Disabling Headset Advanced Exclusive Mode in Windows 11 PC

This guide will show you how to disable "Headset Advanced Exclusive Mode" in Windows. Disabling this feature can help to resolve audio switch issues and allow for simultaneous audio playback.

Symptoms:

• No Audio / Input on a phone call even though the headset is listed within the CTI and webphone launches without issue.

• Audio cuts out during a call while other applications are running in the background (Teams, Google Meet, Slack, etc..)

• Webphone not launching due to the headset not being recognized.

Solution:

• Navigate to the Windows sound settings and disable “Advanced Exclusive Mode” for both microphone and headset.

Steps To Resolve:

1. Navigate to your Windows search bar and type in “Sound Settings” and select the option Sound Settings under System Settings as shown in this screenshot:

1. Once within the “System > Sound” menu - Scroll down until you see the option “More Sound Settings” - Press the icon to launch the popup menu.

1. A small popup menu will appear - Within the “Playback” tab Double-click on the specified headset you are currently using/having the issue with. Another popup menu will appear, navigate to the advanced tab and uncheck the setting “Allow application to take exclusive control of this device” - Then press apply to save. 

1. Repeat the same steps for the “Recording” tab as shown in this screenshot:

1. Reload the CTI and perform a test call to the echo line to ensure audio is being sent/received correctly. You can dial the echo line by calling 1681 within the CTI.

Notes:

If you are still experiencing audio issues after disabling Headset Advanced Exclusive Mode, you may need to contact Natterbox Support ensuring you provide the necessary call examples for further review.