How to Control Individual App Volume on Mac
macOS has no built-in volume mixer. Here's how to adjust volume for individual apps, route audio to different outputs, and finally get the control Windows users have had since 2007.
The Missing Volume Mixer
If you've ever wanted to turn down a noisy Chrome tab without affecting your Spotify playback, you've hit one of macOS's longest-standing limitations: there's no per-app volume control.
Windows has had a volume mixer since Vista in 2007. Linux has PulseAudio and PipeWire. macOS? Nothing. The system volume slider is all-or-nothing — everything gets louder or quieter together.
Why Apple Hasn't Built This
macOS handles audio through Core Audio, a powerful but low-level framework. The system routes all app audio through a single output pipeline without exposing individual streams to the user. Apple's philosophy has generally been "less is more" when it comes to system-level audio controls.
That said, Apple introduced the Audio Tap API in macOS 14.2 Sonoma, which finally makes it possible for third-party developers to intercept and control individual app audio streams without kernel extensions or hacks.
Your Options for Per-App Volume on Mac
Option 1: In-App Controls
Some apps have their own volume sliders — Spotify, VLC, QuickTime. But most don't, and you can't control browser tab audio this way.
Option 2: Third-Party Audio Managers
This is where dedicated tools come in. The main players are SoundSource by Rogue Amoeba ($49), which is the industry standard with EQ, audio effects, and per-app routing. It's excellent but expensive if you just need basic volume control.
For a lighter-weight option, Soundish gives you per-app volume control (0–200%), per-app output routing, and per-app muting at a fraction of the price. It uses Apple's native Audio Tap API, so there's no kernel extension required.
Option 3: Audio MIDI Setup (Limited)
macOS includes Audio MIDI Setup in the Utilities folder. You can create aggregate and multi-output devices, but this is for routing audio to multiple outputs simultaneously — it doesn't give you per-app volume control.
What to Look For in an App Volume Controller
When choosing a tool, consider whether you need per-app volume sliders with boost above 100%, per-app output routing (e.g. Discord to headphones, music to speakers), audio profiles for switching between setups quickly, and whether it supports multi-process apps like Chrome and Electron-based apps that spawn separate audio processes.
Quick Setup Guide
Most per-app volume tools follow the same pattern. Install the app, grant any required permissions (usually just audio access), and you'll see a list of running apps with individual volume sliders. Adjust each app independently, and your settings persist across restarts.
If you're coming from Windows, you'll feel right at home — it works just like the Windows Volume Mixer, but from your Mac's menu bar.
The Bottom Line
macOS's lack of a volume mixer is one of its most surprising omissions. Whether you go with a full-featured solution like SoundSource or a lighter option like Soundish, adding per-app audio control is one of those upgrades that makes you wonder how you lived without it.