Disable exclusive audio mode in Windows
This guide will show you how to disable "Headset Advanced Exclusive Mode" in Windows. Disabling this feature can help to resolve audio switch issues and allow for simultaneous audio playback.
Issues:
No Audio / Input on a phone call even though the headset is listed in the Dialler Settings
Audio cuts out during a call while other applications are running in the background (Teams, Google Meet, Slack, etc..)
Windows 11
Right click on the speaker icon in the bottom-right corner of your display, then select Sound Settings.
Scroll down to Advanced and click on More Sound Settings.
A small popup menu will appear - Within the “Playback” tab double-click on the specified headset you are currently using/having the issue with.
Another popup menu will appear, navigate to the advanced tab and uncheck the setting “Allow application to take exclusive control of this device”.
Press "Apply" to Save.
Make sure both boxes are unchecked.
4. Repeat the same steps for the “Recording” tab (ie. your microphone) as shown in this screenshot
Windows 10
Find the speaker icon in the system tray and right-click:
Choose Open Sound Settings:
3. Choose Device Properties:
4. Choose Additional Device Properties:
5. Finally, on the Speaker Properties Menu, choose the Advanced tab and then, under Exclusive Mode, ensure that both boxes are unchecked.
