Do I need the Chrome extension or the website?
It depends on where the sound plays. Use the extension for video, music, calls and lessons that play in a Chrome tab, and the website for audio or video files on your device. Many people use both.
Sound Booster for Every Situation
Real listening problems, with practical fixes: what is really causing the quiet sound, and the quickest way to fix it with the Sound Booster extension or website.
Situation · 5 min
Quiet YouTube
Volume maxed out and the video is still too soft? Why it happens, and how to raise it in Chrome.
Read the guide →Situation · 6 minQuiet movie dialogue
Whispered dialogue, then loud explosions. Why it happens and what actually helps.
Read the guide →Situation · 6 minQuiet online lectures
A lecturer far from the mic and a recording you strain to hear. How to make it comfortable.
Read the guide →Situation · 6 minZoom and Discord volume
Quiet voices on a call: what to change in the app, and where Sound Booster fits in.
Read the guide →Situation · 6 minLow laptop volume
Volume at 100% and still too quiet? A checklist, plus how to add extra volume safely.
Read the guide →Not sure which guide you need?
Start with what you are hearing, and jump to the guide that matches it.
- The video is quiet even at 100% volumeQuiet YouTube →
- The dialogue is whispered and the effects are loudQuiet movie dialogue →
- I can barely hear the lecturer or the webinarQuiet online lectures →
- People on a call are too quietZoom and Discord volume →
- Everything is weak on my laptopLow laptop volume →
Which Sound Booster do you need?
Sound Booster comes in two forms, and the right one depends on where the sound is playing.
| Where the sound plays | What helps |
|---|---|
| A tab in Chrome, such as YouTube, a stream, a web call or an online lesson | The Chrome extension raises the volume of the tab while it plays. |
| A video or audio file on your device | The website boosts or normalizes the file, and you download a louder copy. |
| A separate desktop app, such as the Zoom or Discord app | A browser extension cannot change it. Use the app and system volume controls, or use the web version in Chrome. |
In your browser
The Chrome extension
For video, music, calls and lessons that play in your browser. It sits in the toolbar and raises the volume of the tab.
Install Sound BoosterOn your files
The Volume Booster website
For files on your device. Boost or normalize audio and video, preview the result, and download a louder file, with no account.
Open Volume BoosterBefore you boost
- Start small. A boost of +3 to +6 dB fixes most cases cleanly. A larger boost raises noise and starts to distort the sound.
- A boost cannot add what was never recorded. If a voice was recorded too far from the microphone, extra volume will make it louder but not clearer.
- Protect your hearing. A boosted signal can be much louder than it feels at first, especially in headphones. Raise the level slowly.
Want to know more about how boosting works? Read Why is my video so quiet? and Boost vs. Normalize.
Frequently asked questions
Are my files uploaded when I use the website?
No. The website processes your file inside your browser tab, and nothing is sent to a server, so private recordings stay on your device.
Can Sound Booster fix a recording that is too quiet to understand?
It can make a weak recording louder, but it cannot add detail that was never recorded. A voice captured far from the microphone will be louder, not clearer, so for the best result start with a better recording when you can.
Will boosting the volume damage my speakers or my hearing?
A small boost is safe. Very large boosts can distort the sound and strain small speakers, and a boosted signal can be much louder in headphones than it feels. Raise the level slowly and stop when the sound starts to crackle.
Why is a video quiet even when the volume is at 100%?
The 100% setting is the maximum your player and system allow, not a measure of how loud the recording is. If the audio was recorded or exported at a low level, it stays quiet at full volume. A boost raises the level beyond that point, so the quiet source becomes easier to hear.
Can I boost audio from a desktop app such as the Zoom or Discord app?
A browser extension only works on sound that plays inside Chrome, so it cannot change a separate desktop app. For an app, use its own volume and input settings and your system volume controls. If you join the same call in a Chrome tab, the extension can raise the volume of that tab.
Does Sound Booster work on one tab only?
Yes. The extension raises the volume of the tab you choose, so a quiet lecture can be louder while other tabs stay as they are. Reset the level when you are done, so the next video does not come as a loud surprise.
How much boost should I use?
Start small. A boost of +3 to +6 dB fixes most quiet recordings cleanly, and larger amounts raise background noise and start to distort the sound. Increase the level a little at a time while a voice is speaking, and stop when it is comfortable.
What is the difference between Normalize, Boost and Soft clip on the website?
Normalize raises a file until its loudest peak sits just under the maximum, which is a safe default when you are not sure how much room there is. Boost applies a gain that you choose, so you can fine-tune by ear. Soft clip gently limits the peaks when you want more volume without the harsh edge of hard clipping.
Why does the sound crackle or distort after I boost it?
Distortion appears when the signal is pushed past the maximum level and the loudest peaks are cut off, which is called clipping. Lower the boost until the crackle disappears. If the file was already loud at the start, a boost adds little, and a gentler setting or Soft clip may sound better.
Will a boost also make background noise louder?
Yes. Gain raises everything in the recording, including room noise and hiss, not only the voice. This is why a clean recording is worth more than a large boost, and why a small boost usually sounds better than a big one.
Do I need an account to use Sound Booster?
No. You can install the extension or open the website and start without creating an account. Files you add on the website are processed in your browser, and you download the louder copy to your device.
Is there anything Sound Booster cannot help with?
It cannot fix a voice that was recorded too far from the microphone, remove heavy background noise, or change a hardware problem such as a damaged speaker. It also cannot change a separate desktop app. For these cases, a better recording, the app settings or different equipment will help more.
Which guide should I read first?
Pick the one that matches what you hear. Quiet YouTube covers videos that stay soft at full volume, Quiet movie dialogue covers whispered speech and loud effects, Quiet online lectures covers weak lecture recordings, Zoom and Discord volume covers calls, and Low laptop volume covers a laptop that is quiet even when everything is turned up.