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How to Set App-Specific Volume Levels in Windows 11

Adjust an individual app’s volume in Windows 11 with Volume mixer, and check its mute state or output device if audio is missing.
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To change one app’s volume without changing the overall Windows level, open Settings > System > Sound > Volume mixer. Under Apps, adjust that app’s slider and make sure it is not muted. If sound is missing or coming from the wrong place, check the app’s output device in the same mixer.

Change an app’s volume in Windows 11

  1. Open Start > Settings > System > Sound, then select Volume mixer.

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  2. Under Apps, find the app you want to adjust. Move its volume slider to the level you want, and check that the app is not muted.

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  3. If the app is silent or playing through the wrong speakers or headphones, inspect its Output selection in Volume mixer and choose the intended device.

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You can also reach Volume mixer through the taskbar speaker controls. Microsoft documents both access routes and the app-level volume and mute checks in its app-audio troubleshooting guide and general sound troubleshooting guide.

App volume and system volume are separate

The app slider sets the level for that app; the system control sets Windows’ overall volume. An app can be turned down or muted even when system sounds are audible. When sound is low or quiet, check both the system and affected-app sliders. Microsoft explains these checks in its guidance for low or quiet sound in Windows.

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Check the app’s output device if it is silent

Volume and output routing are different controls. An app can use an output device other than the system default, so raising its slider will not fix sound sent to the wrong speakers or headphones. In Volume mixer, check the app’s Output selection and choose the device you intend to use. Microsoft lists app volume, app-specific output selection, audio services, and drivers among possible causes when an app has no audio but system sounds work.

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If changing the mixer level does not solve the problem

One app is silent while system sounds work

  • Recheck the app’s slider and mute state, then confirm its output device.

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  • If those settings are correct and the app still has no sound, Microsoft’s next steps include restarting the Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder services, then testing the app again.

Sound is low or uneven

The problem affects more than one app

Confirm that the intended output device is selected and enabled. For continuing device-wide sound problems, Microsoft’s general troubleshooting guide covers device checks, Windows updates, and driver repair.

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