Sometimes turning the volume up to 100 is all that you need. Other times, however, you need that little extra boost. When the Windows volume is all the way up but things are still too quiet, here are some things you can try to make things a bit louder.
1. Increase Volume Using Equalizer APO
Equalizer APO is a free open-source software that gives you extremely fine control over your PC equalizer settings. We could do a whole feature on all the crazy stuff you can do with this software, but for now we’re just focusing on cranking up that maximum volume.
Download and install Equalizer APO. Once you’ve done that, in the Configurator window of the installer, select the devices you’d like to use with APO (headphones, for example).
Next, go to the Equalizer APO install directory, the config folder, then open the “config” file in Notepad.
Here, change the preamp number to a maximum of +10 dB and delete the rest of the text in the file so it looks like the following image.
Save the file, reboot your PC, and you’re good to go!
2. Check the Software Volume,
Some video player software may come with a volume-boosting option. For example, if you find VLC to be a little on the quiet side, you can increase its volume by up to 300 percent within the player itself. Note that the higher you go the more audio clipping and distortion you may experience. It’s a quick method but not necessarily the cleanest.
By default, VLC goes only to 125 percent volume in the slider at the bottom-right corner. To increase this, go to “Tools -> Preferences,” then click “All” in the bottom left corner of the window.
In the pane that appears, under “Main interfaces,” click “Qt,” then scroll down and increase the “Maximum Volume displayed” box to 200 or 300.
3. Adjust the Volume Dipping Option If Voice Calls Cause Trouble
If everything sounds perfectly fine during regular use but takes a sudden dip when you enter a voice call, then you have a communications option set to lower volume during calls.
To fix this, click on the Start button, then type “Control Panel,” and press Enter.
While in small or large icon view, click on Sound.
In the window that pops up, click the Communications tab. Ensure the radio buttons are set to “Do Nothing.”
If it’s not set to “Do Nothing,” go ahead and set it, then click OK. Now the volume won’t dip down during calls!
4. Check Individual Software Levels
If every app’s sound bar is at a good volume, the levels for that specific app may be low. You can double-check the individual volume levels by right-clicking the volume icon in the taskbar, then clicking “Open Volume Mixer.”
You’ll see all the software you have open with their individual volume scales. Ensure the quiet app hasn’t had its volume dropped for some reason. If the bar is lower than the others, lift it to the same level as pictured below.
5. Use Audio Enhancements
If everything is just too quiet in general, you can use audio enhancements in Windows 10 to give your sound levels that extra boost.
To do this, right-click the sound control in the toolbar, then click “Open Volume Mixer.”
Click on the icon of the current device you’re listening to.
Go to the Enhancement tab, then check the “Loudness Equalization” box. Click Apply.
This will boost the sound even further, which should hopefully make it loud enough for you to hear!
It can be annoying when the sound is too quiet but your volume is maxed out. The cause can be one of many things, from automatic voice call features to individual app volume sliders being low. Sometimes, however, things are just too quiet in general – at which point you can use sound boosters within either Windows 10 or the software itself to get that extra few decibels.
For more Windows tips, we have a neat little tip here on how to check if a USB drive is bootable or not in Windows 10. We can also help you fix the Windows 10 Action Center when it’s not opening.
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