Is there software that can do this?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Don’t really know if this is the right forum to ask in, but here ya go…

I’ve bought myself a USB headset (headphones with mic), which is great until I want to switch to my normal speakers. At the moment I have to go to the control panel and change the audio device from there, is there a utility available to download that I can use to switch between the two easily? Preferably one that just sits in the taskbar.

2

You could get a Y connector, plug the headset and speakers into the female parts, plug the male part of the connector into the back of the computer, and turn the speakers off when you don’t want to use them.

3

Did you fully check the CD that came with headset to see if there any audio utilities?

4

This would work if the headset had a normal stereo plug, but the OP says that it’s a USB headset.

5

Sorted now, downloaded a program that allowed me to make scripts and set a script up to go into control panel and change it there, thanks for taking the time to help!

6

Oh. In that case, it’s even easier. Just take the headset off and turn the speakers on. Both are free; my solution has the advantage of not taking up any memory or CPU time, and it’s guaranteed virus-free.

7

We have a similar dilemma.

We have digital speakers, and USB headphones. If Mr. Kiminy wants to listen without bothering everyone else, he has to go through the Sounds settings to turn off the digital sound to hear stuff through the headphones. I HATE headphones, so I have to keep switching it back to Digital to hear whatever I want to hear when I’m using the computer.

We do use the Volume control in the System Tray, though, rather than having to open the Control Panel and find the Sound settings through there. With Volume in the System Tray, we just double-click the Volume icon, change the settings in that window, then close the options box. Not as easy as a Y-splitter, obviously, but easier than having to go through the Control Panel to open the Volume control to change the settings.

8

You could do what I’ve done - I downloaded auto hotkey and created 2 macros; one to open the control panel, sound settings and change from speakers to headphones and another to change it back. With the autohotkey program you can convert the macro to an exectuable file which I’ve linked to a button on my keyboard (the ‘Shopping’ button, I have a keyboard with all the extra buttons on it).