click on "Speakers and Headphones" and click on the "Set Default" (basically making option (a) the default for everything. Option (b) should now show as just "Ready" with nothing default assigned to it.

    Hopefully, this should solve your problem. I am still testing my system to make sure everything's working as before.

    Just for reference purposes, I am running Windows 7 Home on an HP dv4-2100.

    9 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2012-04-03T23:29:56+00:00

    I did this but it still doesnt work mine are turtle beaches x11

    5 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2014-06-20T17:34:24+00:00

    Wow somehow this worked...Thanks?

    3 people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments