Microsoft appears to be taking a leaf out of Apple’s book with a new feature in Windows 11: an audio function modeled on Share Audio for AirPods and iPhones.
Windows 11 utilizes Bluetooth LE Audio for this new feature, and the associated Windows feature is called “Shared Audio,” reports Windows Latest. The new Shared Audio feature allows two users on a single Windows PC to pair different sets of Bluetooth audio devices and each hear the same audio at the same time. You can adjust the volume for each pair of audio devices independently.
It’s particularly handy if you’re listening to a particular song or an interesting podcast on your PC and want to let someone else listen in. This feature is likely to be used frequently, especially when travelling, for example, if you want to enjoy the sound output of a laptop together on a train or airplane without disturbing fellow passengers.
Until now, Windows didn’t allow two Bluetooth headsets to be used simultaneously on a single PC. However, with this month’s optional Windows 11 update KB5089573, Microsoft gave us this:
[Shared Audio] New! Shared Audio enables two people to listen to the same audio from a single Windows 11 PC at the same time. It uses Bluetooth® LE Audio broadcast technology to make sharing easy. For example, you can watch a movie while traveling or listen to music while studying together. To start sharing audio, open Quick settings from the taskbar, select Shared Audio, choose two supported, paired, and connected devices, and then select Start sharing. To learn more about Shared Audio, see Extending Bluetooth® LE Audio on Windows 11 with Shared Audio.
Important: The Shared Audio feature is rolling out gradually, which means you might install update KB5089573 and still not have immediate access to the feature. In that case, you’ll have to wait until Microsoft enables it on your specific PC. As soon as Shared Audio is available on your Windows computer, you should be able to find the corresponding button in the Quick settings in the taskbar.
Bluetooth LE Audio is available on all reasonably new Windows computers from the last few years. However, your PC must also support audio broadcasting and your Bluetooth audio devices must also be compatible with Bluetooth LE Audio.
This month’s optional Windows 11 update is a big one, not just for this audio sharing feature but also because it comes with another new feature called Low Latency Profile that really speeds up your PC.
By the way: If you’re using Windows 11 Home, you’re missing out on the many benefits of Windows 11 Pro. To learn more, see our comparison of Windows 11 Home and Pro. If you want to upgrade, snag it for cheap in the PCWorld Software Store: now just $59 instead of $99.
