Control the volume of every application independently — from browsers and games to communication tools — using built-in Windows features and powerful third-party utilities.
Whether you're gaming while listening to music, attending a video call with a YouTube video running in the background, or simply trying to keep your browser quieter than your media player — Windows allows you to set individual volume levels for every application running on your system.
This is fundamentally different from adjusting your system master volume. Instead of making everything louder or quieter at once, per-app audio control lets you create a precise, customized mix tailored to your workflow.
Windows offers three native approaches to per-app audio control, and several excellent third-party tools that go even further. This guide covers all of them, step by step.
The Volume Mixer is the fastest and most direct way to adjust individual application volumes. It has been part of Windows since Vista and remains available in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
You can also launch Volume Mixer directly by pressing Win + R, typing sndvol, and hitting Enter. This opens it even faster than right-clicking the tray icon.
Windows 11 introduced a redesigned audio panel inside the Settings app that combines per-app volume control with device routing — all in one place. This is significantly more powerful than the classic Volume Mixer.
Windows 10 introduced its own per-app volume panel starting with version 1803 (April 2018 Update). It's slightly less feature-rich than Windows 11's version but covers all the essentials.
One of the most powerful — and underused — Windows audio features is the ability to send different applications to entirely different audio devices. For example, you can route Discord to your headset while sending game audio to your speakers, all simultaneously.
| Use Case | App | Output Device |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming while in a voice call | Game + Discord | Speakers + Headset |
| Music production monitoring | DAW | Studio Monitors |
| Movie on second screen | VLC / Netflix | HDMI TV |
| Notification sounds only in headset | Windows system sounds | Headset |
| Conference call isolation | Teams / Zoom | Headset only |
Windows' built-in tools are solid, but if you want more control, better UI, or advanced features like hotkeys, profiles, or equalizers, third-party audio mixers are the way to go.
EarTrumpet is a free, lightweight replacement for the Windows volume tray icon. It sits in your system tray and provides a clean, modern volume flyout with individual sliders for every running application. It's available on the Microsoft Store and requires no configuration.
Voicemeeter (and its variants Banana and Potato) is a virtual audio mixer that creates virtual audio devices on your system. Applications route their audio to these virtual devices, giving you a full mixing board experience — including EQ, compression, and routing to multiple physical outputs. The learning curve is steeper, but the capability is unmatched for free software.
Occasionally the per-app audio system doesn't behave as expected. Here are the most common issues and how to resolve them.
The Volume Mixer and Settings panel only show applications that are currently registered as audio clients with Windows. To make an app appear: open the app, start playing audio in it (play a video, start a song, make a test call), then reopen the Volume Mixer. It should now appear in the list.
If it still doesn't show, check that the app isn't using an exclusive audio mode or a non-standard audio API that bypasses Windows audio routing.
This typically happens with the old Volume Mixer (sndvol.exe) — it does not persist volume settings across sessions in the same reliable way as the Settings panel does. To ensure settings are saved, use Settings → System → Sound → Volume mixer (Windows 11) or App volume and device preferences (Windows 10) to make your adjustments instead.
If the problem persists, it may be that the application itself is resetting its own volume on startup. Check the app's audio settings internally.
Remember that Windows uses three layers of volume: the per-app level in Volume Mixer, the master system volume, and the hardware volume (physical knob or media keys). If all three are at 100%, check the application's internal volume setting — Spotify, VLC, browsers, and games all have their own volume sliders inside the app.
Also verify that your audio output device is set correctly and that the device's own volume isn't lowered in its driver software or hardware control panel.
This is a built-in Windows feature called "Communications" audio ducking. When Windows detects a phone call or communication activity, it can automatically reduce the volume of other applications. To disable it: right-click the speaker icon → Sounds → Communications tab → select "Do nothing" → click OK.
Some applications bypass Windows audio routing entirely and use ASIO or WASAPI exclusive mode, which gives them direct hardware access. Common examples include professional audio software (DAWs), some games, and certain media players.
For these apps, you'll need to change the output device within the application's own settings, not from the Windows Volume Mixer. Alternatively, tools like Voicemeeter can intercept and reroute these streams using virtual audio devices.
| Method | Windows Version | Saves Settings | Device Routing | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume Mixer (sndvol) | 10 & 11 | Session only | No | Quick adjustments |
| Settings → Volume mixer | Windows 11 | ✓ Persistent | ✓ Yes | Daily use on Win 11 |
| Settings → App volume prefs | Windows 10 | ✓ Persistent | ✓ Yes | Daily use on Win 10 |
| EarTrumpet | 10 & 11 | ✓ Persistent | ✓ Yes | Better UI experience |
| Voicemeeter | 10 & 11 | ✓ Profiles | ✓ Advanced | Streaming / pro audio |
For the vast majority of users, Windows' built-in Settings panel is all you need to control per-app audio. Use Settings → System → Sound → Volume mixer for persistent volume and device routing with no extra software required.
If you want a faster, more accessible interface, install EarTrumpet — it's free, reliable, and takes 30 seconds to set up. For advanced streaming, recording, or professional audio workflows, Voicemeeter is the gold standard among free tools.
Whichever method you choose, taking five minutes to set up your per-app audio mix can dramatically improve your daily Windows experience — no more scrambling to mute a video tab during a call, or lowering your game audio just to hear your music.