Hey everyone! I recently picked up a Sony WH-1000X6 headset for my new Windows 11 setup, and while it connects just fine for listening to Spotify and joining Zoom calls, I've run into a frustrating problem. Whenever I'm on a call—be it Zoom or Discord—if I try to play audio from YouTube or Spotify, all sound disappears until I disconnect and reconnect my headset. This makes me suspect it's a Windows issue rather than a headset problem.
I've done some digging and it seems to be a bug where Windows is switching between HFP (Hands-Free Profile) and A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile). Here's what I've discovered:
- If Spotify is open and I join a Zoom call, the audio switches to hands-free mode, which only works until I touch Spotify.
- The opposite scenario—starting Zoom first and then opening Spotify—also results in lost audio.
No matter what I try, including disabling the non-hands-free headset option, the issue persists. The only temporary 'solution' I've found is to prevent Zoom from accessing my headset's microphone, which isn't practical. Is there a way to keep the headset in the less restrictive mode? Do I really need to buy a separate microphone for using Discord and streaming audio simultaneously? Any apps that might assist in managing sound would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance for your help!
P.S. I did test a different headset (Vieta Pro 3), and it worked perfectly, so this seems to be an issue specifically related to my Sony headset.
1 Answer
It sounds like the Windows feature that lowers multimedia volume during calls might be kicking in. You could check this article I found, which explains the feature: [Multimedia Volume During Calls](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4104553/all-audio-lowers-when-people-(in-call-or-in-game)?forum=windows-all&referrer=answers). It's likely linked to how Windows handles Bluetooth audio streams. Give it a look!
Thanks for the suggestion! I checked it out, but it seems to be a different issue. I appreciate your help!