A few days ago, I did a fresh install of Windows 11 (25H2) and since doing so, there is a repeatable bug with Windows and the latest FxSound (1.2.6.0). Once I log in, and FxSound starts, when I turn on my BT headphones I have no sound and nothing shows up in the FxSound control panel’s drop down. I don’t have speakers, just the headphones.
I then have to exit FxSound, restart it before my headphones (and sound) show up. Prior to the fresh install, I never had this problem. Same hardware, same OS, same version of FxSound.
This is how I’m configured with FxSound being the default device and right clicking on the app icon in the system tray shows my Bluetooth headphones are check marked. How does yours look?
So, when I power up the computer, log in and let everything start up (like FxSound), then I power on my BT headphones, I have no audio. The FxSound Speakers are the default but in the apps “Playback Device Select” there is nothing. This didn’t happen prior to the fresh install.
Again, it’s not the end of the world but it is puzzling.
Step 1 - Does Windows have a BT port? Open Device Manager. BLUETOOTH and NETWORK ADAPTERS should list a BT adapter. BT chips are often but not always attached to the wi-fi or network adapter. Network functions (circuits) are separate from BT functions. The network can work fine with BT in a failed state. Problems present as “splats”.
If splats are found, update driver.
Windows Update (esp version updates) can “hide” driver updates. Check SETTINGS, ADVANCED OPTIONS, OPTIONAL UPDATES.
To add a little more to your point, here’s my two cents on audio device not picking up, and if one decides they wanna try fixing it through Device Manager— or what I personally call as the DL renewal fix lol. Reason is bc OP seemed to be able to connect the headphones through bluetooth, just no sound.
Summary
Uninstall the specific headphone’s “Sound, Video, Game Controllers device” in “Device Manager” will be simpler since plug and play (PnP) will try to reinstall and update your device driver’s in a few seconds if not instantly. What happens here from my observation is some of the time bluetooth connected your headphones, but it’s not picking up as a Sound Device, so just need to make the pc reinstall a compatible driver for the AIO[1] (bonus you can do the same and uninstall FXsound driver as well, it should be reinstalled automatically) [2]
My typical go to method is Exit Fxsound! (do exit any process in task manager if it’s not responding), you can also “restart” fxsound by go to sound settings → fxsound speaker → disallow → allow → set default to both audio and communication again[3]. I reckon you can also just “remove” the bluetooth device and re-pair again, basically this just gonna reinstall the drivers for ya instead of doing it in Device Manager.
Lastly, do you ever plug/ connect[4] your headphones to the Z32D monitor? if not you can simple “disallow” it since in the photo notice it says “default communication device”? My best guess is that one naughty monitor is stealing the audio. Sooo less is more babes, so for example if you don’t use AUX jack–> no need "realtek processing , disable it maybe so to keep everything simpler[5]
in my case, my PC has a sound card and reasonably its driver is used for everything, and aw2415h monitor is just there to eat shits for free. why i think so? cuz my monitor ain’t got a built-in speaker lol! sooo soundcard where she ain’t in there, but NVIDIA still give it an audio driver to fight with the main one. ¯\_( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)_/¯ Ofc i’m not babe-ing fxsound cuz it def crashes on me too[6], but chances are it’s just needed some clicks to work just how you do your headphones typically. I can poorly explained that fxsound is your headphones’ headphones.
and if someone been thinking if there is a better audio driver, I went down the same rabbit hole and my conclusion is: nawr, a generic good old microsoft audio driver is all you want for Christmas ↩︎
