Per-App Volume in Windows 10
Per-app volume means each running program has its own independent volume level on top of the system master volume. Windows 10 has supported this since its early builds, but the behavior around resets and defaults trips people up.
This page explains how per-app volume is stored, why it can reset unexpectedly, and how to manage it reliably.
How Windows 10 stores per-app volume
Each app's volume is tracked by the Windows audio session (WASAPI) tied to its process. That session, and its volume level, only exists while the app is running or has recently played sound — it isn't a permanent system-wide profile. This is different from the device-level volume set in the Sound Control Panel, which is tied to hardware rather than any single app.
Why levels reset after restarting an app
Because the volume is attached to the audio session, closing an app fully and reopening it can create a fresh session, sometimes reverting to 100%. This is expected Windows behavior, not a bug in a specific app, and it applies equally whether you view the level in App volume and device preferences or the classic mixer.
Two places to adjust per-app volume
- Settings > System > Sound > App volume and device preferences — see windows-10-app-volume-control
- The legacy Volume mixer (sndvol.exe) — see windows-10-volume-mixer
- Both read the same underlying session data, so a change made in one shows up immediately in the other
Apps with independent internal volume
Many apps, especially browsers and media players, also have their own in-app volume slider separate from Windows'. Total loudness is the product of both levels, so check the app itself if the Windows mixer slider is already at 100% but sound is still quiet. Browser tabs playing audio are treated as part of the browser's single session in Windows 10, not as separate entries.
Per-app volume vs. per-app device switching
Per-app volume controls loudness only. Per-app device switching, available in the same App volume and device preferences panel, controls which speaker, headset, or microphone an app uses. The two are configured next to each other but are independent settings.
Keeping levels consistent
If you frequently readjust the same apps after every reboot, a tray tool like EarTrumpet that keeps per-app sliders one click away can make repeated adjustments faster than reopening Settings each time. See eartrumpet-for-windows-10 for how it surfaces these same controls directly from the taskbar.
A few practical notes
One more nuance worth knowing: per-app volume in Windows 10 is scoped to the process, not the app's window. If a program spawns multiple separate processes for different features, each process can show up as its own entry with an independent slider, which sometimes explains why an app appears to have more than one volume control at once.
Frequently asked questions
Why does per-app volume reset in Windows 10?
Because volume is tied to an app's audio session, which can reset when the app fully restarts.
Does per-app volume affect the app's own internal volume slider?
No, they're independent; both multiply together to determine final loudness.
Can I save per-app volume settings permanently?
Windows doesn't offer a built-in permanent profile system; levels are remembered only per session.
Do browser tabs get separate per-app volume sliders?
No, all tabs in one browser window share a single session and one slider in Windows 10.
Is per-app volume the same as per-app device switching?
No, volume controls loudness while device switching controls which speaker or microphone an app uses; both live in the same Settings panel.