How to Control Audio Per App on Mac (3 Methods That Actually Work)

macOS has one volume for everything: there's no volume mixer like the one Windows has. For a volume per app you need an app such as Soundish, which gives every app its own volume from 0% to 200%, its own output and its own equalizer. Before installing anything, check whether the app's own volume control or your browser's tab mute is enough.

The Problem: macOS Has No Built-in Volume Mixer

If you've switched from Windows to Mac, you've probably noticed something frustrating: there's no volume mixer. On Windows, you can easily adjust the volume of Chrome, Spotify, Discord, and other apps independently. On Mac? You're stuck with one system volume slider that affects everything.

This creates annoying situations:

• Your music is perfect, but that YouTube tab is way too loud
• Discord notifications are blasting your ears, but turning down system volume makes everything too quiet
• You want to mute Slack notifications during a presentation without affecting your presenter audio
• You want a game at 50% but Discord at 80%, so you can hear your teammates over it
• A video call needs to be clear while notification sounds stay quiet

Method 1: Use Third-Party Volume Control Apps

The most effective solution is using a dedicated per-app volume control app. These apps tap into macOS's Core Audio system to give you individual control over each application's audio.

What to look for in a volume control app:

• Per-app volume sliders (0-200% range is ideal)
• Per-app mute functionality
• Output routing (send different apps to different speakers/headphones)
• Support for multi-process apps like Chrome
• Profiles, to switch between setups in one click

The per-app volume apps, side by side

Soundish is ours. Every fact about another app here comes from its maker's own site.

Checked on 13 October 2026, on each maker's own site: SoundSource, eqMac, Background Music, Sound Control and Boom 3D.

• Soundish gives every app its own volume from 0 to 200%, a mute, an output and a 10-band equaliser, with profiles and hotkeys. Nothing is installed into macOS: it uses the audio taps built into macOS since version 1.5.
• SoundSource, by Rogue Amoeba, does all of that and more: Audio Unit plug-ins and effects, AirPlay speakers, one app on several devices at once, level meters, and actions for the Shortcuts app. It's $49 once. Its trial has no time limit, but adds noise after 20 minutes until you relaunch it. See Soundish vs SoundSource.
• eqMac is mainly an equaliser. Its free tier has a 10-band equaliser and boost for the whole Mac; its per-app mixer, the App Mixer, is in eqMac Pro.
• Background Music is open source, and its page says it's still in alpha. It gives each app a volume, can pause your music player while other apps play sound, and records system audio. It installs a virtual audio device, makes it your default output, and asks for microphone access. Its page warns that an app's volume above 50% can clip, and that only stereo outputs work.
• Sound Control, by Static Z, has per-app volume and mute, a 10- or 31-band equaliser and effects for every app and output, and hotkeys you can drive over MIDI. Its product page didn't show a price when we checked; it's also sold as a subscription in the Mac App Store.
• Boom 3D, by Global Delight, is a system-wide booster with 3D surround sound and a 31-band equaliser, and it sets a volume for each app too. It has a 15-day trial and needs macOS 11 or later.

How to set up per-app volume in Soundish

1. Download it from appish.app/soundish and open it. Its icon appears in the menu bar; there's no driver to install.
2. Click the icon to open the panel. The apps on your Mac are listed, each with its own volume slider.
3. The first time you change an app's sound, macOS asks once to allow system audio recording. Allow it: that's how Soundish reaches each app's sound. Nothing is recorded or saved.
4. To send an app to another output, click the output button at the end of its row and pick a device.
5. To keep a setup, such as "Working from home" with Discord on headphones and Spotify on speakers, save it as a profile.

It needs macOS 14.6 or later, and it's $14.99 once, with no subscription. Its trial is 7 days with every feature, and asks for no card.

Want more than one of our apps? The Appish Suite has all four for $26.99.

Method 2: Built-in Audio MIDI Setup (Limited)

Mac does have a hidden audio utility, but it's quite limited:

1. Open Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup
2. Click the + button and select "Create Multi-Output Device"
3. Choose which audio outputs to combine
4. Set this as your system output in System Preferences

This method only helps with routing audio to multiple outputs simultaneously - it doesn't give you per-app volume control.

