What?!?! How to Correct Audio Playing Through Speakers Instead of a Lync Certified Headset / Blogs / Perficient

One of the items I love about Microsoft Lync is the fact that I can plug my Lync certified headset (Plantronics Blackwire C420) into my laptop and instantly begin using it to make and receive telephone calls. This morning, I plugged my headset in to join a Lync Online Meeting and the audio started playing through my laptop speakers. As much as my colleagues love listening to me ramble, I thought I should try to resolve the issue…
If you by chance run into a similar experience, below are a few steps that should help resolve the headset speaker issue:

Open the Lync client
Near the lower left-hand corner of the Lync client, ensure the headset icon appears
- If the headset icon isn’t selected, the headset may simply need to be set as the primary device. In my case, the Plantronics headset was already the primary device.
Click the headset icon and select Audio Device Settings

If a Lync certified headset is used, the device name should automatically appear as the primary audio device. Again, in my case the Plantronics headset was already the primary device.

Everything looks correct in the Lync client… Time to look at the main OS Sound settings
Navigate to Start | Control Panel | Sound
- You may have to select small icons near the upper right-hand corner

Under the Playback tab, locate the Lync certified headset speaker
In my case, the headset lost it’s association to be the default speaker for audio
To correct the issue, simply click the Set Default button
Click OK

To test the setting, unplug the Lync certified headset and ensure the setting switches back to the Speakers/Headphones

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Now, plug the Lync certified headset back in and ensure the setting switches to the Lync certified headset

Before making an Enterprise Voice call, let’s use the new Audio Test Service introduced in Lync Server 2010 to A) make sure we can hear the audio with the headset and B) check the quality of our voice
Open the Lync client
Near the lower left-hand corner of the Lync client, ensure the Lync certified headset appears
Click the headset icon and select Check Call Quality

Alternatively, click the telephone icon and then click the Check button

The Audio Test Service should start. Simply listen to the nice lady and you should be good to go!

Comments Welcomed!

Thoughts on “What?!?! How to Correct Audio Playing Through Speakers Instead of a Lync Certified Headset”

J December 5, 2012 at 2:59 pm

Awesome!
Shak August 19, 2014 at 11:21 am

I corrected the issue following your step by step instructions. Great Job in making our lives easier!!
Vivek Murthy March 11, 2015 at 8:48 am

Keenan, i just got a lync headset and was looking on how to re-direct Speakers to it, and found your post.. worked straightaway.. Many thanks!
Kim April 22, 2016 at 5:25 am

Thanks so much for taking the time to share!! I found this very helpful 🙂
Keenan Crockett April 22, 2016 at 12:33 pm

Great, thanks for the feedback Kim.
Sophia Atif June 8, 2016 at 7:08 am

I think I have a similar but kind of opposite issue. All of my sounds are getting redirected to the Lync certified headset(Jabra). When I unplug my headset, the playing sound should get redirected to speakers or whatever is plugged into the audio jack but it doesn’t. I have tried installing and reinstaling the sound driver too. When I play the sound the sound icon in the bottom tray shows something is being played but i don’t hear anything, if something was wrong with speakers hardware then the audio jack should have worked and if something is wrong with audio driver then the headset shouldn’t work. this is the most relevant post i found, have you got any clues?
sneha August 30, 2016 at 6:57 am

thank you soo much
dmack! November 7, 2016 at 8:53 am

thanks!
xyq November 17, 2016 at 11:41 pm

Thanks! This healped!
M February 3, 2017 at 2:39 am

Brilliant – Thank-you!
Keenan Crockett February 3, 2017 at 8:58 am

Glad it helped!
Jennifer Davis March 29, 2017 at 2:37 am

Keenan
I work at Plantronics and noticed you are using an older headset. Sad! I’d love to chat with you about this article. I realize it was written many years ago but the issue is still an issue and you are still getting comments it seems. At any rate, please contact me – i entered my email address in the form. Nice work!
Judy Evans May 25, 2017 at 2:44 am

From a non-tech person – this was amazingly simply to follow
Keenan Crockett May 30, 2017 at 8:08 am

Thanks for the feedback Judy! Glad it helped.
Eva November 7, 2017 at 12:27 am

You made my day with this description, I could solve the very same problem I faced. Thank you!
Keenan Crockett November 7, 2017 at 4:26 pm

Great, thanks for the feedback Eva. I’m glad this article helped!
Kevin Martin December 15, 2017 at 6:03 am

Very helpful information. I am searching this information form few days and I found this information on your blog. Your blog is very informative. Thanks for sharing this information with us.
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Keenan Crockett December 15, 2017 at 8:56 am

Thanks for the feedback Kevin. Glad the blog helped!
The Telecom Shop August 22, 2018 at 6:43 am

Thanks to sharing this post. I found that its very helpful for me.