Zoom keeps PAUSING playback of audio AND video in other applications

[antonfelich]

Zoom keeps PAUSING playback of audio AND video in other applications

Using Windows 11 and Zoom Version: 5.17.2 (29988). 

If I am in a meeting I cannot play audio or video in any other applications for longer than 5 seconds at a time. It's no particular application, ANYTHING that is playing audio or video (Chrome, Edge, VLC Player, Spotify App) all pauses every 5 seconds. You hit play and you get another 5 seconds, then it pauses.

The only work around I've found is to start playback BEFORE joining a meeting and then never touch it.

• If I'm watching Netflix and it changes episodes, that counts as 'touching it' and it starts pausing every 5 seconds
• If I'm listening to Spotify and an advert kicks in, that counts as 'touching it' and it starts pausing every 5 seconds 

I'm convinced it's got something to do with my sound card drivers and what Windows thinks is the default playback device. Also I had this problem a year or two ago and I FIXED IT but since then I've reinstalled Windows and I'll be dammed if I can remember how I fixed it last time.