How to Adjust Left and Right Volume Channels on Windows 11 and 10
If the sound from theleft and right channels of your earphonesor speakers is uneven, then it can be irritating to listen. While there can be many reasons why this is happening, there are a few things you can do on Windows to adjust the left and right volume. In this article, we will go through how to adjust left and right volume channels on Windows 10/11, what can be the reasons, and how to stop it from happening again. So let’s begin.
Table of Contents
Adjust Left and Right Volume Channels on Windows
Before moving forward, first, we need to find out if the problem is with the earphones or with your Windows PC. To check, connect your earphones to another PC or a phone. If it sounds fine, then the issue lies with the laptop or desktop. If the sound is bad on other devices too, then the problem is with your earphones themselves. Similarly, you may also try using other earphones with your PC.
For the most part, the problem should be with your earphones themselves. Anyhow, whether the problem is with earphones or with the PC, here’s how to fix left and right volume channels and fix it.
1. Make Sure the Earphones / Speakers Are Clean
First, verify to clean the Speaker vent on earphones as they can also cause issues with sound. Some earphones also have vents outside to create a vacuum that helps improve acoustics, make sure that’s clean too.
2. Restart the Laptop / Desktop
There can be a bug or some occasional glitches in the OS. Restarting the PC solves it in most cases. Just click on the Windows icon at the bottom left corner, then select the power icon and then click on the Restart button.
3. Update OS to Latest Version
You can also check if you are running on the latest version of the Windows OS. To do that, open theSettings app > Windows Update > Check for updates. If there is an update available, download and install it.
4. Update Audio Drivers
Sometimes, your earphones/speakers and your PC may have some compatibility issues. you’re able to solve them by updating the drivers of the specific device. Drivers help establish aconnection between hardware and software. So updating the driver to the latest version can make them more compatible.
1.To update, click on theWindows iconand search forDevice Managerand open it.
2.In the Device Manager, click onSound, video, and game controllersto expand it.
3.Now, right-click on the earphone or speakers that you want to update the driver. In the pop-up menu, select theUpdate driveoption.
4.It opens a window, here selectSearch automatically for the driversoption.
5.It will search for the drivers and provides the option to download and install if any update is available.
5. Disable Special Audio Enhancements
Sometimes the issue may not be with the earphones or the PC, but with a specific Windows feature. One such feature is Special Audio Enhancements. It is enabled by default for all the audio devices you connect to Windows. But you’re able to disable it manually.
1.Click on theWindows iconand search for theControl Paneland open it.
2.In the Control panel, select theHardware and Soundoption.
3.On the next page, select theSoundoption.
4.In the window that opens, select the device you are facing issues with. Then click on thePropertiesoption.
5.It opens another window, here select theEnhancementstab and enable the toggle besideDisable all enhancements.
6.Once done, click onApplyand thenOK.
If this does not make any difference to your problem, then disable the toggle and apply the changes. You can also do it from theSettings app > System > Sound >select the device and set theAudio Enhancementsoption to off.
6. Disable Spatial Audio
Another feature that can create issues is the Spatial Audio feature.
1.To disable, openControl Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound, select the device and then click onProperties.
2.Then click on theSpatial soundtab. Here make sure the Spatial sound format is set toOff.
You can also do it from theSettings app > System > Sound >select the device and set theSpatial audiooption to off.
7. Change the Format of the Earphones / Speakers Sound
You can also try changing the bit rate and frequency of your earphones. You can do that from both the control panel and the Settings app.
1.Open theSettings app > System > Sound >select the audio device. Here you can change the format underOutputsettings.
2.Change the format to lower bit rate and frequency if available.
Windows should be able to play fine at least in the lower settings. This can affect the sound quality a bit but may solve the imbalance in left and right volume channels on Windows.
8. Adjust Left and Right Volume Channels Manually
If none of the previous techniques worked, try to increase or decrease the sound of a single channel manually. So if your right channel volume is lower, you may increase the volume of just the right channel. So both the left and right channels will sound equal.
1.Open theSettings app > System > Sound >select the device.
2.Here, under the output section, click on your connected earphones or speakers.
3.Under the Output settings, you will find theLeft channelandRight channeloptions. Increase or decrease the volume for one channel as per needed.
You can also do it from theControl Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound. Select the earphone/speaker you have the issue with and selectProperties > Levels > Balanceand you change theL (Left)andR (Right)channels in the pop-up window.
9. Disable Absolute Volume in Registry Editor
If you are not able the change the single channel volume, it might be because the accessory manufacturer blocked the functionality. Anyhow, you can do it by disabling the absolute volume in the Registry editor.
1.Click on theWindows iconand search for theRegistry Editorand open it.
2.First, double-click on theHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEoption in the sidebar. In the drop-down, double-click on theSYSTEMoption.
3.Then double-click onControlSet001 > Control > Bluetooth > Audio > AVRCP > CT. Alternatively, you may also paste this in the top search bar to open the page directly.
4.Now double-click on theDisableAbsoluteVolumeoption.
5.In the popup windows, set the Value data to1. Then click onOKand close the Registry Editor.
6.Finally restart the device, now you can change the volume of each channel as shown in the above step.
Balancing Volume
Though you can adjust the volume of each channel manually, it’s always better to try solving the issue first. Updating audio drivers and decreasing the bit rate has a good chance of fixing the left and right volume channels on Windows. If none of the solutions are working, then you can change the volume of each channel manually.
Also, learn how you cancreate custom shortcuts to control volume controls on Windows. That should make it easier.
Ravi Teja KNTS
Tech writer with over 4 years of experience at TechWiser, where he has authored more than 700 articles on AI, Google apps, Chrome OS, Discord, and Android. His journey started with a passion for discussing technology and helping others in online forums, which naturally grew into a career in tech journalism. Ravi’s writing focuses on simplifying technology, making it accessible and jargon-free for readers. When he’s not breaking down the latest tech, he’s often immersed in a classic film – a true cinephile at heart.
