How to Use the Windows Volume Mixer for Individual Apps

Before you start

The Windows volume mixer works locally with the audio devices already installed on the computer. It does not require a separate download or online account. Apps appear in the mixer only after they have started playing or are ready to play sound, so open the app first if you need to adjust it.

For a video call, start the calling app and let it begin using the microphone or speakers before changing its level. This also applies to audio players, games and browser tabs that produce sound.

Step-by-step instructions

In current versions of Windows, follow these steps:

• Open Settings from the Start menu.
• Select System, then Sound.
• Under Advanced, choose Volume mixer.
• Use the slider under each app to set its individual volume.
• Use the output device menu at the top if you need to switch speakers, headphones or another audio device.

The mixer shows one slider for the selected output device and additional sliders for apps that are currently producing audio. Changes take effect immediately and can be reversed by dragging a slider back to its previous position.

Windows 7 volume mixer

Windows 7 uses a different location. Click the speaker icon in the notification area, then select Mixer. The window shows a device slider on the left and separate application sliders for any apps that are currently playing sound.

The Windows 7 mixer may not list an app until that app has produced audio in the current session. If an expected app is missing, play a short sound in it, then open the mixer again.

Adjusting volume mixer applications

Set the device volume first if the overall output is too quiet or too loud. Then adjust only the individual application that needs to be quieter or louder. This keeps the other apps at their current level.

An app slider may disappear when the app stops playing audio or is closed. In that case, the app is not listed until it produces sound again.

Check the output

Play sound in the adjusted app and confirm that its volume is now different from the other open apps. In a call, ask the other side whether your microphone level is suitable or listen to the remote audio while one app is quieter than another.

The mixer controls playback level, not recording quality. If the microphone is distorted or too quiet in a call, check the input level in the calling app or in the sound input settings instead of expecting the mixer slider to fix the captured audio.

Common problems and next steps

If an app is missing from the mixer, confirm that it is currently playing sound and using the same output device shown at the top of the mixer. Close and reopen the app if it still does not appear.

If the sound comes from the wrong device, select another output device in the mixer or check the app's own audio settings. An app may have an independent device choice that overrides the system default.

If a slider keeps resetting, check whether the app or an audio utility is managing the volume automatically. Close such utilities or change their settings, then adjust the mixer again.

When a camera and microphone are involved, test the video call after changing the audio device. Keep the video settings in the calling app separate from the mixer, which only handles audio level for the current output device.