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How to Use the Volume Mixer to Control App Volume Separately

The volume mixer lets you turn one running app up or down -- or mute it completely -- without touching the volume of anything else playing on your computer.

  1. Right-click the speaker icon

    Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray, usually in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

  2. Open the volume mixer

    Select "Open Volume Mixer" (or "App volume and device preferences") from the menu.

  3. Adjust each app's volume

    Every running program appears in a list, each with its own slider you can adjust independently.

  4. Mute just one app

    Click the mute icon next to a single program to silence only that app while everything else keeps playing at its normal volume.

  5. When this comes in handy

    Useful for lowering notification sounds while listening to music, or turning down a chat app while keeping game audio at full volume.

One volume slider was never going to be enough

A computer running music, a video call, a game, and a chat app all at once needs more than a single master volume control -- turning everything down to quiet a notification also mutes the call you're on. The volume mixer treats every app as its own independent audio channel, so adjustments to one never ripple into another.

Settings that stick per app

Once you set a specific app quieter or muted in the mixer, that level is generally remembered the next time you open the same program, so a chat app you always keep low doesn't need re-adjusting every session.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will muting an app in the volume mixer close it or affect its other functions?

No -- muting only silences that app's audio output. The program keeps running normally, and unmuting it later restores sound instantly.

Why don't I see an app in the volume mixer list?

Only apps actively producing (or capable of producing) audio show up. If a program isn't playing sound, or hasn't requested audio access yet, it may not appear until it does.