Windows 11 keeps changing audio output device

Question

I have a brand new Microsoft Surface Pro 9 with Windows 11. I plugged in my old 3.5mm headphones via the external monitor connected through a Surface dock (the monitor itself does not have sound, just a microphone jack) and Widows detected them, installed the correct driver (N32QW-DP HD Audio Driver for Display Audio) and audio played successfully for about 10 seconds, then just stopped. Unplugging and re-plugging the 3.5mm cable occasionally resulted in the audio device returning to the list and sound working again. Sometimes it would run for several minutes then just stop again.

I thought maybe the problem was running headphones through a monitor or a faulty cable/plug, so I purchased brand new JBL TUNE520BT Bluetooth headphones. When I turned them on, the Surface Pro detected them and installed the latest driver "Headphones (JBL TUNE520BT)". These worked fine for about a minute, then the audio just stopped again. Waiting a while (several minutes), the driver re-appeared in the list of connected devices, and audio commenced again for a while. After some testing, it appeared that the audio stopped at around the same time every time during a You-Tube video. It was like there was something "triggered" within the audio driver that disconnected the headphones (e.g. something else trying to use the audio output device), then reconnected them again. Almost like a pop-up ad starting up taking control of the selected audio device. This time the anomaly was accompanied with a message on the headphones "power on, connected", which indicates that the connection was momentarily interrupted and restored.

I have tried different 3.5mm headphones, same problem. All these headphones work fine on other devices and my older Surface Pro at work, which has the same setup but is running Windows 10 and has its own 3.5mm jack.

I therefore don't think the issue is specifically Bluetooth or headphone-related. The same problem happens with the hardwired headphones via the external monitor. It appears to be a problem with the Windows 11 audio management system, which for some reason is choosing to "lose" any audio device other than the built-in audio device "Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio(SST))". When I play audio through these built-in speakers the problem does not occur - sound continues without interruption. However, I don't want the sound to come out through speakers, I want it to come out through headphones for privacy.

I have already:

* Disconnected and reconnected the drivers and devices

* Installed Windows 11 from scratch

* Installed the latest hardware drivers for all devices

* Un-selected "Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device"

* Taken the tablet far away from any potential EMI interference sources (and Bluetooth headphones were within a metre of the tablet).

Windows spec:

Edition Windows 11 Home

Version 22H2

Installed on ‎28/‎08/‎2023

OS build 2**********

Serial number 0F**********

Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1**********

***Moved from Windows / Windows 11 / Devices and drivers***

Answer 1

Hello Jon Visser1,

Thank you so much for posting in Microsoft Community.

I appreciate you raising this concern to us, and I understand that you are having issues with your Surface audio keeps changing. You got me here; we'll definitely sort this out together.

Here are other things you can do to solve this issue:

1. Check for updates. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for Updates > Install Update > restart.
2. Try the audio troubleshooter. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Additional/other troubleshooter > Select Run in Playing Audio > restart.
3. Try to reinstall driver. Go to Device manager > Audio, Inputs and output > right click the Intel Audio > select Uninstall > restart to apply changes.
4. Run the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit - Microsoft Apps
5. Download Drivers and Firmware: Download Surface Pro 9 with Intel Processor Drivers and Firmware. from Official Microsoft Download Center

See this link for more steps: Troubleshoot Surface sound and audio accessories - Microsoft Support

Let me know if this works and hopefully it helps!

Best regards,

Rolando S.

