Ask HN: Why are some websites locking or using the audio device on Windows?

[ezconnect]

When X or Aliexpress is open on a tab even if they are not the active tab or the browser is minimize I can't change the input device or output device because they are using the audio device even if they are not playing sounds. Do they use it to stream data or they use for other purpose?

[austin-cheney]

Their use of your audio device via browser tab should never be blocking. It sounds like you might have something else happening on your machine.

Use of the audio device via browser tab is not impacted by changes to the display state of the page/tab/browser, such as minimizing, so long as they are not closed or terminated.