How Shared Audio works, supported devices, and when Galaxy Books get it

Android users have long wanted the kind of tight harmony Apple enjoys across its devices. Microsoft has been closing that gap, and the next step is genuinely useful for anyone with a Galaxy Book and Galaxy Buds. Windows 11 is bringing a Shared Audio preview powered by Bluetooth LE Audio Auracast, letting one laptop send sound to two pairs of earbuds at the same time. Think movie night on a flight or a late night album session without waking the house.

Bluetooth LE Audio arrived on Windows 11 earlier, bringing cleaner sound and better power behaviour to supported earbuds. Auracast builds on that base. Instead of a single one to one link, your PC can broadcast audio to multiple receivers. The feature is currently available to Windows Insiders in Dev and Beta via build 26220.7051, with wider availability planned after testing.

The steps are simple. Pair two compatible Bluetooth LE Audio accessories with your Galaxy Book. Open Quick Settings and select the Shared audio preview tile to start sharing. When you are done, choose Stop sharing to end the session. It removes the old dance of passing one earbud back and forth or hunting for a splitter in a drawer. Here, you just connect and listen together.

Shared Audio is rolling out first on select Copilot Plus PCs, including the Surface Laptop in 13.8 inch and 15 inch sizes and the 13 inch Surface Pro, with more models to follow. Samsung laptops are next, with support coming to Galaxy Book 5 360, 5 Pro, 5 Pro 360 and Book 4 Edge. Samsung’s recent earbuds already support LE Audio, including Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro.

Before you try it, remember this is still a preview, so labels may show Shared audio preview and the tile position could move as Microsoft tunes the interface. Performance can vary with older Bluetooth radios. Update your earbuds’ firmware for the smoothest pairing and connection.

For the Android and Windows crowd, this is more than a neat party trick. It shows these devices are working better together. Microsoft and Samsung already offer Link to Windows, phone notifications on the desktop and copy and paste across devices. Shared Audio fits neatly into that list. It turns a Galaxy Book into a more social device without extra cables or add ons, and it makes Galaxy Buds feel just as natural on your PC as they do on your phone.