Windows: speakers and headphones at the same time - how it works
Whether and how you can use speakers and headphones at the same time is unfortunately not a question of the operating system, but of your PC hardware and the installed drivers as well as your speakers. We'll show you two ways you can try to use headphones and speakers at the same time.
Requirements for listening with headphones and speakers
In order to be able to play sound simultaneously from your PC via headphones and speakers, you need either a sound card with two outputs, two sound cards or an adapter that copies your audio output onto two stereo lines. Create the following requirements:
- Activate all on-board sound cards in the BIOS. We explain how to get into the BIOS here. Warning, unfortunately some sound cards no longer work properly if the on-board sound card is also activated.
- Find your sound cards in the device manager of the control panel and activate them. We explain how to call up the device manager here. You may have to show hidden devices first.
- If you only have a sound card with one output, you need a device that routes the audio signal to two outputs. The cheapest option is a simple splitter as a plug or cable.
- If your sound card is a digital mixer in the form of hardware or software, be sure to install the appropriate drivers from the manufacturer. Other drivers rarely provide the full range of functions.
- Many audio and video players can output sound from different outputs with the right drivers. To do this, install ASIO4All.
Use speakers and headphones at the same time
To output sound via headphones and speakers at the same time, you can try out the following solutions, depending on the requirements your PC has:
- Use an audio splitter and simply connect the speakers to one and the headphones to the other line output. Headphones and speakers with their own volume controls are best suited to individually control the volume on both.
- With a digital mixer, you can simply send the signal that you want to output via loudspeakers and headphones to the master and the control room at the same time, or tap the signal at the master and the tape-out.
- With any analog mixer, you can play sound simultaneously via headphones and speakers.
- In the Realtek Controlpanel you will find the "Connection settings" under "Advanced device settings". Deactivate the front connection detection here and set the rear speakers to "mute". Now sound should come from both outputs.
- If you have installed ASIO4All, you can select "ASIO4All" in most audio and video programs in "Sound Output", "Sound Output" or under "ASIO Driver" (1). As soon as you do this, the green ASIO4All icon (2) appears in the toolbar at the bottom right. As soon as you switch on all audio devices in full view (3), the sound comes from all outputs.
- A useful workaround is to open the audio or video material that you want to output simultaneously via headphones and speakers twice. Set the sound card with the headphones as the output in one window and the one for the speakers in the other. Now you just have to press "Play" in both windows in quick succession.
- With the help of this practical tip, you can play sound via Bluetooth headphones and speakers.
