Better way to change audio playback device?

[benmrii]

Good afternoon, all. Nice to find what looks like a great Windows community.

I'm hoping there is a better way to change my audio playback device in Windows 7 (Ultimate, Service Pack 1, 64 bit). As background, I keep my headset plugged in at all times and swap to it when needed, but like to use my speakers most of the time.

The only way I've found to swap between headphones and speakers is to right click the volume button on my taskbar, open "Playback devices", select my headset (listed as "Speakers, Realtek High Definition Audio"), then click "Set Default".

Aside from feeling rather tedious, the swap is not recognized in nearly all programs if they're already active. In other words, if I boot up a program with my speakers set to default, swapping to headphones via the above process will not change the audio output device for that program until I quit it completely, set the new default, the restart the program.

Any thoughts? Thank you.

 

[fireberd]

Nothing to add except "that is the way it works". Easiest way is to just unplug the headset and it will automatically revert to your speakers.