Tag: Shared Audio

  • How to Use Windows 11 Shared Audio Feature

    How to Use Windows 11 Shared Audio Feature

    Key Takeaway

    – Windows 11 now natively supports simultaneous audio streaming to two Bluetooth devices.
    – Shared Audio uses Bluetooth LE Audio and requires specific hardware (e.g., Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon or Intel Core Ultra 200 chips).
    – Microphone input is disabled on connected Bluetooth headsets, forcing use of the laptop’s built-in mic.
    – The feature is rolling out via Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR), so it may not be visible even on compatible devices.
    – Compatible headphones include Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Galaxy Buds3/Pro, and Sony LinkBuds S.

    New Audio Sharing Feature Rolls Out

    Microsoft resolved a persistent multi-user playback limitation by baking a native audio broadcaster directly into Windows 11. Instead of forcing users to wrestle with physical splitters or finicky third-party mirroring applications, the operating system splits the audio output stream at the system level, pushing synchronized sound to two separate Bluetooth devices at the same time.

    Taskbar Icon and Volume Controls

    A new status icon will appear on the taskbar to confirm the stream is live and to provide a direct shortcut back to the configuration overlay. Each listener can dial in a distinct volume profile using independent software sliders within the menu, or by pressing the physical volume buttons on their respective headsets. Note that this routing pipeline temporarily locks out standard Bluetooth headset microphone inputs, meaning Windows will automatically default to your laptop’s built-in microphone array for any voice calls what so ever.

    Hardware and Build Requirements

    Because this tool bypasses legacy Bluetooth Classic standards in favor of modern Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Audio protocols, it requires Windows 11 build 26100.8522 or newer alongside specific internal hardware components. Compatible PCs include modern Copilot+ laptops driven by Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus processors—such as the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, Surface Pro 11, Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge, and Dell XPS 13 9345—as well as newer systems built on Intel Core Ultra Series 200 silicon.

    Supported Audio Devices

    For audio playback, users must connect broadcast-ready endpoints, which include the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro, Galaxy Buds3, Galaxy Buds3 Pro, Sony LinkBuds S, and modern LE Audio-equipped hearing aids from manufacturers like ReSound and Beltone. Even if a machine satisfies the required hardware criteria and runs the correct build number, the Shared Audio option might still be missing from the interface entirely.

    Controlled Feature Rollout Process

    Microsoft is deploying this utility via a Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR). This server-side staging means the software architecture remains gated behind a configuration flag until Microsoft remotely activates the tile for your specific device pool. Windows 11 users should monitor there settings app for the appearance of this option rather than expecting instant availablity after a manual update.

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  • Windows 11 KB5089573: Shared Audio and Partition Fix

    Windows 11 KB5089573: Shared Audio and Partition Fix

    Key Takeaway

    – Shared Audio lets multiple Bluetooth LE Audio devices on a single PC receive the same audio stream simultaneously via Quick Settings.
    – Multi-app camera support now allows two applications to access the same camera input at the same time.
    – Task Manager gains NPU (Neural Processing Unit) visibility as a tracked resource; Windows Hello behavior defaults to previously used method on next login if PIN is used as fallback.
    – Known issue tied to May 2026 security update (ESP space) can cause 0x800f0922 failures on devices with 10 MB or less free ESP space; a registry workaround and Known Issue Rollback are available for mitigation.

    Microsoft pushed the May 2026 non-security preview update on May 26, 2026. KB5089573 moves Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 to OS builds 26100.8524 and 26200.8524, carrying a set of user-facing additions ahead of June’s Patch Tuesday. It also surfaces a known issue tied to the earlier May security update that will catch anyone running Windows 11 on hardware with a cramped boot partition.

    Shared Audio and camera improvements

    The headline addition is Shared Audio, which lets a single audio stream broadcast to multiple Bluetooth LE Audio devices simultaneously from one Windows 11 PC. Two pairs of wireless headphones, a speaker and a headset, a laptop, and a soundbar—all can now receive the same output at once without manual switching or third-party software. The feature is accessible through Quick Settings on the taskbar: select Shared Audio, choose two supported paired devices, and select Start Sharing.

    Paragraph style shift: multi-app camera support

    Multi-app camera support arrives alongside it. Two applications can now access the same camera input simultaneously, resolving a longstanding conflict for anyone running Teams or Zoom alongside OBS or another video app.

    Task Manager, Hello, and Magnifier updates

    Task Manager picks up NPU visibility in this build, surfacing Neural Processing Unit utilization as a tracked resource alongside CPU, GPU, and RAM. Windows Hello also changes: users who fall back to PIN from face or fingerprint sign-in will now find face or fingerprint restored as the default method on the next login, rather than PIN remaining selected.

    Magnifier improvements and security rollout

    Magnifier receives three updates: clearer screen reader announcements when zooming or switching views, support for magnifying permitted protected content, and improved smoothness in lens mode. Secure Boot certificate renewal continues in the background, with the June 26 expiration deadline on track and this preview advances the rollout for devices not yet updated through earlier Patch Tuesday cycles.

    Known issue, ESP space, and registry workaround

    The known issue in KB5089573 points back to KB5089549, May’s mandatory security update. Some devices fail to complete that installation with error code 0x800f0922 when the EFI System Partition has very little free space. Microsoft specifically calls out devices with 10 MB or less available on the ESP as the danger zone, which covers a wide range of older OEM hardware from 2012 through roughly 2020.

    Rollbacks, policy, and registry tweak

    Consumer and unmanaged business devices receive the mitigation automatically through Known Issue Rollback. Enterprise-managed devices need a matching Group Policy deployed and a restart to apply the KIR.

    Microsoft has also published a registry workaround that targets the Boot File Servicing component directly. Running the following command from an elevated Command Prompt sets the ESP padding percentage to zero, eliminating the space buffer the servicing layer demands during installation: reg add “HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlBfsvc” /v EspPaddingPercent /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

    Apply this step only to confirmed affected machines. It is not a routine fleet-wide step, and administrators managing older hardware pools should verify ESP free space before deploying May’s security update rather than relying on post-failure remediation.

    Additional notes and related items

    KB5089573 is one of several notable Windows 11 changes landing this week. Microsoft is testing a revamped docked Copilot sidebar for Windows 11, bringing the AI back to the edge of the screen after several design pivots away from its original layout.

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