How to enable mono audio on Windows 11

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If you have only one speaker or headphone, in this guide, we'll show you the steps to use mono audio to hear everything.

Windows 11 mono audio
Windows 11 mono audio (Image credit: Windows Central)

On Windows 11, when you play any content (such as video or music), the system will split the sound into different channels, which means that if you happen to have only one speaker or headphone, you won't hear some sounds.

However, if you happen to have a single listening peripheral, Windows 11 includes a feature to convert a stereo sound into a single channel (or mono audio) to help you hear everything from one speaker or headphone.

In this Windows 11 guide, we will walk you through the steps to enable and disable mono audio on your laptop or desktop computer.

How to enable mono audio on Windows 11

To configure mono audio on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Click on System.
  3. Click the Sound page on the right side.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
  1. Under the "Output" section, turn on the Mono audio toggle switch.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Once you complete the steps, the stereo sound coming out of the computer will be combined into a single channel to hear everything from a single speaker or headphone.

Enable mono audio from Accessibility

Alternatively, you can also enable mono audio from the Accessibility section with these steps:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Click on Accessibility.
  3. Under the "Audio" section, click the Audio page on the right side.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
  1. Turn on the Mono audio toggle switch.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

After you complete the steps, the stereo sound will be converted into a single channel to help you hear everything.

How to disable mono audio on Windows 11

To disable mono audio to hear stereo sound on your computer, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Click on System.
  3. Click the Sound page on the right side.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
  1. Under the "Output" section, turn off the Mono audio toggle switch.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

Once you complete the steps, the sound will be divided into its respective channels depending on your configuration.

Disable mono audio from Accessibility

To disable mono audio from the Accessibility settings, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Click on Accessibility.
  3. Under the "Audio" section, click the Audio page on the right side.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)
  1. Turn off the Mono audio toggle switch.

Source: Windows Central (Image credit: Source: Windows Central)

After you complete the steps, the stereo sound will be converted into a single channel to help you hear everything.

More Windows resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:

Mauro Huculak
Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.