diff --git a/packages/hms-video-store/src/audio-sink-manager/AudioSinkManager.ts b/packages/hms-video-store/src/audio-sink-manager/AudioSinkManager.ts
index 6d1e667888..596661efde 100644
--- a/packages/hms-video-store/src/audio-sink-manager/AudioSinkManager.ts
+++ b/packages/hms-video-store/src/audio-sink-manager/AudioSinkManager.ts
@@ -295,23 +295,7 @@ export class AudioSinkManager {
     if ('ondevicechange' in navigator.mediaDevices) {
       return;
     }
-    let bluetoothDevice: InputDeviceInfo | null = null;
-    let speakerPhone: InputDeviceInfo | null = null;
-    let wired: InputDeviceInfo | null = null;
-    let earpiece: InputDeviceInfo | null = null;
-
-    for (const device of this.deviceManager.audioInput) {
-      const label = device.label.toLowerCase();
-      if (label.includes('speakerphone')) {
-        speakerPhone = device;
-      } else if (label.includes('wired')) {
-        wired = device;
-      } else if (label.includes('bluetooth')) {
-        bluetoothDevice = device;
-      } else if (label.includes('earpiece')) {
-        earpiece = device;
-      }
-    }
+    const { bluetoothDevice, earpiece, speakerPhone, wired } = this.deviceManager.categorizeAudioInputDevices();
     const localAudioTrack = this.store.getLocalPeer()?.audioTrack;
     if (localAudioTrack && earpiece) {
       const externalDeviceID = bluetoothDevice?.deviceId || wired?.deviceId || speakerPhone?.deviceId;
diff --git a/packages/hms-video-store/src/device-manager/DeviceManager.ts b/packages/hms-video-store/src/device-manager/DeviceManager.ts
index 8e17fcc5af..45e05aa138 100644
--- a/packages/hms-video-store/src/device-manager/DeviceManager.ts
+++ b/packages/hms-video-store/src/device-manager/DeviceManager.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { ErrorFactory } from '../error/ErrorFactory';
 import { HMSException } from '../error/HMSException';
 import { EventBus } from '../events/EventBus';
 import { DeviceMap, HMSDeviceChangeEvent, SelectedDevices } from '../interfaces';
+import { isIOS } from '../internal';
 import { HMSAudioTrackSettingsBuilder, HMSVideoTrackSettingsBuilder } from '../media/settings';
 import { HMSLocalAudioTrack, HMSLocalTrack, HMSLocalVideoTrack } from '../media/tracks';
 import { Store } from '../sdk/store';
@@ -205,7 +206,11 @@ export class DeviceManager implements HMSDeviceManager {
     }
     const audioDeviceId = this.store.getConfig()?.settings?.audioInputDeviceId;
     if (!audioDeviceId && localPeer?.audioTrack) {
-      await localPeer.audioTrack.setSettings({ deviceId: this.audioInput[0]?.deviceId }, true);
+      const getInitialDeviceId = () => {
+        const nonIPhoneDevice = this.audioInput.find(device => !device.label.toLowerCase().includes('iphone'));
+        return isIOS() && nonIPhoneDevice ? nonIPhoneDevice?.deviceId : this.getNewAudioInputDevice()?.deviceId;
+      };
+      await localPeer.audioTrack.setSettings({ deviceId: getInitialDeviceId() }, true);
     }
   };
 
@@ -416,6 +421,29 @@ export class DeviceManager implements HMSDeviceManager {
     }
   };
 
+  // specifically used for mweb
+  categorizeAudioInputDevices() {
+    let bluetoothDevice: InputDeviceInfo | null = null;
+    let speakerPhone: InputDeviceInfo | null = null;
+    let wired: InputDeviceInfo | null = null;
+    let earpiece: InputDeviceInfo | null = null;
+
+    for (const device of this.audioInput) {
+      const label = device.label.toLowerCase();
+      if (label.includes('speakerphone')) {
+        speakerPhone = device;
+      } else if (label.includes('wired')) {
+        wired = device;
+      } else if (/airpods|buds|wireless|bluetooth/gi.test(label)) {
+        bluetoothDevice = device;
+      } else if (label.includes('earpiece')) {
+        earpiece = device;
+      }
+    }
+
+    return { bluetoothDevice, speakerPhone, wired, earpiece };
+  }
+
   // eslint-disable-next-line complexity
   private getAudioOutputDeviceMatchingInput(inputDevice?: MediaDeviceInfo) {
     const blacklist = this.store.getConfig()?.settings?.speakerAutoSelectionBlacklist || [];
diff --git a/packages/roomkit-react/src/Prebuilt/components/VirtualBackground/VBPicker.tsx b/packages/roomkit-react/src/Prebuilt/components/VirtualBackground/VBPicker.tsx
index 7b9788816e..e60a497c93 100644
--- a/packages/roomkit-react/src/Prebuilt/components/VirtualBackground/VBPicker.tsx
+++ b/packages/roomkit-react/src/Prebuilt/components/VirtualBackground/VBPicker.tsx
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import { useSidepaneResetOnLayoutUpdate } from '../AppData/useSidepaneResetOnLay
 // @ts-ignore
 import { useSetAppDataByKey, useUISettings } from '../AppData/useUISettings';
 import { APP_DATA, SIDE_PANE_OPTIONS, UI_SETTINGS } from '../../common/constants';
-import { defaultMedia } from './constants';
 
 const iconDims = { height: '40px', width: '40px' };
 
@@ -52,9 +51,7 @@ export const VBPicker = ({ backgroundMedia = [] }: { backgroundMedia: VirtualBac
   const [loadingEffects, setLoadingEffects] = useSetAppDataByKey(APP_DATA.loadingEffects);
   const isPluginAdded = useHMSStore(selectIsLocalVideoPluginPresent(VBHandler?.getName() || ''));
   const background = useHMSStore(selectAppData(APP_DATA.background));
-  const mediaList = backgroundMedia.length
-    ? backgroundMedia.map((media: VirtualBackgroundMedia) => media.url || '')
-    : defaultMedia;
+  const mediaList = backgroundMedia.map((media: VirtualBackgroundMedia) => media.url || '');
 
   const inPreview = roomState === HMSRoomState.Preview;
   // Hidden in preview as the effect will be visible in the preview tile
diff --git a/packages/roomkit-react/src/Prebuilt/components/VirtualBackground/constants.ts b/packages/roomkit-react/src/Prebuilt/components/VirtualBackground/constants.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 42b9857363..0000000000
--- a/packages/roomkit-react/src/Prebuilt/components/VirtualBackground/constants.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-export const defaultMedia = [
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-1.jpg',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-2.jpg',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-3.png',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-4.jpg',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-5.jpg',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-6.jpg',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-7.jpg',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-8.jpg',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-9.jpg',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-10.jpg',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-11.jpg',
-  'https://assets.100ms.live/webapp/vb-mini/vb-12.jpg',
-];