Windows: accessing the Windows Sound controls

A quick guide for Widows users who are unaware of how to access the sound controls for soundcards and sound devices (microphones, speakers, USB input devices).

Windows 10

Accessing the Settings dialog

Windows 10 has a new Settings dialog which can be accessed in a number of ways

Click on the Windows icon at the bottom left of your Windows screen and clock on the Cog icon that appears above it, as in the above image.

Alternatively, at the bottom left of your Windows screen there is a search box. Where it says "Type here to search" simply type "Settings".

Settings dialog

Then click on "Sound" in the left column of the Settings window that appears.

File:W10 Sound Settings.png

Windows 10 Sound Settings window - scaled 60%

Sound settings window

Click on Sound control panel on the right and you will get the Sound settings window:

Sound settings window showing playback devices available - exact contents depends on your available devices

Device settings

To change to the Sound settings for input devices, click on the Recording tab - and then click on the required device.

Click then on the required settings tab, in this example Advanced, (which is usually the one required):

Sound settings showing the Advanced settings for Microphone input

       

Control Panel for older Windows versions

Control Panel

The older way (for earlier versions of Windows) of accessing controls was via the Sound Control Panel:

Windows Control Panel scaled 75%

Hardware and Sound

Click on Hardware and Sound and you will get:

'Windows Control Panel\Hardware and Sound scaled 75%

Sound

Click on Sound and you will get the Sound settings window:

Sound settings window showing available playback devices - exact contents depends on your available devices

Device settings

To change to the Sound settings for input devices, click on the Recording tab - and then click on the required device.

Click then on the required settings tab, in this example Advanced, (which is usually the one required):

Sound settings showing the Advanced settings for Microphone input

       

Speaker icon in System Tray

At the bottom right of you Windows screen there is the System tray. Click on the Speaker icon to get a context menu, the exact contents of which may vary.

• If you have a Sounds entry, clicking on that will take you direct to the Device settings.
• If you have an Open Sound settingsentry, clicking on that will take you to the Sound Settings window.