Windows settings for Sessionwire | Sessionwire Help

Set up Sessionwire on Windows

Windows handles audio devices in a way that can get in the way of Sessionwire, and of most audio software. Change these settings once, after you install the Sessionwire Audio Plugins, and most Windows problems never happen.

Turn off exclusive mode

Exclusive mode lets one program take over an audio device and lock everything else out. If your DAW or another app grabs a Sessionwire device, Sessionwire loses it, and you get "Couldn't open input device", dropouts or silence. Turning it off lets your apps share the devices.

The Sessionwire devices show in Windows as To SW, From SW, To SW Talkback and From SW Talkback.

  1. Open Settings > System > Sound > More sound settings.
  2. On the Playback tab, double-click the first Sessionwire device.
  3. Go to the Advanced tab and untick Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device and Give exclusive mode applications priority.
  4. Click Apply, then OK.
  5. Repeat for every Sessionwire device on the Playback tab, then do the same on the Recording tab. That's eight times in total.
  6. Do the same for any other audio devices you use with your DAW or Sessionwire, such as your audio interface.
  7. Restart Sessionwire.

Make sure the Sessionwire devices are turned on

Windows sometimes disables devices it thinks aren't in use. On the Playback and Recording tabs, right-click an empty space and tick Show Disabled Devices. If any Sessionwire device is greyed out, right-click it and choose Enable.

Set the Sessionwire device levels to 63

  1. On the Playback tab, double-click a Sessionwire device and go to the Levels tab.
  2. Set the level to 63. You can type the number in the box.
  3. Click Apply, then OK.
  4. Repeat for every Sessionwire device on both tabs, then restart Sessionwire.

63 is the level the Sessionwire virtual cables are set up for. Anything else makes your audio quieter or louder than it should be going in and out of Sessionwire.

Set the Sessionwire devices to 48 kHz

The Sessionwire devices should always run at 48 kHz.

  1. On the Playback tab, double-click a Sessionwire device and go to the Advanced tab.
  2. Under Default Format, choose the 32 bit, 48000 Hz option.
  3. Click Apply, then OK, and repeat for every Sessionwire device on both tabs.

Turn off Mono audio

Mono audio is a Windows accessibility setting that mixes left and right together. It turns HQ Audio from stereo into mono.

  1. Open Settings > Accessibility > Audio.
  2. Turn Mono audio off.
  3. Restart Sessionwire.

If Windows or your antivirus blocks the installer

  • Smart App Control can block the Sessionwire installer even though it's signed. If it does, right-click Setup.exe, choose Properties, tick Unblock, and run it again. Or turn Smart App Control off.
  • If your antivirus flags Sessionwire, add Sessionwire to its allowed list and run the installer again. Don't turn your antivirus off.

On Windows 10, the same sound settings are under Control Panel > Sound, and Mono audio is under Settings > Ease of Access > Audio.

Still having trouble? See Sessionwire drivers or plugins not showing up, or email support@sessionwire.com with your Windows version, audio interface and DAW.