I'm running Windows 11 version 10.0.26200 (build 26200) with Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones and a Samson GoMic. Recently, Windows started lowering all playback audio to roughly 1% whenever it detects speech or other noise, then restoring the volume after about 10–15 seconds. I suspect an update enabled some kind of audio-ducking feature, but I can't find the setting. Does anyone know how to disable it?
2 Answers
Check Control Panel > Sound > Communications and select “Do nothing.” Windows calls this automatic volume reduction “ducking,” and that setting normally controls it.
I’ve been having something similar during Teams calls: the other audio suddenly becomes inaudible, and sometimes the call has to be restarted before everything works again. It may be related to Windows’ speech-detection or audio-ducking behavior.

I checked that first, but it was already set to “Do nothing.” Thanks anyway.