Windows 10 Volume Settings, Location by Location

Master volume

Click the speaker icon in the taskbar for a one-slider flyout, or use hardware volume keys. This affects the overall system output level and is the fastest control for a quick mute or nudge. See windows-10-volume-control for every method of adjusting it.

Per-app volume

Settings > System > Sound > App volume and device preferences lists every active app with its own slider. Full details are in windows-10-app-volume-control, and background on why these levels can reset is on windows-10-per-app-volume.

Device-level volume

Right-click the tray speaker icon, choose Sounds, then open the Playback tab, select a device, and click Properties > Levels for hardware-specific volume and balance controls. This level sits underneath both the master and per-app sliders, acting as a ceiling on top of which the others are calculated.

Communications volume ducking

In the Sound Control Panel's Communications tab, Windows 10 can automatically reduce other apps' volume when it detects a call — options include reducing by 80%, 50%, muting entirely, or doing nothing. This setting is separate from the App volume and device preferences panel and only triggers during detected calls.

Legacy mixer volume

sndvol.exe (see windows-10-volume-mixer) shows the same per-app levels as the Settings panel in a smaller floating window, useful for rapid adjustments without navigating the full Settings app.

Sound scheme volume

The Sound Control Panel's Sounds tab lets you pick a sound scheme for system events like errors and notifications, and each event sound plays at the System Sounds level shown in the volume mixer, separate from app volume.

A quicker way to manage all of these

Because these controls are spread across several menus, tools like EarTrumpet consolidate master volume, per-app sliders, and device switching into a single tray popup. See eartrumpet-for-windows-10 for details.

A few practical notes

Keeping track of which menu controls which layer of volume becomes easier once you notice the pattern: master and per-app levels are software settings tied to Windows itself, while device-level volume and balance live closer to the hardware driver. Communications ducking and sound scheme volume sit somewhat apart from both, since they only apply in specific situations like calls or system notifications.

Frequently asked questions

How do I lower the volume of just one app in Windows 10?

Use Settings > System > Sound > App volume and device preferences, or the legacy Volume mixer.

What is communications volume ducking?

A Windows 10 feature that automatically lowers other apps' volume during a detected call, configurable in the Sound Control Panel's Communications tab.

Where do I change a specific speaker's hardware volume level?

Sound Control Panel > Playback tab > select the device > Properties > Levels.

Where do I change the volume of Windows notification sounds?

They play at the System Sounds level in the Volume mixer, and the sound scheme itself is chosen in the Sound Control Panel's Sounds tab.

Does device-level volume override the master slider?

It acts as an underlying ceiling; the master and per-app sliders scale within whatever the device-level volume allows.