01
Install Dolby Access
Open the **Microsoft Store** and search **Dolby Access**, or go directly to https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9n0866fs04w8 and click **Install**. The app is free, the Atmos license inside it is paid.
Install **Dolby Access**, buy or trial the **Dolby Atmos for Headphones** license, then set it as the spatial audio format on your headphone output.
Requirements
- Any stereo headphones (wired or wireless)
- Windows 11 25H2
- Dolby Access from the Microsoft Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9n0866fs04w8
- Microsoft account for the Atmos license (one-time purchase, trial available)
Instructions
02
Set your headphones as default output
Plug in the headphones. Right-click the **speaker icon** in the taskbar, pick **Sound settings** and set the headphones as default **output device**. Spatial audio applies per device.
⚠ warningUSB and Bluetooth headsets with their own virtual surround (e.g. SteelSeries Sonar) must have that feature disabled or they will double-process the audio.
03
Start the Atmos for Headphones trial or buy the license
Open **Dolby Access**, pick **Dolby Atmos for Headphones** and start the free 30-day trial, or buy the lifetime license (around 15 EUR/USD). This unlocks the Windows spatial format.
tipThe license is tied to your Microsoft account and works across any PC you sign in to.
04
Select Dolby Atmos as the spatial format
In **Sound settings**, click your headphones to open their properties. Under **Spatial audio** pick **Dolby Atmos for Headphones**. The toggle also lives inside Dolby Access.
05
Pick a sound profile in Dolby Access
In **Dolby Access**, open **Settings** and pick a preset: **Game**, **Movie**, **Music** or **Voice**. **Detailed** or **Game** is the common choice for gaming. You can tweak the equalizer under **Graphic Equalizer**.
06
Test with real Atmos content
Play the demo clips in **Dolby Access** then launch an Atmos-aware game or movie. Titles like **Gears 5**, **Forza Horizon 5** and Netflix Atmos content use the full object-based mix. Stereo content gets virtualized to 3D space.
Common issues
Dolby Atmos for Headphones is missing from the spatial audio dropdown
Open Dolby Access and confirm the license is active. Restart the Windows Audio service, then unplug and replug the headphones.
No sound after enabling Atmos
Set the output format to 24-bit, 48000 Hz in the headphone's Properties then Advanced tab. Some devices refuse 96 kHz with spatial audio.
Audio sounds thin or echoey
Disable any headset-side surround (Razer Synapse THX, SteelSeries Sonar, Logitech G Hub surround). Only one spatializer should be active.
License asks to be purchased again on a new PC
Sign in to the Microsoft Store with the same account that bought the license, then re-open Dolby Access.
Frequently asked
Do I need Atmos-certified headphones?
No. Atmos for Headphones is a software spatializer that works on any stereo set.
Is Windows Sonic worse?
Windows Sonic is free and decent. Atmos has stronger imaging and height cues in most tests. Try both and keep what you prefer.
Does it work over Bluetooth?
Yes, but Bluetooth codecs lose detail. Wired or 2.4 GHz USB gives better results.
How to undo this
Open Sound settings, click the headphones and set Spatial audio to Off (or Windows Sonic for Headphones). Uninstall Dolby Access from Settings then Apps if you want it gone entirely. The purchased license stays on your Microsoft account for later use.
Interactive version: checklist, feedback, related guides →
Free · no account needed · tracks your progress