Method 3: App-Specific Settings

Some applications have their own internal volume controls:

Web browsers:

• Chrome: Right-click on tabs with audio and select "Mute site"
• Safari: Click the speaker icon in the address bar
• Firefox: Click the speaker icon on audio tabs

Media apps:

• Spotify, Apple Music, and VLC have built-in volume controls
• Many video players let you boost volume beyond system levels

Communication apps:

• Discord, Slack, and Zoom have individual volume settings in their preferences
• Look for "Audio" or "Sound" settings in each app

The downside? You have to remember where each app's volume control is located, and not all apps have them. System Settings → Sound only has the one slider for the output, with no per-app breakdown. AppleScript can set the volume of the few apps that expose it (osascript -e 'tell application "Spotify" to set sound volume to 50'), but that's no everyday mixer.

How does per-app volume actually work?

macOS doesn't hand each app's sound to other apps by default. Since macOS 14, Apple's Core Audio taps let a tool like Soundish receive an app's sound, change its volume and send it on, which is why Soundish asks for the system audio recording permission. Before that, these tools had to install an audio driver.

The harder part is apps made of several processes. Chrome, Slack, Discord and most Electron apps play sound from helper processes that look separate to the system. Soundish counts a browser's helpers as part of the browser, so Chrome shows up as one app with one slider.

Why macOS Doesn't Have a Built-in Volume Mixer

Apple's design philosophy emphasizes simplicity. They believe most users want one master volume control rather than managing multiple sliders. However, this approach falls short for:

• Content creators managing multiple audio sources
• Remote workers juggling music, calls, and notifications
• Gamers who need independent control of game audio, voice chat, and music
• Anyone who frequently uses web browsers with multiple audio tabs

Which option should you pick?

• Just muting a browser tab now and then: the browser's own tab mute, no install needed.
• A volume for each app, and sending apps to different outputs: Soundish.
• Audio Unit plug-ins, or sending an app to AirPlay speakers: SoundSource is the better fit, and worth its price if you'll use those. Soundish does neither.
• An equaliser for the whole Mac, free: eqMac's free tier.
• Free and open source, and happy with an alpha: Background Music.

The Best Solution for Most Users

While the built-in methods help in specific situations, a dedicated volume control app is the most reliable solution. It gives you:

• Consistent interface - All your audio controls in one place
• Real-time adjustment - Change volumes without opening individual apps
• Advanced features - Output routing, profiles, and volume overdrive
• Menu bar access - Quick adjustments without disrupting your workflow

The key is finding an app that matches your needs and budget. If you just want basic per-app volume control without breaking the bank, look for options that focus on core functionality rather than advanced audio processing features.

Pro Tips for Better Mac Audio Management

1. Use keyboard shortcuts - Many volume control apps offer global hotkeys for quick adjustments
2. Set up audio profiles - Save different volume configurations for work, gaming, and entertainment
3. Route strategically - Send music to speakers and calls to headphones for better focus
4. Monitor CPU usage - Audio processing can impact performance on older Macs

Controlling audio per app on Mac requires stepping outside Apple's default ecosystem, but the improved workflow is worth it. For the narrower jobs, see how to mute one app on Mac, how to change the audio output per app and volume hotkeys for one app. Whether you choose a premium solution or a budget-friendly alternative, having individual app volume control will transform how you manage audio on your Mac.

Common questions

Is there a free per-app volume control for Mac?

Background Music is open source, and gives each app a volume, but its page says it's still in alpha. eqMac is free for its equaliser, but its per-app mixer is part of eqMac Pro. Soundish has a 7-day free trial, then costs $14.99 once.

Does macOS add per-app volume control in a recent version?

No. Sequoia and later added features such as window tiling and iPhone Mirroring, but the sound settings still have one volume for each output, with no per-app mixer. You need a third-party app.

Can I control Chrome and Brave separately from other apps?

Yes, with a tool that follows browsers' helper processes. Chrome, Brave and Edge play sound from helpers that simpler tools may list as unnamed processes. Soundish treats each browser as one app with its own slider, though there's no volume for each tab: use the browser's tab mute for that.

Will per-app volume work with AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones?

Yes. A per-app volume works whatever the output. Soundish can also send one app, such as Discord, to your AirPods while Spotify plays on the Mac's speakers.