Turn the volume of one app down
Lower a single app, a call or a game for example, without touching the volume of everything else.
- Time
- 2 minutes
- Steps
- 5
What you need
- macOS 14.2 or later.
- The app is playing sound right now.
Steps
Step 1. Find the apps that are playing
Open App Volume in the sidebar under This Mac and click Refresh Audio Apps. The card Playing apps lists every app that is sending sound to your speakers or headphones at this moment.
App VolumeReview and adjust the volume of apps playing sound.Search or jump to…⌘KSound, app by appTemporary volume control is active. 100% or Restore returns this app to its normal route.Controlled apps1Only apps you explicitly reviewPlaying appsRefresh Audio AppsRestore AllSystem audio · Route started in this sessionOpen Audio PermissionsA Core Audio route started in this session. This is an observed result, not a continuing permission check; macOS may ask again.How to allow system audioKite Browser1 audio processControl Volume…Roundtable1 audio processControl Volume…Tempo Player1 audio process40%RestoreTemporary control passes the selected app’s sound through l/Activity and may add latency. Supported Float32 outputs can have 1–32 channels. Playback uses a separate output-only route, with physical inputs disabled. Audio is never recorded or saved.Step 01 Step 2. Choose the app
Click Control Volume… on its row.
App VolumeReview and adjust the volume of apps playing sound.Search or jump to…⌘KSound, app by appTemporary volume control is active. 100% or Restore returns this app to its normal route.Controlled apps1Only apps you explicitly reviewPlaying appsRefresh Audio AppsRestore AllSystem audio · Route started in this sessionOpen Audio PermissionsA Core Audio route started in this session. This is an observed result, not a continuing permission check; macOS may ask again.How to allow system audioKite Browser1 audio processControl Volume…Roundtable1 audio processControl Volume…Tempo Player1 audio process40%RestoreTemporary control passes the selected app’s sound through l/Activity and may add latency. Supported Float32 outputs can have 1–32 channels. Playback uses a separate output-only route, with physical inputs disabled. Audio is never recorded or saved.Step 02 Step 3. Review and start
A sheet lists the processes that will be included and lets you set the Initial volume. Click Enable Temporary Control. The first time, macOS asks for permission to capture system audio. l/Activity uses it only to pass that app's sound through at a lower level.
App VolumeReview and adjust the volume of apps playing sound.Search or jump to…⌘KSound, app by appOnly listed process lifetimes will be controlled. New helpers and relaunched apps retain their normal audio.Controlled apps1Only apps you explicitly reviewPlaying appsRefresh Audio AppsRestore AllSystem audio · Route started in this sessionOpen Audio PermissionsA Core Audio route started in this session. This is an observed result, not a continuing permission check; macOS may ask again.How to allow system audioKite Browser1 audio processControl Volume…Roundtable1 audio processControl Volume…Tempo Player1 audio process40%RestoreTemporary control passes the selected app’s sound through l/Activity and may add latency. Supported Float32 outputs can have 1–32 channels. Playback uses a separate output-only route, with physical inputs disabled. Audio is never recorded or saved.Control Roundtable volume
macOS may request audio permission. Only these process lifetimes are included. Control ends when you restore 100%, the app exits, the output changes, your Mac sleeps, or l/Activity quits.
System audio · Route started in this sessionOpen Audio PermissionsA Core Audio route started in this session. This is an observed result, not a continuing permission check; macOS may ask again.How to allow system audioRoundtable · PID 5120/Applications/Roundtable.app/Contents/MacOS/RoundtableLifetime 5120:1791882872:418206Initial volume50%No sound is saved or sent anywhere. If the output format is unsupported, normal playback remains in place.CancelEnable Temporary ControlOnly listed process lifetimes will be controlled. New helpers and relaunched apps retain their normal audio.Step 03 Step 4. Set the level
The row now has a slider from 0 to 100%. Drag it. At 0 the app is muted.
App VolumeReview and adjust the volume of apps playing sound.Search or jump to…⌘KSound, app by appTemporary volume control is active. 100% or Restore returns this app to its normal route.Controlled apps1Only apps you explicitly reviewPlaying appsRefresh Audio AppsRestore AllSystem audio · Route started in this sessionOpen Audio PermissionsA Core Audio route started in this session. This is an observed result, not a continuing permission check; macOS may ask again.How to allow system audioKite Browser1 audio processControl Volume…Roundtable1 audio processControl Volume…Tempo Player1 audio process40%RestoreTemporary control passes the selected app’s sound through l/Activity and may add latency. Supported Float32 outputs can have 1–32 channels. Playback uses a separate output-only route, with physical inputs disabled. Audio is never recorded or saved.Step 04 Step 5. Put it back
Click Restore on the row, or Restore All at the top. Dragging the slider back to 100% does the same.
App VolumeReview and adjust the volume of apps playing sound.Search or jump to…⌘KSound, app by appTemporary volume control is active. 100% or Restore returns this app to its normal route.Controlled apps1Only apps you explicitly reviewPlaying appsRefresh Audio AppsRestore AllSystem audio · Route started in this sessionOpen Audio PermissionsA Core Audio route started in this session. This is an observed result, not a continuing permission check; macOS may ask again.How to allow system audioKite Browser1 audio processControl Volume…Roundtable1 audio processControl Volume…Tempo Player1 audio process40%RestoreTemporary control passes the selected app’s sound through l/Activity and may add latency. Supported Float32 outputs can have 1–32 channels. Playback uses a separate output-only route, with physical inputs disabled. Audio is never recorded or saved.Step 05
02Good to know
The small print, in plain words
Note1 / 3
It is temporary on purpose
Control ends when you restore it, when the app quits, when you change the sound output, when the Mac sleeps or when l/Activity quits. Levels are not saved between sessions.
Note2 / 3
Nothing is recorded
The sound passes through l/Activity on its way to your speakers. It is never saved and never sent anywhere. The microphone is not used.
Note3 / 3
It lowers, it does not boost
The range stops at 100%. A slight delay can be added to the app's sound while it is under control.
03Keep going
