# Choosing the device for audio output on PC **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 21, 2001, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choosing-the-device-for-audio-output-on-pc/94644 "2001-11-21T20:12:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choosing-the-device-for-audio-output-on-pc/94644/1 "2001-11-21T20:12:52Z")
I have a monitor with integrated loudspeakers. Last week, I installed speech recognition software (IBM’s ViaVoice 8, pretty recommendable btw), and when initialising that stuff, I unfortunately picked the headset speakers as audio output, instead of the monitor speakers. Now (logically) eveything hearable which my computer spits out comes through the headset, which is comfortable when dictating but drowns my ears on the long run when listening to music or similar. Is there any menu in my Win 98 system that allows me to quickly switch to and fro between the two audio outputs available without any time-taking installations, deinstallations and re-installations? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![moodtobestewed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@moodtobestewed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moodtobestewed)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/choosing-the-device-for-audio-output-on-pc/94644/2 "2001-11-21T22:54:16Z")
Don’t know if this will work but go to: Start-\>Control Panel-\>Multimedia then click on the “audio” tab You can select the “preferred device” for audio output, and there’s a little checkbox at the bottom that says “use only preferred devices” that might, or might not, be helpful in this case.