How to Fix Uneven Left and Right Volume Channels on Windows 11 and 10

If you're experiencing uneven sound from the left and right channels of your earphones or speakers, it can be quite annoying. Fortunately, there are ways to adjust the volume channels on Windows 11 and 10 to ensure a balanced listening experience. In this article, we'll guide you through the steps to fix this issue and prevent it from happening again.

Check if the Issue Is with Your Earphones or PC

Before we dive into the troubleshooting steps, it's important to determine whether the problem lies with your earphones or your Windows PC. You can do this by connecting your earphones to another device, such as a phone or another PC. If the sound is fine on these devices, then the issue is likely with your PC. However, if the sound is still uneven, then the problem lies with your earphones.

Clean Your Earphones or Speakers

Sometimes, dirt or debris can accumulate in the speaker vents, causing sound issues. Make sure to clean the speaker vents on your earphones or speakers. Additionally, some earphones have vents outside to improve acoustics, so ensure that they are clean as well.

Restart Your PC

Restarting your PC can help resolve any software glitches or bugs that may be causing the uneven sound. Simply click on the Windows icon at the bottom left corner of your screen, select the power icon, and click on the Restart button.

Update Your Windows OS

Keeping your Windows OS up to date is crucial for addressing any known issues or bugs. To check for updates, open the Settings app, go to Windows Update, and click on the Check for updates button. If there is an update available, download and install it.

Update Audio Drivers

Outdated or incompatible audio drivers can cause sound issues. To update your audio drivers, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Windows icon and search for Device Manager. Open the Device Manager.
2. In the Device Manager, expand the Sound, video, and game controllers category.
3. Right-click on the earphones or speakers you want to update the driver for and select the Update driver option.
4. In the pop-up menu, select the Search automatically for drivers option.
5. Windows will search for the latest drivers and provide the option to download and install them.

Disable Special Audio Enhancements

Sometimes, specific Windows features, such as Special Audio Enhancements, can cause sound imbalances. You can disable this feature manually by following these steps:

1. Click on the Windows icon and search for the Control Panel. Open the Control Panel.
2. Select the Hardware and Sound option.
3. On the next page, select the Sound option.
4. In the window that opens, select the device you are experiencing issues with and click on the Properties option.
5. In the Properties window, go to the Enhancements tab and enable the toggle beside Disable all enhancements.
6. Click on Apply and then OK to save the changes.

If these steps don't solve the issue, you can also try disabling audio enhancements in the Settings app. Go to System, Sound, select the device, and set the Audio Enhancements option to off.

Disable Spatial Audio

Another feature that can cause sound imbalances is Spatial Audio. You can disable this feature by following these steps:

1. Open the Control Panel and select the Hardware and Sound option.
2. In the Sound section, select the device and click on Properties.
3. Go to the Spatial sound tab and ensure that the Spatial sound format is set to Off.

You can also disable Spatial Audio in the Settings app by going to System, Sound, selecting the device, and setting the Spatial audio option to off.

Change the Format of the Earphones or Speakers Sound

Adjusting the bit rate and frequency of your earphones or speakers can also help in achieving a balanced sound. You can change the format in both the control panel and the Settings app. Here's how:

1. Open the Settings app and go to System, Sound. Select the audio device.
2. Under the Output settings, change the format to a lower bit rate and frequency if available.

Lowering the bit rate and frequency may slightly affect the sound quality but can help in resolving the volume imbalance.

Manually Adjust the Left and Right Volume Channels

If none of the previous techniques work, you can manually adjust the volume of each channel to ensure balance. Here's how:

1. Open the Settings app and go to System, Sound. Select the device.
2. Under the output section, click on your connected earphones or speakers.
3. In the Output settings, you will find options to adjust the volume for the left and right channels individually.

You can also adjust the volume channels from the Control Panel. Go to Hardware and Sound, Sound, select the device, and click on Properties, Levels, and Balance. From here, you can change the volume for the left and right channels.

Disable Absolute Volume in the Registry Editor

If you're unable to change the volume of a single channel, it could be due to the accessory manufacturer's restrictions. However, you can disable the absolute volume in the Registry Editor. Here's how:

1. Click on the Windows icon and search for the Registry Editor. Open it.
2. Double-click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then SYSTEM, and navigate to ControlSet001, Control, Bluetooth, Audio, AVRCP, CT.
3. Double-click on the DisableAbsoluteVolume option.
4. In the popup window, set the Value data to 1, and click OK.
5. Restart your device.

Now you can change the volume of each channel individually.

Balancing Volume

While adjusting the volume of each channel manually is a workaround, it's always best to try and solve the underlying issue. Updating audio drivers and adjusting the bit rate can often fix volume imbalances. If none of the solutions work, you can rely on manually adjusting the volume channels. Additionally, you can learn how to create custom shortcuts to control volume on Windows to make the process more convenient.