Facepalm: Microsoft released a cumulative update preview for Windows 11 this week with a range of quality-of-life improvements, and shared audio is one of the headline features. It lets you stream audio from your PC to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously – handy for watching movies or listening to music with someone nearby. There's a catch, though: for now, it only works on Copilot+ PCs with Bluetooth LE support, which leaves most Windows users waiting.
In a blog post, Microsoft explained that shared audio enables a PC's audio output to be transmitted simultaneously to two Bluetooth LE audio devices.
The feature supports a wide range of Bluetooth LE accessories, including headphones, earbuds, and standalone speakers. Microsoft also says it is compatible with several assistive technologies, such as hearing aids and cochlear implants.
To use shared audio, pair and connect two Bluetooth LE audio accessories with an updated Windows 11 PC. After that, open the Quick Settings panel by clicking the speaker icon on the Taskbar, click on the "Shared audio" button, and select the two devices that would receive the shared audio output.
Once the devices are selected, simply click on the "Share" button to start sharing the audio output.
Microsoft noted that the existing Windows volume controls continue to function with shared audio enabled, though adjusting the master volume affects both connected devices at once.
Users who want more precise control can instead adjust the dedicated sliders available within the shared audio menu or through the settings pages for each connected accessory.
When shared audio is active, users will see an icon on the Taskbar to remind them that audio from their PC is being shared to two external devices. Users can click on it and hit the "Stop Sharing" button to end the sharing session. Sharing will automatically stop if the PC is switched off. To continue sharing after a restart, users will have to reconnect the audio accessories with their PC once again.
The feature is rolling out through the KB5089573 preview update for Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1. Any PC equipped with Bluetooth LE Audio broadcast support is technically compatible, meaning developers and hardware vendors do not need to modify applications or accessories to support the feature.
Still, shared audio depends on relatively new Bluetooth LE implementations and modern drivers, limiting compatibility to a small group of recent Copilot+ laptops powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon and Intel Core Ultra 200-series processors. Microsoft says it is gradually distributing the required drivers through Windows Update to bring support to additional systems over time.