How to Configure Audio Settings for Windows Mixed Reality Portal

Windows Mixed Reality offers an immersive virtual and augmented reality experience, but getting the audio settings right is crucial for optimal performance. This guide will walk you through configuring key audio settings in the Mixed Reality Portal to ensure seamless sound management between your headset and desktop.

Accessing Mixed Reality Audio Settings

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.

Step 2: Click on "Mixed reality" in the settings menu.

Step 3: Select "Audio and speech" from the left sidebar to access the audio configuration options.

Configuring Headset Audio Switching

One of the most important settings is controlling when audio switches to your headset. This ensures you hear sound through the appropriate device when using Mixed Reality.

Step 1: In the Audio and speech settings, locate the option "When Mixed Reality Portal is running, switch to headset audio".

Step 2: Toggle this setting on if you want audio to automatically switch to your headset when launching Mixed Reality Portal. Toggle it off if you prefer to manage audio switching manually.

For users who prefer more granular control, you can also adjust this setting via the Windows Registry:

Step 1: Open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows key + R, typing "regedit", and pressing Enter.

Step 2: Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Holographic\SpeechAndAudio

Step 3: Look for the "PreferDesktopSpeaker" value. If it doesn't exist, right-click in the right pane, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it "PreferDesktopSpeaker".

Step 4: Set the value to 0 to enable automatic switching to headset audio, or 1 to disable it.

Managing Headset Microphone Settings

Similar to audio playback, you can control when Mixed Reality Portal switches to your headset's microphone for voice input.

Step 1: In the Audio and speech settings, find the "When Mixed Reality Portal is running, switch to headset mic" option.

Step 2: Enable this setting to automatically use your headset's microphone when Mixed Reality Portal is active. Disable it if you prefer using your desktop microphone.

To adjust this via the Registry:

Step 1: Navigate to the same registry key as before:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Holographic\SpeechAndAudio

Step 2: Look for or create a DWORD value named "PreferDesktopMic".

Step 3: Set it to 0 to enable automatic switching to the headset mic, or 1 to disable it.

Mirroring Headset Audio to Desktop

This feature allows you to hear the Mixed Reality audio through both your headset and desktop speakers, which can be useful for demonstrations or shared experiences.

Step 1: In the Audio and speech settings, locate "When Mixed Reality Portal is running, mirror headset audio to desktop".

Step 2: Toggle this setting on to enable audio mirroring, or off to keep audio isolated to the headset.

For Registry configuration:

Step 1: Navigate to this registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\HoloSI\Audio

Step 2: Look for or create a DWORD value named "AudioMirroringEnabled".

Step 3: Set it to 1 to enable audio mirroring, or 0 to disable it.

By fine-tuning these audio settings, you can create a more seamless and immersive Mixed Reality experience. Remember to restart your Mixed Reality Portal after making changes to ensure they take effect. Experiment with different configurations to find what works best for your setup and preferences.