Stereo Mix on Windows 11 and 10: how to enable it (and fix it missing)

Applies to: Windows 11 and Windows 10, on PCs with Realtek and other onboard audio chips.

What Stereo Mix is

Stereo Mix (sometimes called What U Hear, Wave Out Mix or Loopback) is a recording input that the audio driver creates. Instead of capturing a microphone, it captures the sound going to your speakers or headphones, so any recording app can record music, a video call or a game’s sound.

Two things are worth knowing before you start:

• It comes from the driver, not from Windows. Windows’ own generic audio driver doesn’t include it, and many newer laptops ship without it even with a Realtek chip.
• It only hears its own sound card. Stereo Mix on the built-in audio only captures sound played through the built-in speakers or headphone jack, not sound going to HDMI, USB or Bluetooth headphones.

How to enable Stereo Mix

The steps are the same on Windows 11 and Windows 10, because both use the classic Sound dialog for recording devices.

1. Press Win + R, type mmsys.cpl and press Enter. (In Windows 11 you can also go to Settings > System > Sound > More sound settings.)
2. Open the Recording tab.
3. Right-click an empty area of the list and make sure both Show Disabled Devices and Show Disconnected Devices are ticked.
4. Right-click Stereo Mix and choose Enable.
5. Optional: right-click it again and choose Set as Default Device if you want apps to record from it automatically. Most people leave the microphone as default and pick Stereo Mix inside the recording app instead.
6. Select OK.

Play some audio and watch the green level bar next to Stereo Mix. If it moves, it’s working.

How to record with Stereo Mix

1. Make sure the sound is playing through the same sound card that owns Stereo Mix (for example Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio)). Check the output from the speaker icon on the taskbar.
2. In your recording app (Audacity, OBS, Sound Recorder or a game capture tool), choose Stereo Mix as the input or microphone.
3. Start recording, then start the audio.

In the Windows Sound Recorder app, pick Stereo Mix from the recording-device list. If the recording is too quiet or distorted, open mmsys.cpl, double-click Stereo Mix and adjust the slider on the Levels tab.

Stereo Mix not showing: how to fix it

If Stereo Mix doesn’t appear even with disabled devices shown, Windows is almost always using a driver that doesn’t offer it. Check which one you have:

1. Right-click Start and open Device Manager.
2. Expand Sound, video and game controllers.
3. If you see High Definition Audio Device, that’s Windows’ generic driver, which has no Stereo Mix. If you see Realtek(R) Audio or Realtek High Definition Audio, the Realtek driver is installed.

To get Stereo Mix back:

• Install the audio driver from your PC or motherboard maker. Go to the support page for your exact model (Dell, HP, Lenovo, ASUS, MSI and so on) and install its audio driver. These drivers are made for your hardware and are the most likely to include Stereo Mix.
• Don’t use random driver download sites. Unofficial “Realtek driver” packages are a common way malware spreads. If you already installed one, scan your PC for malware.
• Check the audio control panel. Some Realtek control panels have their own setting for recording devices. Open the Realtek Audio Console or HD Audio Manager if you have one and look in its recording options.
• Accept that some PCs don’t have it. Many recent laptops, including those using Intel Smart Sound audio, and most USB headsets have no Stereo Mix at all. If your audio runs through Intel’s DSP, the Intel High Definition DSP guide explains what that device does. On these PCs, use the alternatives below.

Stereo Mix records silence

• Wrong output device: the sound is going to HDMI, USB or Bluetooth headphones. Switch the output to the speakers on the same card, or use WASAPI loopback, which works with any output.
• Muted or low level: in mmsys.cpl, double-click Stereo Mix, open Levels and make sure it isn’t muted.
• Microphone privacy: Windows treats Stereo Mix like a microphone. In Windows 11 check Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone; in Windows 10, Settings > Privacy > Microphone. Turn on microphone access and access for desktop apps.
• Exclusive mode: in Stereo Mix’s Advanced tab, try clearing Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device, then restart the recording app.

If you have no sound at all, not just in recordings, the Windows audio troubleshooter can help, but it needs the Diagnostics Policy Service. See the Diagnostics Policy Service is not running if the troubleshooter won’t start.

Record PC audio without Stereo Mix

Windows has a built-in feature called WASAPI loopback that lets apps record any output device, including HDMI, USB and Bluetooth, without Stereo Mix. You just need an app that supports it.

App	How to record PC audio	Best for
Audacity (free)	Audio Settings: set Host to Windows WASAPI, then pick the (loopback) entry for your speakers as the recording device	Music and audio clips
OBS Studio (free)	The Desktop Audio source records your output device	Screen recordings and streams
Xbox Game Bar (built in)	Press Win + Alt + R to record the active app with its sound	Quick clips of a game or app

In Audacity, start the audio before you press Record: WASAPI loopback only receives data while something is playing. To capture a voice chat such as Discord along with your own microphone, OBS is easier because it records several sources at once. If Discord voice won’t connect in the first place, see Discord No Route error.

Related guides

• Intel High Definition DSP: what it is and how to fix it
• The Diagnostics Policy Service is not running
• Discord No Route error: how to fix it
• How to scan for malware on Windows

Official sources: for more detail, see the official documentation:

• Microsoft Learn: Loopback recording (WASAPI)
• Audacity Manual: Recording computer playback on Windows

Frequently asked questions

Does Windows 11 have Stereo Mix?

Windows 11 supports it, but Windows itself doesn’t create it. It appears only if your audio driver provides it, which is common on desktop PCs with Realtek audio and less common on new laptops.

Can I download Stereo Mix?

Not on its own. It’s part of the audio driver, so the only way to get it is a driver that includes it, from your PC or motherboard maker.

Why is Stereo Mix greyed out?

A greyed-out entry is disabled. Right-click it and choose Enable. If it says Currently unavailable, try restarting the PC after enabling it.

Does Stereo Mix record my microphone too?

Only if the microphone is being played back through your speakers (for example with Listen to this device turned on). Normally it records only what the PC plays.