Windows 11 normally sends audio to one playback device at a time, even when two monitors both have speakers. To hear the same audio from both, you need an app/driver that can duplicate the stream, or use separate app outputs for different sounds.
Steps
- Open Settings > System > Sound and confirm both monitor audio devices appear under Output.
- Test each monitor individually so you know HDMI/DisplayPort audio works on both.
- If you want different apps on different monitors, open Volume mixer and choose an output device per app where Windows/app support allows it.
- If you need identical audio from both, use a supported audio-routing/mixing feature from your hardware/software; older Stereo Mix methods are driver-dependent and often unavailable.
- Set volumes on both monitors and test for delay/echo before relying on the setup.
How it works
Monitor audio usually travels through HDMI or DisplayPort and is exposed as separate playback endpoints, often through the GPU audio driver. Windows does not provide a universal ‘play this device through two outputs’ switch.
Important considerations
Avoid installing unknown virtual-audio drivers. Two digital outputs can have slightly different latency, producing echo; a hardware splitter or dedicated audio interface may be more reliable.
Practical guidance
If you are trying to play different audio on each monitor, Windows’ per-app output selection is much simpler than duplicating one stream. For example, a browser can use one monitor while a media player uses another. Applications must be running before they reliably appear in Volume mixer, and some apps have their own output selector that overrides Windows.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.