All audio lowers when people (in call or in game) speak

Question

Hello, I am having an issue with my audio automatically lowering whenever someone speaks, then going back up when everyone is quiet. I have done all the steps in the reply to this thread here https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/all-audio-lowers-when-hearing-a-voice/4fb26a4f-b5b3-4ede-bc4e-1dd556275151 (the solutions that were different anyways) however the issue still persists. I have also updated Windows 10 to the latest optional version, and I've made sure to check attenuation settings in Discord and made sure they are off. It happens with Discord audio, Valorant teammates speaking, and it lowers audio for everything else, not just Spotify for example.

Answer 1

Hi ma_t1,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

I'm Hahn and I'm here to help you with your concern.

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing this issue with your audio. This could be caused by a feature called "Communications" in Windows that automatically lowers the volume of other sounds when it detects communication activity. Here's how you can disable this feature:

1. Right-click on the speaker icon in the taskbar and select "Sounds" - "More Sound Settings".
2. Go to the "Communications" tab.
3. Select "Do nothing" and click "OK".

If this doesn't work, you can also try disabling any third-party audio software that you have installed, as they may be interfering with your audio settings.

• Try uninstalling/reinstalling your audio drivers or updating to the latest version if available.
• Check for any strange audio mixer software that could be interfering and causing automatic ducking.
• As a test, create a new Windows user profile and see if the issue occurs there too. This can help determine if it's a system-wide or profile specific problem. Create a local user or administrator account in Windows - Microsoft Support 

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Your Sincerely

Hahn - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

Hi ma_t1,

Thank you for providing additional information. It sounds like the issue might be related to how your system is handling audio levels at maximum volume. Here are a few more suggestions to consider:

• Open the Sound control panel, go to the Enhancements tab for your playback device and disable all sound effects.
• Disable "Listen to this device" in your recording device properties if enabled. This can cause an audio loopback that leads to ducking.
• Disable any audio enhancement features in your device properties like "Loudness Equalization" or "Spatial Sound" which can interfere.
• Check if your motherboard manufacturer has an audio control panel with audio enhancers enabled, like ASUS Sonic Studio or Gigabyte App Center. Disable any effects.

Let me know if turning off all audio enhancements and effects resolves the volume lowering issue when loud sounds are played. That should help confirm it's some kind of compression/limiting causing it.

Your Sincerely

Hahn - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 3

Hi ma_t1,

Thank you for the additional information. Since the enhancements tab is missing from your device properties and you've checked other potential sources of interference like ASUS software, it's possible that there's a Windows audio setting or feature causing this behavior. Let's try a few more steps:

• You can also try completely uninstalling the audio drivers, restarting, and letting Windows install its generic HD audio drivers as a test.
• Test your system with a different headset or speakers to see if the issue persists. This can help determine if the problem is specific to your Corsair headset or if it's a system-wide issue.
• A "clean boot" starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs, so that you can determine whether a background program is interfering with your game or program. How to perform a clean boot in Windows - Microsoft Support

If none of these steps resolve the issue, it might be a good idea to contact Corsair's support for assistance with their headset software who can diagnose and troubleshoot the problem further.

Your Sincerely

Hahn - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 4

The enhancements tab is missing from my device's properties, listen to this device is disabled, I have an ASUS motherboard but I don't have any of their software on my PC. I do have Corsair iCUE, as I have a Corsair headset, however I can't find anything relating to enhancements.

Answer 5

Hello, I've done all of these and the issue still persists. Excuse me for my bad explanation, but I think it only happens when any sound is loud enough to fully fill up the master volume bar at the top of the volume mixer, in case that helps narrow it down. Thanks!