How to control sound on Mac: system vs app volume

Direct answer: Open System Settings > Sound when you need to choose an output device, change the Mac's overall output level, or adjust alert sounds. Use the app's own volume control when only that app is wrong. Add a per-app volume utility only when two apps should stay at different levels and an app does not provide a useful control.

This order matters. A quiet browser tab may be an app problem, but silent headphones can be an output-device problem. Installing a mixer before checking the current output adds another control without fixing the actual cause.

Disclosure: I build teenysound, a paid per-app volume utility. The native macOS controls come first below because they solve many sound problems without another app.

Match the sound problem to the right control

• Sound goes to the wrong speakers or headphones: select the output device in Sound settings or Control Center.
• Everything is too loud or quiet: change the Mac's output volume.
• Alerts are the problem: adjust alert sound and alert volume in Sound settings.
• One app is too loud: check that app's player, call, or notification controls first.
• Two active apps need different persistent levels: use per-app volume controls.
• One app should use a different device: use per-app output routing if the app itself cannot choose an output.

Follow the list from top to bottom. System volume affects the whole selected output, while app-level controls sit underneath it.

1. Choose the Mac's output device

Open System Settings > Sound, then select the speakers, display, headphones, or audio interface under Output. Control Center also provides a faster device picker for routine switches.

If a device is missing, reconnect or wake it before changing volume. A slider cannot send sound to a device that macOS has not selected or recognized.

Check balance while you are in the Output panel. A balance control pulled to one side can resemble a bad speaker or a partially connected cable.

2. Set system volume and alert volume

The output-volume control sets the level for the selected device. You can change it in Sound settings, Control Center, or with the Mac's volume keys when the current keyboard and output support them.

Treat system output volume as a ceiling. Apple notes that an app's volume control cannot be higher than the Mac's output volume. If a video player is at 100 percent but still too quiet, raise system volume first.

Alerts have their own controls in Sound settings. Lowering alert volume is a better fit than turning down the whole Mac when music and calls sound right but notifications do not.

3. Check the app's own volume control

Many media players, meeting apps, games, and browser sites include their own volume or output choice. That control is the most direct option because it changes only the source you are using.

Before adding another utility, check the player bar, the app's Audio or Preferences panel, and any per-site mute indicator in the browser. Also confirm that the app is not paused or muted separately from the Mac.

An app control will not override a low system ceiling. Set the Mac's output first, then adjust the app beneath it.

4. Use per-app volume when one source stays too loud

A separate per-app control is useful when several apps play at once and their built-in controls are missing, buried, or reset too often. Common examples include keeping music low during a call or muting notifications while a video continues.

teenysound lists active audio apps with individual 0 to 100 volume sliders and app-level mute controls. It also provides a master control, mute-all with restore, per-app output routing, output-device volume memory, and keyboard shortcuts. It requires macOS 14.2 or later, keeps settings on the Mac, and costs $9.99 once after a three-day trial.

Those features come from the TeenySound product page and the app's local Swift source. The utility is a fit for separate app levels and routing, not a replacement for checking the selected output device or a muted player.

5. Understand the system audio permission

Apple's Core Audio tap API lets an app access outgoing system audio from selected processes. A utility can use that stream to apply per-app gain and send the result to the chosen output. Apple documents the API for macOS 14.2 and later.

Because the tap accesses outgoing audio, macOS places it behind the system audio recording privacy control. TeenySound uses that access for live volume and routing. Its product page states that it does not record or save audio.

If you want to inspect the prompt before allowing it, read the focused guide to system audio recording permission on Mac. Audio sent directly to a remote service or device may not flow through the local Mac output, so a local per-app control may not affect it.

A short troubleshooting order

1. Play a known audio source and confirm that it is not paused or muted.
2. Select the intended output device in Sound settings.
3. Raise system output volume to a safe test level.
4. Check the app's own slider, mute state, and output setting.
5. Check alert volume separately when only notifications are wrong.
6. Use per-app volume only when one active source needs a different level.
7. Use per-app output routing when the destination, rather than volume, is the problem.

This sequence keeps system, app, and routing state separate. It also gives you a clear place to undo each change.

For after-hours work, use the Mac app sounds too loud at night checklist. It adds a known-sound test, a night state card, and a morning restore check.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Mac control each app's volume separately?

macOS Sound settings control the selected output and overall output volume, while some apps provide their own sliders. A per-app audio utility is needed when you want separate Mac-level controls for apps that are playing at the same time.

Why is an app still quiet when its own slider is at maximum?

The Mac's output volume sets the ceiling. Raise the system output volume first, then set the app's own volume or per-app level below that ceiling.

Why can per-app volume require system audio recording permission?

Apple's Core Audio tap API gives an app access to outgoing system audio so it can process a selected audio stream. macOS therefore places the feature behind its system audio recording privacy permission.

Sources checked

• Apple Support: Change Sound settings on Mac.
• Apple Support: Change the sound output settings on Mac.
• Apple Support: Quickly change settings in Control Center.
• Apple Developer Documentation: Capturing system audio with Core Audio taps.
• TeenySound claims were checked against the TeenySound homepage and local Swift source for app volume, mute, routing, device memory, shortcuts, privacy, price, and system requirements.