Switching default audio device with a batch file

Question

I'm trying to write a batch file on Windows 10 that allows me to switch between my headset and my speakers as default audio device when I run it. I don't want to use any third-party software.

I tried searching around but i only found old scripts that don't seem to work and also refer to a HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Volume Control\ path that doesn't seem to exist anymore. I cant't find any information on the Windows 10 register about this, also I'm not comfortable with fiddling too much with the register if I'm not sure of what i'm doing.

Answer 1

I appreciate you don't wish to use any third party software, but as an option for if you don't mind using a ~100kb exe, you can use Nircmd with the commands:

nircmd setdefaultsounddevice "Speakers" 1

or

nircmd setdefaultsounddevice "Headphones" 1

You need to make sure you use the exact name of your audio devices as listed under Playback Devices (right click the sound control in the system tray). It may be easier to rename them under Properties to simpler names, especially if the names clash in any way.

The 1 at the end of the command signifies "Default Device". Using 2 signifies "Default Communications Device".

---

If you really don't want to use a third party tool, here's a diff of a registry key that seems to change when I change my default sound device, it may be of some use to you, but I don't know exactly what it's doing. It's not as simple as a 1 or a 0 to indicate if it's a default, it would seem.

Answer 2

Powershell solution to Toggle between two specific audio devices

This requires that you download and install the AudioDevice commandlets from here: https://github.com/frgnca/AudioDeviceCmdlets

Follow their installation instructions and check that the commandlets are working in your Powershell.

Then you can use this script:

<#
Use 
   Get-AudioDevice -List
to learn about available devices on your system.
Then set the two variables below with the start of their names.
#>
$device1 = "PHILIPS"
$device2 = "Speakers"

$Audio = Get-AudioDevice -playback
Write-Output "Audio device was " $Audio.Name
Write-Output "Audio device now set to " 

if ($Audio.Name.StartsWith($device1)) {
   (Get-AudioDevice -list | Where-Object Name -like ("$device2*") | Set-AudioDevice).Name
}  Else {
   (Get-AudioDevice -list | Where-Object Name -like ("$device1*") | Set-AudioDevice).Name
}

Then you can set that script as a shortcut in your Taskbar or wherever. Here is an example shortcut I use:

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -windowstyle hidden C:\Tools\ToggleSoundDevice.ps1

You can also find many solutions to attach a shortcut key to this.

Answer 3

Since Windows 8 (or maybe earlier?) PC's audio configuration is stored in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices\Audio\Render. Under Render there are GUID-named keys, each containing DeviceState dword value at root. But how is it coded?

See DEVICE_STATE_XXX Constants at MSDN:

• 1 Active
• 2 Disabled
• 4 Not present
• 8 Unplugged

---

So powershell/bat script to toggle between 1 and 2 should do the trick.

EDIT: To get human-readable device name, read {b3f8fa53-0004-438e-9003-51a46e139bfc},6 under Properties subkey

Answer 4

Here is a nice working AHK script using Nircmd that will do the job just perfectly with a small notification in the bottom right corner.

Thanks to @Jonno

Answer 5

More reliable solution for AudioDevice commandlets. https://github.com/frgnca/AudioDeviceCmdlets

Thanks to @pgr for original answer.

Using ID instead names is more reliable with language localisations.

$Audio = Get-AudioDevice -playback
Write-Output "Audio device was " $Audio.Name
Write-Output "Audio device now set to " 

if ($Audio.Index -EQ 1) {
   (Get-AudioDevice -list | Where-Object Index -EQ 2 | Set-AudioDevice).Name
}  Else {
   (Get-AudioDevice -list | Where-Object Index -EQ 1 | Set-AudioDevice).Name
}

Answer 6

Download nircmd from the internet, then:

:: Set Sound Devices
NIRCMD setdefaultsounddevice "VoiceMeeter Input" 1^
    & NIRCMD setdefaultsounddevice "VoiceMeeter Input" 2^
    & NIRCMD setdefaultsounddevice "ANovaMic" 1^
    & NIRCMD setdefaultsounddevice "ANovaMic" 2

I use these tiny scripts from my stream deck, not only for streaming but also to switch among devices any time.

Answer 7

You can do it with SoundVolumeView from NirSoft.

1. Sort by Name, then Device Name

2. Select Speakers Device Render

3. Right Click - Create Desktop Shortcut

4. Set Default Device - All

5. Open Shortcut Properties & Copy Target

6. "C:\tools\NirLauncher\NirSoft\soundvolumeview.exe" /SetDefault "Realtek(R) Audio\Device\Speakers\Render" all

Just run the shortcut, or paste the shortcut target in batch file.

Answer 8

Here is a more reliable way using SoundVolumeView.exe or SoundVolumeView's command line version svcl.exe

Just setting the device by name is not safe because some devices have same name and in that case NirCmd will use the first one it finds in the devices list.

The best way that I discovered after playing around the SoundVolumeView.exe is to use /SetDefault option.

Here is the full command

svcl.exe /SetDefault "Apple Audio Device\Device\Speakers\Render" all

Here the "Apple Audio Device\Device\Speakers\Render" is my device Command-Line Friendly ID and you can get it from the list by listing all the devices using svcl.exe /scomma or you can use the SouldVolumeView.exe GUI and use the Command-Line Friendly ID.