AudioSwytch
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Guide

Everything you need to run AudioSwytch.

How to use it day to day, how to install and remove it, and how to license it, for a single PC or a whole device estate.

Day to day

Using AudioSwytch

There is no main window. AudioSwytch runs in the system tray, watches your audio devices, and sets the default for you. Most days you will not touch it at all.

The tray icon

Hover over it to see the current state. It reads AudioSwytch when everything is fine, shows how many days are left during the free trial, and says Locked with a short reason if licensing is blocking it.

The menu

Right-click the tray icon for three items:

  • Pause watcher: stops AudioSwytch changing the default device until you untick it. Useful if you are deliberately testing something.
  • Licence…: enter a licence key or a licence file, see who the licence belongs to, how many seats are in use and when it expires, copy this machine's Device ID, or release the seat.
  • Exit: closes it until the next logon.

Changing the rules

Device rules live in C:\ProgramData\AudioSwytch\config.json. Edit the file, save it, and AudioSwytch picks the change up immediately. There is no need to restart it or log out, and there is no settings screen for rules.

See Setting up your devices for the format and how to find the right device names.

Note: If nothing seems to switch, check your rule actually matches the device name Windows reports. That is the usual cause, and the help page shows where to look.
Before you start

What you need

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11.
  • The .NET 8 Desktop Runtime (x64). AudioSwytch will not start without it.
  • Administrator rights to install - but not to run. Day to day it runs unelevated as the signed-in user.

Installing .NET 8

Most managed estates already have it. If not, the AudioSwytch installer checks on launch and stops with a message telling you it is missing rather than failing later.

Download the .NET Desktop Runtime 8.0 (x64) from Microsoft:
dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/8.0

Pick Desktop Runtime, not the SDK or the ASP.NET Core runtime - the Desktop Runtime is the one that carries the Windows UI libraries AudioSwytch needs.

To check what is already installed, run:

dotnet --list-runtimes

You are looking for a line beginning Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 8.

Deploying at scale? Push the .NET 8 Desktop Runtime first as a dependency, then AudioSwytch. In Intune, set the runtime as a dependency of the AudioSwytch app so the order is enforced for you.
Setup

Install AudioSwytch

Installing needs administrator rights (it installs for the whole machine into C:\Program Files\AudioSwytch). Running it afterwards does not need admin. Four ways to get it onto a machine, from a one-off install to a whole device estate.

Manual

Double-click AudioSwytch.msi and approve the Windows prompt. It adds a desktop shortcut and a Start-menu entry. For a silent install from the command line (run as admin):

msiexec /i AudioSwytch.msi /qn

PowerShell

Run elevated PowerShell, then install silently and wait for it to finish:

Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList '/i','AudioSwytch.msi','/qn' -Wait -Verb RunAs

Or install and apply a licence in one step, by passing your licence key as LICENCEKEY:

Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList '/i','AudioSwytch.msi','/qn','LICENCEKEY=ASW-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX' -Wait -Verb RunAs

Intune

Wrap the MSI as a Win32 app and push it to your device groups as a silent, system-context install. Use the same one-step command to install and licence together:

msiexec /i AudioSwytch.msi /qn LICENCEKEY=ASW-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

Full walkthrough, detection rule and licence-file options: Deploy across a device estate with Intune.

NinjaOne

Deploy the MSI as an application, or as a scripted deployment, run as SYSTEM:

msiexec /i AudioSwytch.msi /qn LICENCEKEY=ASW-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

Add it as a software deployment or a scripted install in NinjaOne, targeted at the relevant device policy or group. For detection, check that C:\Program Files\AudioSwytch\AudioSwytch.exe exists on the device.

Optional switches

Add LICENCEKEY to any of the commands above to install and licence a machine in one step:

msiexec /i AudioSwytch.msi /qn LICENCEKEY=ASW-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

Without it the machine installs and starts its 7-day trial, and you licence it later - either by pushing the key again or from the app.

