If you keep dying to footsteps you never heard, or you hear them and still turn the wrong way, check your audio chain before you blame your headset.
The same headset can sound very different when VALORANT's HRTF, Windows spatial sound and your headset's own virtual surround are all processing the same audio at once.
Riot added an HRTF toggle to the Audio settings panel in Patch 2.06 (March 2021) and asked players to turn off any other 3D audio processing while using it.
This guide starts from that advice: when to turn HRTF on or off, which Windows and headset options to disable, how to balance sound effects against music and agent voice lines, and how to line up game sound and mic volume if you record your matches.
Menu names follow Riot's official pages as checked on November 10, 2026, and future patches can rename them. Everything DOR does with the game is collected on the VALORANT hub.
Short answer: HRTF on with headphones and every other 3D effect off, HRTF off with speakers
HRTF stands for head related transfer function. It imitates how your head and ears change a sound depending on the direction it comes from, so two headphone channels can carry front, back and side cues.
Riot describes it as a way for players wearing headphones to hear audio in a simulated surround space and pinpoint other players from certain sounds. As of the Patch 2.06 notes, the sounds rendered in 3D were footsteps, reloads and Deathmatch respawns.
So if you play on headphones or earbuds, turn it on and give it a few sessions. Riot also says the profile is built from a single set of measurements, so it may not feel natural to every listener and can take some getting used to.
If directions still feel muddier after a fair try, going back to plain stereo is a valid choice. On speakers, leave it off, because the feature is built around headphones.
Whichever you pick, follow one rule: never stack VALORANT's HRTF, Windows spatial sound and your headset's virtual 7.1 at the same time. Processing the same sound twice can blur the direction cues, which is exactly why Riot recommends turning other 3D audio off while HRTF is on.
Since Patch 8.0 in 2024, the Audio settings also include a Speaker Configuration option that defaults to Stereo. To use Windows Sonic or another third party spatial audio solution instead, switch it to Auto-Detect and turn on spatial sound in Windows, and VALORANT turns HRTF off for you.
Riot adds that it does not see any particular HRTF solution giving a competitive edge beyond personal preference. If you are still choosing a headset, our gaming headset buying guide covers what to look for.
How to set up VALORANT audio so footsteps stand out
- 1Set your headset as the default playback deviceGo to Start > Settings > System > Sound and pick the headset or speakers you actually use under Output. If you use the classic Sound window (on Windows 10, right click the speaker icon and choose Sounds), make sure the same device is the Default Device on the Playback tab. Riot's voice chat troubleshooting page walks through the same step and suggests checking that the level bar moves when audio plays. Several connected devices are also a common reason a recording comes out silent, so keep the no sound recording fix handy.
- 2Turn off Windows spatial sound and virtual 7.1Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound, pick your output device and set Spatial sound to Off. If Windows Sonic for Headphones or Dolby Atmos for Headphones was selected, this is where it goes off. If your headset software has a virtual 7.1 surround or 3D audio switch, turn that off as well.
- 3Turn on HRTF in VALORANTOpen VALORANT's settings, go to the Audio tab and switch HRTF on. The Patch 2.06 notes only say the toggle sits in the Audio settings panel, so look for the option with HRTF in its name. Skip this step if you play on speakers. In the same tab, leave Speaker Configuration on its default, Stereo. Switching it to Auto-Detect with Windows spatial sound on turns HRTF off.
- 4Balance volume around sound effectsSet overall volume together with your headset's own volume to a comfortable level, then keep sound effects high and start music low. If music or agent voice lines cover footsteps mid round, lower those sliders further. Rather than playing at maximum volume, look for the lowest level at which quiet footsteps are still clear. Your ears will thank you after a long session.
- 5Practice in custom games and the RangeRiot notes HRTF may take some getting used to and suggests training your ears in a custom game or training mode rather than a high pressure match. Deathmatch respawns are rendered in 3D too, so guessing where enemies respawn in Deathmatch makes a handy drill. If you record these sessions, you can review the moments you misread a sound the same way our guide to getting better at VALORANT builds a feedback loop.
- 6Check your mic level before you recordIn Settings > Audio > Voice Chat, pick your output and input devices and run the Loopback Test to hear your own voice. Riot's page also suggests turning off the option that allows apps to take exclusive control of the mic (Properties > Advanced) and setting the mic to 16 bit, 44100 Hz. If you record, capture a one minute test match and make sure both game sound and your voice come through.
Recommended VALORANT audio settings (as of November 10, 2026)
| Setting | Recommended | Why, and what to check |
|---|---|---|
| HRTF (headphones or earbuds) | On, then give it a few sessions | Footsteps, reloads and Deathmatch respawns are rendered in 3D (Patch 2.06 notes) |
| HRTF (speakers) | Off | Riot describes it as simulated surround for players wearing headphones |
| Windows spatial sound | Off when HRTF is on | Keeps Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos for Headphones from stacking on top of HRTF |
| Headset software virtual 7.1 | Off when HRTF is on | Riot recommends turning off other 3D audio processing while using HRTF |
| Speaker Configuration | Stereo when HRTF is on | Pick Auto-Detect only for Windows spatial sound, and the game then turns HRTF off (Patch 8.0) |
| Sound effects volume | High | Footsteps and reloads, the sounds that carry information, sit here |
| Music and voice line volume | Low | Cuts the sounds that compete with footsteps mid round |
| Voice chat mic | Loopback Test, then a test recording | DOR records game sound and your mic as one track |
Check these before your next match
- Your Windows default playback device is the headset you are wearing.
- With HRTF on, Windows spatial sound and your headset's virtual 7.1 are both off.
- Music is low enough that it never covers footsteps mid round.
- Your voice comes through clearly in the Loopback Test.
- A short test recording has both game sound and your voice in it.
Record HRTF on and HRTF off matches, then compare
DOR is a free Windows app that detects VALORANT when you launch it and records each match in full. Recordings land in My Clips in the app, and kills are saved separately as automatic highlight clips with ace and clutch tags.
Record a few days with HRTF on and a few days with it off, then count how often you got caught from behind and how often you turned toward a sound correctly in each set. That way you choose the setting from real scenes rather than gut feeling.
Getting started is covered in our VALORANT recording guide, and saving only the highlights in how to clip VALORANT. DOR records game sound and your mic as one track, so balancing effects, music and mic level before you record gives you clips you can share as they are. For general game and mic recording setup, see how to record game sound and mic together. The free plan records at 720p or 1080p and 30 or 60 fps, with 1080p at 30 fps as the default.
