Nothing kills the immersion like the sudden silence when you switch from your game to Discord or a browser tab. If you are experiencing your game audio completely cutting out (or sometimes becoming quiet) specifically when you use Alt+Tab on Windows 11, you are not alone.
This issue is almost always caused by one hidden system setting known as Audio Exclusive Mode. Here is the simple, definitive fix from BiteGames.xyz.
🛠️ The 3-Step Fix: Disable Audio Exclusive Mode
Windows allows applications—especially games—to take “exclusive control” of your audio device, giving them priority for low-latency sound. However, this often causes other applications (like the Windows desktop environment itself) to lose control, resulting in silence when you switch focus.
Step 1: Open Your Sound Device Properties
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Right-click on the speaker icon in your Windows 11 Taskbar (bottom right).
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Select “Sound settings” from the menu.
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Scroll down to the Output section and click on “More sound settings” (this opens the classic Sound Control Panel window).
Step 2: Locate Your Default Device
In the new window that appears (the Sound Control Panel):
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Navigate to the Playback tab.
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Right-click on your primary audio device (the one with the green checkmark, usually your speakers or gaming headset).
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Select “Properties.”
Step 3: Disable Exclusive Control
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In the device Properties window, switch to the “Advanced” tab.
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Look for the section labeled “Exclusive Mode.”
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Uncheck both boxes:
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$square$ “Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device”
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$square$ “Give exclusive mode applications priority”
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Click “Apply” and then “OK.”
✅ Pro Tip for Gamers:
This fix may slightly increase audio latency (delay) for competitive games, but for 99% of users, the difference is unnoticeable. The tradeoff for having consistent audio when alt-tabbing is well worth it.
🛑 If That Didn’t Work: Two Secondary Checks
If the main fix didn’t resolve the issue, check these two related settings:
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Check Volume Mixer: Right-click the speaker icon on the Taskbar and choose “Volume Mixer.” Ensure the volume slider for the specific game and your system volume are both turned up when the game is running. Sometimes the game’s app volume is reset.
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Disable Sound Enhancements: Go back to your device’s Properties (Step 2) and check the “Enhancements” tab. Uncheck the box for “Disable all enhancements” and test again.
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