Windows 10: How do I disable the speakers without disabling the audio itself?

I'm trying to record text-to-speech for an intentionally bad 3D animation using Audacity. In order to make sure the voice is loud enough for people to here, I need to record it using high volume. I don't want anyone else in my house to here me recording the text-to-speech. Is there a way to still have the audio play through Stereo Mix, but not come out of the speakers?

submitted by /u/Ion_D-worth
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:)

 

Disabling Audio input/output (Microphone/Speaker/etc) in Device Manager does not disable device in Sound Control Panel or stop audio...oh my!

In Windows 10 (1803 build 17134.228), I open both "Device Manager" (devmgmt.msc) and the "Sound Control Panel" (mmsys.cpl).

Both Device Manager and the Sound Control Panel show the same audio input/output devices.

ex: "Speakers" and "Microphone".

This is good!

In Device Manager, I disable "Speakers", which continues to show up and has an icon showing it is disabled.

In Sound Control Panel, "Speakers" still shows up and *is not disabled*!

When I play a sound through the [disabled in Device Manager] Speakers, I can still hear the audio!

This is horrible!

In Device Manager, I re-enable "Speakers".

In Sound Control Panel, I disable "Speakers".

In Device Manager, "Speakers" disappears as an Audio output device.

Audio correctly cannot be heard.

This is good!

In summary:

1. Why does disabling "Speakers" in "Device Manager" not stop audio coming out of them?
2. What does disabling "Speakers" in "Device Manager" actually do?
3. Why is disabling Speakers in Device Manager different than disabling Speakers in Sound Control Panel?

Now for the real meat: I am trying to disable/enable the Audio input/output device...

...the way that the Sound Control Panel does...

...but programmatically (PowerShell, C#, C...whatever works).

There are many of examples of how to disable/enable a device that involve "devcon.exe disable/enable", "Get-PnpDevice | Disable/Enable-PnpDevice", and "Get-Device | Disable/Enable-Device".

All of these result in the device being disabled in the Device Manager, and exhibiting the above undesirable behavior; the audio devices still show up in Sound Control Panel and are usable.

I also have tried the Registry hack (HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices\Audio\Capture\{GUID} DeviceState=1 or 10000001), but that seems to be a cosmetic hack only and doesn't actually force close any open devices or prevent new opens.

So I'll add another question:

1. How can I programmatically disable/enable and audio device to have the same effect as doing it in Sound Control Panel?

And no; UI automation of the Sound Control Panel is not an acceptable answer.

I am looking for an actual API that can be called in the background, not a horrible UI hack that requires being in the foreground.

Thanks!

Pv

 

How to disable the internal speakers when connecting external speakers?

The instructions for connecting headphones/external speakers inplies that the internal speakers in my HP Envy 23-d260qd computer will be disabled when the headphones/external speakers are connected. This is not the case - both the speakers and the
headphones work together, thus defeating the purpose of headphones. There seems to be some suggestion that this problem has been caused by an update to Windows10. I have been connecting of headphones or external speakers and would mechanically disabled the
internal speakers as happens with molst audio equipment. Any advice will be much appreciated.

 

disabling internal speakers

ah, that sounds about right for acer, now I need to know how to disable the ruddy speakers.