Launching certain games on Steam mutes other sounds e.g Spotify, Discord

[ChocolateKrustt]

I'm running on Win 11. I have been gaming on my laptop (Razer Blade 15” Base 2020) for almost 2 years now and I have never had any issues running games launched from Steam and at the same time listening to Spotify or on a Discord call. Other audio mentioned (Spotify/Discord) will only return after I close these games (e.g: Dead Island Definitive Edition, Assassin's Creed Odyssey). This issue just happened yesterday and I have tried reinstalling Steam application, updated my graphics card (GeForce GTX 1660Ti) but the problem still persists. Has anyone had any problems like this before?

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

You want to go into your sound settings (Sound Control Panel) and click your audio output. Click properties and go to the Advanced tab. From there you will see two check boxes below pertaining to Exclusive Mode. Uncheck both of these and click ok.

This should allow you to listen to music, watch media, etc.. while gaming with no impact on sound exclusivity.

When apps take exclusive control, this only makes the targeted app have sound while turning all other sound producers (websites, media players, etc...) off.

Disabling exclusive control allows more than one application to produce sound. We see this all the time in music production.

Hope this helps!

[ChocolateKrustt]

Messaggio originale di Wynters:

You want to go into your sound settings (Sound Control Panel) and click your audio output. Click properties and go to the Advanced tab. From there you will see two check boxes below pertaining to Exclusive Mode. Uncheck both of these and click ok.

Thanks Wynters, tried your suggestion but unfortunately this did not work for me. Strangely enough, whenever I minimize the game to make changes in properties, the audio detected to be changed will be the one coming out from the desktop and not the game. Is this something to do with which is the current app being active in the desktop?

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

I hope you had no apps open while doing the fix cause it doesn't work like that. I would probably suggest a PC restart.

[ChocolateKrustt]

Messaggio originale di Wynters:

I hope you had no apps open while doing the fix cause it doesn't work like that. I would probably suggest a PC restart.

Yeah I did not have any apps open while applying the changes and I had restarted afterwards. It's still not working. I have tested another game which is Age of Empire 2 and surprisingly there is no issue of muting other audio running in the background while the game is active.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

I would try sfc /scannow in the Powershell (admin) prompt, or Windows Terminal. See if it is a system corruption.

[ChocolateKrustt]

Tried sfc /scannow and it said Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them. So when I tried running the game while Spotify was on, the problem is still there. Not sure if this is a thing but is it possible that the audio system is somehow affected when there's a change of resolution in the screen? I'm not using any 2nd screen but just had a thought about it. The Spotify music running in the background still works when the game I tested (Dead Island Definitive Edition) is running and only when I reached the main menu where I need to make a selection (Continue, Play etc.) will cut off the Spotify music.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

And again to restart after corruptions are fixed. I may need to test this issue, I think I have the Dead Island game somewhere.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Here is the follow-up on my findings - there is nothing wrong with both the Spotify website nor the app for me while running Dead Island in-game. This has to be something causing it on your system.

I would suggest if you are using more audio devices in the Sound Settings to also make sure that Exclusive mode is disabled and also to run Steam as Administrator in the Compatibility options.

Running Steam as Admin would be the only thing I can think of atm that could be indifferent from my system. It seems weird to me that this would fix it, but it is an option to check at least.

[Iceira]

Do every app work as standalone. there is a reason i ask this, apps can reduce sounds so other main app is seen as Main app. ( and sense skype and discord is seen as same, they could mute eachother to prevent loop, i have not seen this ever , but why not.

I only know Laptop can do such headphones and laptop speaker, will do this this is seen as work as intended, i mean if you sit in train and plug in headphones then it mean speaker is turn off.
there is a reason i explan this sense you are a laptop user, but missing the output ways.

To bypass laptop ways require advance mix to change it if its even allowed by brand laptop or laptop support might know this better.

gl with it

[ChocolateKrustt]

Messaggio originale di Wynters:

Here is the follow-up on my findings - there is nothing wrong with both the Spotify website nor the app for me while running Dead Island in-game. This has to be something causing it on your system.

I would suggest if you are using more audio devices in the Sound Settings to also make sure that Exclusive mode is disabled and also to run Steam as Administrator in the Compatibility options.

Running Steam as Admin would be the only thing I can think of atm that could be indifferent from my system. It seems weird to me that this would fix it, but it is an option to check at least.

Many thanks for your help Wynters, I'm afraid all your suggestions have not been working for me. The last resort would be resetting my laptop if I can't find any other alternative :(

[ChocolateKrustt]

Messaggio originale di Iceira W10:

Do every app work as standalone.

I tested this with another game I own which is Age of Empire and surprisingly, it doesn't cancel out other audio running in the background like Spotify and Discord call

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Messaggio originale di ChocolateKrustt:

Many thanks for your help Wynters, I'm afraid all your suggestions have not been working for me. The last resort would be resetting my laptop if I can't find any other alternative :(

Oh noodles.

[Iceira]

Messaggio originale di ChocolateKrustt:

Messaggio originale di Iceira W10:

Do every app work as standalone.

I tested this with another game I own which is Age of Empire and surprisingly, it doesn't cancel out other audio running in the background like Spotify and Discord call

okay you are on to something, and i bet you can see your sherlock cap is on, do check own ingame sound settings, old game even had a config app, not seen such in along time, and yet Bethesda do this with GPU , so its still possible, why such can happend.

do check soundcord what if this is bad cable dont bend it to much, i mean test for pet damage or something like that. things you dont will check normaly is jack attachecd correclty not firmly in. ( most go mono if not right attached, but its so rare its this.

and we assume its speaker only and not headphones at all.


gl with it.

[ChocolateKrustt]

Coming back to this thread after resetting my PC. It didn't work and the problem still persisted but after checking back the audio system one more time, I found the problem and it's due to the Audio Enhancement in Windows 11. For some reason, it got activated and I'm unsure how because I have never switched it on. So to anyone having this problem, just switch off Audio Enhancement. Thank you for the help everyone! Appreciate it!

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Good to know. I can't use Win11 for my music applications so this is great to know for when I am forced onto Win11 or 12 entirely and use this application.