People search for “Airfoil for Windows” for two quite different jobs. Picking the right tool starts with knowing which job is yours, because a network-streaming tool is overkill for headphones sitting next to your laptop, and a local tool can’t reach speakers in another room on Wi-Fi.
Job 1: Send audio to speakers elsewhere on your network
This is what Airfoil is built for: taking your computer’s sound and streaming it over Wi-Fi or Ethernet to network receivers, such as AirPlay speakers or another computer running its companion app. If you want your PC’s music on speakers around the house that aren’t connected to the PC, a network-streaming tool is the right category.
Job 2: Play audio on devices connected to this PC
Two pairs of headphones on a laptop, a Bluetooth speaker plus your monitor speakers, a headset for you and earbuds for a friend. These devices are already connected to your PC by cable, USB or Bluetooth, so there’s nothing to stream over the network. You just need Windows to play to more than one output at once, which it can’t do on its own.
Not sure? Many setups are a mix
You might want headphones next to you and a speaker in another room. In that case, a Bluetooth speaker within range of the PC counts as local, so a local tool covers everything. Only speakers that connect to your home network and not to the PC (AirPlay, many smart speakers) need a network-streaming tool.
How to tell which job you have
- Can the device be paired with or plugged into your PC? Job 2.
- Is it an AirPlay speaker or Apple TV somewhere else in the house? Job 1.
- Are you sharing a film or game with someone sitting next to you? Job 2.
Alternatives for job 2 (local devices)
| Stereo Mix | Voicemeeter | Two Headphones | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devices at once | 2 | 2–5 | Up to 4 |
| Wired + USB + Bluetooth | Second device only | Yes | Yes |
| Per-device volume | Partly | Yes | Yes |
| Per-device delay | No | Banana / Potato | Yes |
| Works on every PC | No (driver-dependent) | Yes | Yes |
| Setup | 5 min | 15+ min | One click |
| Price | Free | Donationware | $10 once |
Stereo Mix
Built into some audio drivers. Copies your sound to one extra device, but only if your main output is the PC’s own jack or speakers. Free and limited. See Stereo Mix on Windows 11.
Voicemeeter
A free virtual mixer that sends sound to two to five outputs, and can also mix microphones. Powerful, with a learning curve. See Voicemeeter for two headphones.
Two Headphones
Made for one job: the same sound in up to four headphones or speakers connected to your PC, each with its own volume and delay, kept in sync over long films.
More guides: two headphones on one PC and two Bluetooth speakers at once.