Top 4 Ways to Get Better Audio Quality on Windows 11

If your music sounds flat, your meetings are muffled, or your gaming audio lacks punch—don’t blame your ears just yet. Windows 11 comes with some solid audio features, but most users never touch the settings that can take sound quality from “meh” to “damn, that’s crisp.”

Here are the top 4 ways to get better audio quality on Windows 11—no expensive gear required.

1. Enable “Enhance Audio” in Sound Settings

Windows 11 has a built-in feature called Enhance Audio that applies clarity, bass boost, and other effects automatically.

How to do it:

• Right-click the sound icon in the taskbar > Sound Settings
• Scroll to Output > Choose where to play sound
• Click your device > Scroll to Enhance Audio and turn it on

This gives your system audio a noticeable lift, especially on budget headphones or speakers.

2. Switch to a High-Quality Audio Format

Your system may be using a default sample rate that bottlenecks your output. You can fix that in seconds.

Steps:

• Go to Control Panel > Sound
• Click your playback device > Properties
• Under the Advanced tab, select a higher quality format (e.g., 24 bit, 48000 Hz or higher)

This lets you squeeze better fidelity out of your DAC or sound card, especially when streaming music or editing audio.

3. Use an Equalizer (Built-In or Third-Party)

Most people never touch an EQ, but it’s the fastest way to make your audio sound richer and more tailored to your taste.

Built-In Option:

If your sound driver supports it (e.g., Realtek), you’ll find a basic EQ under:

• Control Panel > Sound > Playback device > Properties > Enhancements > Equalizer

Better Option:

Try third-party EQ tools like:

• Equalizer APO (free)
• Peace GUI (for a visual interface over Equalizer APO)
  These give you fine-grained control over every frequency range.

4. Update Your Audio Drivers

Outdated or generic drivers can crush sound quality and cause glitches. Always make sure you’re running the latest drivers from your device manufacturer—not just the ones Windows installs by default.

Do this:

• Press Win + X > Device Manager
• Expand Sound, video and game controllers
• Right-click your audio device > Update driver
• Choose Browse my computer > Let me pick and manually install the latest from your manufacturer’s website (e.g., Realtek, Intel, NVIDIA)

Updated drivers can unlock hidden features, improve latency, and fix volume issues.

Bonus Tip: Use Better Headphones or Speakers

Even with all the software tweaks in the world, bad hardware is still bad hardware. If you’re using old earbuds or tinny laptop speakers, consider upgrading. The difference is night and day.

Final Thoughts

Windows 11 doesn’t make great audio automatic—but it gives you all the tools to get there. Tweak your settings, use the right drivers, and run a solid EQ setup. You’ll hear the difference instantly.

Got a favorite audio tool or tweak I didn’t mention? Drop it in the comments.