Windows 10: Rename Sound Input or Output Device in Windows 10

How to: Rename Sound Input or Output Device in Windows 10

How to Rename Sound Input or Output Device in Windows 10


The default sound input device is the device (ex: microphone) that Windows uses to record or hear sound.

The default audio playback device is the device (ex: speaker) that Windows uses to output (play) sound.

If you don't like the default name given to a sound input or output device, you can easily rename it to any name you want to display for the device in Windows 10.

This tutorial will show you how to rename a sound input or output device for all users in Windows 10.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: Rename Sound Input Device from Settings
• Option Two: Rename Sound Output Device from Settings
• Option Three: Rename Sound Input Device from Sound Control Panel
• Option Four: Rename Sound Output Device from Sound Control Panel

EXAMPLE: List of sound playback (output) devices from the Volume icon on taskbar









OPTION ONE [/i] Rename Sound Input Device from Settings
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the System icon.

2. Click/tap on Sound on the left side, select the input device you want to rename on the right side, and click/tap on the Device properties link under it. (see screenshot below)

*note This will change the default sound input device, so you may want to change this back to the device you want after renaming a device.



3. Type a new name you want, and click/tap on the Rename. (see screenshot below)



4. You can now close Settings if you like.





OPTION TWO [/i] Rename Sound Output Device from Settings
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the System icon.

2. Click/tap on Sound on the left side, select the output device you want to rename on the right side, and click/tap on the Device properties link under it. (see screenshot below)

*note This will change the default sound output device, so you may want to change this back to the device you want after renaming a device.



3. Type a new name you want, and click/tap on the Rename. (see screenshot below)



4. You can now close Settings if you like.





OPTION THREE [/i] Rename Sound Input Device from Sound Control Panel
1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Sound icon.

*note If you like, you can open Run (Win+R), copy and paste the command below into Run, and click/tap on OK to directly open "Recording" devices in the Sound panel.

*Arrow rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,1

2. Select the sound input device you want to rename, and click/tap on the Properties button. (see screenshot below)



3. In the General tab, type a new name you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



4. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)








OPTION FOUR [/i] Rename Sound Output Device from Sound Control Panel
1. Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Sound icon.

*note If you like, you can open Run (Win+R), copy and paste the command below into Run, and click/tap on OK to directly open "Playback" devices in the Sound panel.

*Arrow rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL mmsys.cpl,,0

2. Select the sound output device you want to rename, and click/tap on the Properties button. (see screenshot below)



3. In the General tab, type a new name you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



4. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)




That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Enable or Disable the Microphone in Windows
• How to Enable or Disable a Sound Output Device in Windows
• How to Change Default Sound Input Device in Windows 10
• How to Change Default Sound Output Device in Windows 10

:)

 

No Audio Input or Output Devices found

After latest windows 10 update no audio devices are listed/

Looking in device manager - the audio devices all say working OK

But on bar at bottem of screen get speaker with red cross -- Playing audio - Audio trouble shouter cannot find any problems ..

Sound settings say - No output or Input devices found.

Have tried to re-install Realtek audio drivers for motherboard -- installed but no change

 

Rename Sound Devices

I've figured out how to rename Bluetooth devices, but I can't figure out how to rename speakers.

My speaker list shows up as follows in the sound icon:

• Echo Cancelling Speakerphone (2 - DELL PROFESSIONAL SOUND BAR AE515) - twice
• Microphone (4 - SpeechMike III)
• Microphone (Logitech BRIO)
• Microphone Array (Realtek Audio)
• Speakers (4 - SpeechMike III)
• Speakers / Headphones (Realtek Audio)

Depending on which SpeechMike I'm using (wireless vs wired), it will show up as 3 (wired) or 5 (wireless with second base).

Is there a way to rename any of these devices? I've yet to find a way.

 

Two inputs into one output?

Yep, assuming the TV has the correct audio outputs. There is an option in Windows sound for the recording devices to let you listen to the input, just enable that and you'll hear whatever is connected to the input on your headset.

 

Playback detecting Input Devices & Recording detecting Output Devices

Hello!

Today, I was playing SCP: Secret Laboratory. After I finished, I went and made tea. When I came back much later to play some more, I found that the in-game voice chat was not working for me; my microphone was not transmitting in-game.
Looking into my Steam settings, I found that all my input devices were actually my output devices, and all my output devices were actually input devices. I initially thought this was an issue with Steam, so I restarted Steam and my PC.
However, when the problem did not resolve, I looked to my sound settings and found that even in there, my playback devices detected inputs as outputs and recording devices detected outputs as inputs.

How am I able to fix this problem?

Images:





The VoiceMeeter inputs and outputs are from a sound managing device called VoiceMeeter Banana that I installed to allow for the creation of virtual line ins.

 

no output device is installed ... so sound from my laptop

Hi Vijay,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Community. appreciate you interest in Windows 10.

I suggest you to check if the audio drivers are installed by checking in Device Manager by following the steps below:

1. Press 'Windows key + R' and type 'devmgmt.msc' (without quotes) and press enter.

2. Expand 'Audio inputs and outputs' and check if there are any drivers listed.

If there are no drivers listed, then install the latest drivers available or from the drivers CD which was obtained when you had Windows 7.

Hope the information is helpful. Feel free to
write to us for any other assistance with Windows, we’ll be glad to assist you.