Controlling App Volume Individually in Windows
App volume control lets you turn down one noisy app, like a game or notification sound, without lowering everything else. Windows has supported this for years, but many users only discover it by accident.
This page shows exactly where to find app volume control and how to use it effectively.
Finding app volume control on Windows 11
- Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar
- Choose "Open Volume mixer"
- Drag the slider under each app's name to set its level
- Optionally choose a different output device per app from the same screen
Finding app volume control on Windows 10
Go to Settings > System > Sound > App volume and device preferences. Each running app that has produced sound recently appears with its own slider and device dropdown.
Why apps sometimes don't appear
An app must have played audio at least once during the current session to show up in the mixer. If it's missing, play a short sound in the app first, then reopen the mixer.
Setting a different output device per app
Both the Windows app volume mixer and the Windows 10 preferences page also include a device dropdown next to each app's slider. This lets you send a game to speakers while a chat app routes to a headset, without changing the system default device. Choosing a device here only affects that one app until you change it again.
Common reasons app volume won't change
- The app is using an exclusive-mode audio stream that bypasses the mixer
- The slider was already set to 0 or muted from a previous session
- The app manages its own internal volume separately from Windows, so the mixer slider has less effect
- A stuck Windows Audio service is preventing changes from being applied
A faster route: tray-based control
EarTrumpet keeps every open app's slider one click away from the tray, without opening Settings or right-clicking. Read the EarTrumpet download page to try it.
App volume control on Windows 11 vs. Windows 10
Windows 11's Volume mixer page groups sliders with a cleaner layout and includes a link straight to the legacy sound mixer for anyone who prefers the classic popup. Windows 10's App volume and device preferences page is functionally the same feature with a plainer list view. Either way, the underlying per-app volume system Windows uses is identical, so settings and behavior carry over the same way on both versions.
Frequently asked questions
Does lowering one app's volume affect recordings or streaming?
No, per-app playback volume only affects what you hear locally, not what's captured by a microphone or screen recorder.
Can I set app volume to persist after reboot?
Windows generally remembers per-app volume settings across sessions for the same app and device combination.
Can I set app volume from the command line?
Not with built-in Windows tools; changing app volume programmatically requires third-party utilities or scripting against the Windows Core Audio APIs.
Does app volume control work for background services?
Only services that actively produce audible sound appear in the mixer; silent background processes never show up regardless of how long they've been running.