How to Set a Default Sound Device on Windows 7

Setting a Default Sound Device

1. Plug in a sound device. Before continuing forward, make sure that your sound device in plugged in properly (headphones, speakers, etc.)

   1. If you are plugging in a sound device for the first time, you may need to make sure that the proper device drivers have been installed before continuing on to the next step.

2. Open the sound device menu. Press and hold the Windows key, then press R. This should open a small box in the lower left-hand corner of your screen. Inside the given field, type or copy in 'control mmsys.cpl'. This should open the Sound Devices page in a new window.

3. Determine which device to use. Inside the new window, there should be at least one option listed. If you don't see your device in this list, you will need to make sure that the device is plugged in properly and has the correct drivers installed. Inside the large white box, you should see an icon on the left-hand side. To the right of it should be 3 different lines describing the device. The top line is for the device type (speakers, headphones, digital output, etc.). The line under it will be the device brand name (example: Gioteck EX-05 Headset). The final description is important because this will say if the device is currently set as the default sound device. If it is, it should say 'Default Device.' Once you know which device you would like to make the default, continue to the next step.

4. Chose a default device. Right-click on the device you would like to make the default. This will bring up a context menu. The fourth option down on the list should be 'Set as Default Device.' Click this to select the device. The device you have chosen will now have a green circle with a white checkmark in the middle of it. This is now your default sound device.

   1. Alternatively, left-clicking on one of the devices should activate a button on the bottom of the window that says 'Set Default.' Click this to set the device as default.