Why Your Sound Works in One App but Not Another: The Mystery of Default Audio Settings
Have you ever had this happen: you’re watching YouTube in your browser, sound is working perfectly, but the moment you join a Zoom meeting—silence. Or maybe the opposite: Zoom works fine, but YouTube videos play without a peep. It feels like your computer is playing tricks on you, but the truth is much simpler: each program needs to know which audio device to use, and sometimes those settings get out of sync.
System Sound vs. Application Sound
Your operating system (Windows, macOS, etc.) has a default audio output device—usually your speakers or headphones. When you play a test sound in the system settings, it uses that default device.
But here’s the catch:
Browsers like Chrome or Edge may remember a different device than your system default.
Zoom (and other conferencing apps) often let you pick a microphone and speaker separately, and they don’t always update automatically if your system default changes.
That’s why you can have sound in one program but not another: each app is “listening” to its own instructions.
Why Defaults Get Messed Up
Several things can cause mismatched audio settings:
Plugging in or removing headphones/USB devices
Switching between Bluetooth and wired connections
Updating drivers or the operating system
Apps “remembering” an old device that’s no longer connected
When this happens, the app may keep trying to send sound to a device that doesn’t exist—or isn’t the one you’re actually using.
How to Fix It
Here’s a step-by-step approach:
Check System Default
On Windows: Right-click the speaker icon → Sound settings → make sure the correct device is set as Default Output.
On macOS: Go to System Settings → Sound and confirm the right output device.
Check the App’s Settings
In YouTube (via your browser), right-click the tab → Select Audio Device (in some browsers) or check system mixer settings.
In Zoom, go to Settings → Audio and make sure the correct speaker and microphone are selected.
Test and Adjust
Play a test sound in the app.
If it still doesn’t work, close and reopen the app after changing the settings.
The Takeaway
If sound works in one place but not another, it doesn’t mean your speakers are broken. It usually means the app is pointing to the wrong output device. By double-checking both your system default and the app’s own audio settings, you can get everything back in harmony.