Laptop Volume Too Low? How to Make Your Laptop Louder

Situation · 6 min read · Laptops and speakers

The volume is at 100%, and your laptop still sounds weak. Sometimes the cause is a setting you can change in a minute. Sometimes it is simply the small speakers. Here is how to tell which, and how to get the most out of what you have.

Check these first

These take a minute and fix a surprising number of cases:

The volume mixer. On Windows, open the volume mixer and check that the browser or app is not set lower than the system volume. Each app has its own level.
The output device. Make sure the sound is going to the speakers or headphones you expect, not to a monitor, a Bluetooth device you are not using, or an unplugged output.
The player volume. In YouTube and other players, the slider inside the page is separate from the system volume. Check both.
Bluetooth. Wireless headphones and speakers have their own volume level. Raise it on the device as well as on the laptop.
Sound enhancements. Some laptops have an option such as loudness equalization in the sound settings. Try it if your sound driver offers it.

Why a laptop can be quiet even when everything is set to maximum

Small speakers. Laptop speakers are tiny and thin. They have a physical limit on how loud and how full they can sound, especially in the voice range.
A quiet source. If the video or song was recorded or exported at a low level, the maximum volume of the laptop is still quiet.
Platform limits. Some sites and apps keep playback below the maximum, so a normal track sounds soft.

If the maximum is quiet only for some videos, the source is the cause. If everything is quiet, the speakers or the settings are the cause.

Where to look on Windows, Mac and Chromebook

System	Where to look
Windows	Right-click the speaker icon and open the volume mixer to check the level of Chrome and other apps. Open Settings, System, Sound to check the output device.
Mac	Open System Settings, Sound, Output and check the selected device. The Mac has no built-in mixer for single apps, so also check the volume slider inside the app or the page.
Chromebook	Open the quick settings panel to check the volume slider and the selected output device.

Whatever the system, the last step is the same: if the settings are right and the sound is still quiet, the source or the speakers are the limit.

Add extra volume in the browser

In your browser

Video, music and calls in Chrome

Install the Sound Booster extension and raise the volume of the tab above what the page allows. It works for YouTube, streams, web audio and online lessons.

Install Sound Booster

On your files

Files stored on your laptop

Open a video or audio file in the Sound Booster website, boost or normalize it, preview it, and download a louder copy.

Open Volume Booster

Start with a small boost and raise it only until the sound is comfortable. A few decibels fix most cases, and the sound stays clean.

Be careful with small speakers and headphones

Distortion. Laptop speakers distort when you push a lot of extra volume through them. If the sound starts to crackle, lower the boost.
Headphones. A boosted signal can be much louder than it feels at first. Increase the level slowly, and keep listening volume at a comfortable level to protect your hearing.
A better output. Headphones or a small external speaker give a fuller and louder sound than any laptop speaker, and need much less boost.

When it is still too quiet

If a quiet laptop is quiet only with one file, use the Volume Booster website to make that file louder once. If it is quiet with everything, even after the checks above, the practical fix is a pair of headphones or an external speaker.

Make it a habit

Pin the Sound Booster extension to the toolbar, so extra volume is one click away when a quiet video comes along. For files you watch again and again, such as a recorded class or a family video, make the file louder once in the website and keep the louder copy, so you never have to boost it again.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my laptop volume low even at 100%?

Either a setting is holding it back, such as the app level in the volume mixer or the wrong output device, or the source is quiet, or the laptop speakers are simply small. Check the settings first, then the source.

Is a volume booster safe for my laptop speakers?

A small boost is fine. A very large boost on small speakers causes distortion and can wear them over time. Raise the level in small steps and lower it when the sound crackles.

Does the extension work with any website?

The extension raises the volume of media that is playing in your browser tabs, so it works on video sites, streams and web audio. It does not change separate desktop apps.

Can I make a file on my laptop louder?

Yes. Open it in the Sound Booster website, boost or normalize it, and download the louder version. The file is processed in your browser and is not uploaded.

Try it now

Install the extension for sound in your browser tabs, or open the Volume Booster to make a file louder. Both work without an account, and files are processed in your browser.

Install Sound Booster Open Volume Booster