However you install it, it's ready to use straight away. Licensing is separate if you haven't passed LICENCEKEY above, see How to license it.

Setup

Uninstall it manually

Settings way

Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find AudioSwytch, choose Uninstall.

Command line (run as admin)

msiexec /x AudioSwytch.msi /qn

Or by product code:

msiexec /x {ProductCode} /qn

Uninstalling removes the app and shortcuts. Your licence file and the on-machine log are left in place; delete C:\ProgramData\AudioSwytch yourself if you want them gone too.

Device-estate deployment

Deploy across a device estate with Intune

  1. Wrap the MSI

    Download Microsoft's Win32 Content Prep Tool (IntuneWinAppUtil.exe), put AudioSwytch.msi in a source folder, and run:

    IntuneWinAppUtil.exe -c C:\Source -s AudioSwytch.msi -o C:\Output

    This produces AudioSwytch.intunewin.

  2. Add the app

    In the Intune admin center go to Apps → Windows → Add, choose Windows app (Win32), and upload the .intunewin.

  3. Install command

    msiexec /i AudioSwytch.msi /qn

  4. Uninstall command

    msiexec /x AudioSwytch.msi /qn

    (or the product code form)

  5. Install behaviour

    System, so no user prompt; per-machine install.

  6. Requirements

    Windows 10/11, 64-bit. Devices also need outbound HTTPS to api.audioswytch.co.uk (port 443) to activate and keep their licence checked, allow (whitelist) it on any proxy or web filter.

  7. Detection rule

    Either the MSI product code, or file exists: C:\Program Files\AudioSwytch\AudioSwytch.exe.

  8. Assign

    Assign it to your device groups. It installs silently at the next sync.

For a single MSI you can alternatively add it as a Line-of-business app: upload the .msi directly and Intune fills in the product code and commands for you. Simplest option if you don't need to bundle anything else.
Device-estate deployment

License every machine

Every customer gets a short licence key that looks like ASW-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX, the only thing you handle. Pass it to the installer and every machine in the fleet licenses itself online.

Network access: AudioSwytch activates and re-checks licences over HTTPS to api.audioswytch.co.uk (port 443). If your network uses a proxy or web filter, allow (whitelist) that domain so devices can activate and stay licensed. If it's blocked, the app shows a clear "can't reach the licence service" message.

Quickest: install and licence in one command

Pass your licence key to the installer and every machine activates itself online on first launch, ideal as an Intune Win32 app install command:

msiexec /i AudioSwytch.msi /qn LICENCEKEY=ASW-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX

Short and safe to paste, the key has no quotes or special characters to escape. On first launch each device exchanges the key for its licence and is ready to go.

Every machine is licensed on first launch. No one has to touch it.

Licensing

How to license it (in the app)

For a single PC, or to check status: right-click the AudioSwytch tray icon and choose Licence….

Your licence key

Paste your key - it looks like ASW-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX - into the box and press Apply. You can paste the contents of a licence file into the same box; AudioSwytch works out which you gave it.

Once applied, the window shows who the licence belongs to, how many seats are in use, and when it expires.

What the window tells you

  • Licensed to [name] · expires [date] - all good.
  • Not licensed yet - the machine is on trial, or waiting for a key.
  • Licence expired on [date] - time to renew, in your account.
  • Licence starts on [date] - the key is valid but not yet active.
  • Licence file is not valid - the key or file was not accepted. Check you pasted all of it.

If every seat on the licence is already in use, applying a key tells you so and nothing changes on the device - ask whoever manages the licence to free a seat or add one.

Moving a licence to another machine

Press Release this seat in the same window. That frees the seat on the server and removes the licence from this PC, so you can apply the key on a different machine.

The licence is stored per-machine at C:\ProgramData\AudioSwytch\licence.lic, so everyone who signs in to that PC shares it.

Note: A freed seat cannot be taken by a different machine straight away - there is a short cool-down to stop a single licence being passed around. If you are moving a seat and it will not take, wait and try again.