Answer 2

Thank you for the reply Rolando. In response to your suggestions:

1. No change. Windows Update says "You're up to date" after installing security update. Sound to headphones continues to switch on/off continuously.
2. No change. Audio Troubleshooter says "Troubleshooting couldn't identify the problem". Tablet indicates that music is playing to headphones but no sound is received by headphones.
3. I do not have the "Intel Audio" driver. I have several headphone drivers (JBL BT and N32QW hardwired through monitor). I have deleted these and the same drivers return on reboot. Sound plays for a few seconds through the headphones then stops again.
4. Ran the Surface Diagnostic Toolkit. Checked for updates and said "Your Surface is up to date". Then went through all teh tests. For audio it required that the headphones are disconnected and then only tested the built-in speakers (which worked fine) resulting in "We didn't find any problems with your Surface".
5. Done. No change.
6. Microsoft support page - that just goes through all of the things that I've already done. At the end it says that if there is something wrong with the internal speakers & mike contact Microsoft (not the problem) and if there is a problem with the accessory contact the accessory supplier. There is nothing wrong with the accessories when i use them on the Surface Pro 8/Win10 tablet. The problem is with the Surface Pro 9/Win11 not maintaining sound output to the headphones.

Is it possible my Surface Pro 9 is simply defective and needs to be returned? There are many other people asking about the same problem, so I am hoping this is a system problem with the Surface Pro 9 and a fix will be issued soon. Any other ideas?

Answer 3

Hello Jon Visser1,

Thank you so much for your response and for letting me know that the issue still persists to happen.

Yes, there are possibilities that the device is already defective and needs to be replaced or repaired. However, before going into that option, let us try to do a clean installation to your Surface. The clean installation will wipe out everything from your Surface so make sure to backup all data and personal files before doing so.

Before doing the clean installation, we must have the following:

1. A USB Flash drive that has 16GB or 32GB only (not less than 16GB and not more than 32GB).
2. A working computer that is running in Windows. You can use your Surface device as long as it is connected to a Wi-fi network, and you can navigate to it.

How to Download, Create and Use a USB recovery drive

To download the Recovery Image:

• You'll need another working device running on Windows.

1. Go to: Download the recovery image for your Surface
2. Sign in with your Microsoft Account
3. From the list of Surface devices available, select the device that you need a recovery image for
   Please note that while you will only be presented with devices that are currently registered on your account, you will also be presented with the option to get an image for a different type of device. If you try to use this option, you will be prompted to enter the serial number for that device
4. Download the recovery image using the button on the page
5. When the download bar pops up at the bottom of your screen, save the file in a location you will be able to find it.

 Format USB Drive:

• Note: Formatting a recovery drive will erase anything that is already stored on your USB drive. Make sure to transfer any important data from your USB drive to another storage device before using it to create a Surface USB recovery drive.

1. Insert your USB drive into the USB port of your PC.
2. From the desktop, open File Explorer
3. Tap and hold or right-click on the USB drive and choose Format
4. Select FAT32 as the file system and enter a Volume label to name the USB drive, such as RECOVERY, and then tap or click Start
5. Tap or click OK to erase the contents of the USB drive
6. Tap or click OK when the format is complete

Create a recovery drive:

1. On your Surface or PC, open recovery image that you downloaded by double-clicking it or right click then select Extract and then Extract all.
2. Select the USB drive you formatted earlier for the location and click Extract.

Use a USB recovery drive to reset your Surface:

1. Shutdown the Surface
2. Insert the USB recovery drive into the USB port
3. Press and hold the volume-down (-) key
4. Press and release the power button
5. When the Surface logo appears, release the volume-down (-) key
6. Surface will start the recovery software on the USB recovery drive
7. When prompted, choose your language options and keyboard layout
8. Select Troubleshoot
9. Select Recover from a Drive. Choose Remove Everything and Fully Clean the Drive. Recovering this PC.
10. If prompted, select Repartition the drives
11. If prompted for BitLocker Key, tap Skip this Drive

Please let me know if this works.

Best wishes,

Rolando S.

Answer 4

Hi Rolando,

Before I attempt the above, my new Surface Pro 9 doesn't have a USB port, so I can't create a recovery drive with any of the flash drives I currently have.

I will investigate how else I can do this, and I'm also waiting to get Starlink as we only have dial-up Internet here and the above would be awfully slow.

Will be in touch in a few days.

Jon

Answer 5

Hello Jon,

Thank you for the response. You may actually use a USB - C Adapter in connecting the flash drive. Just let me know if the steps above works, hoping to hear back from you soon.

Regards,

Rolando S.