How to Adjust the Volume on Your Mac

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Learn how to raise and lower Mac volume with or without a keyboard

Co-authored by Gonzalo Martinez and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: June 18, 2024 Fact Checked

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Ways to Change Mac Volume

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Adding Sound to the Menu Bar

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Troubleshooting Other Volume Issues

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Q&A

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Tips

If the sound coming from your Mac is too loud or too quiet, adjusting the volume is really easy. Whether you’re using a desktop iMac or a Macbook, there are multiple ways to change the volume using your keyboard or on-screen controls. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through how to access the volume settings, plus how to troubleshoot other audio issues you may run into.

How to Change Mac Volume

On a Mac keyboard, press F11 or F12 to lower and raise the volume on your computer. Alternatively, open the Sound control in the top menu bar or your Mac’s Control Center, and adjust the slider to change the volume levels.

Section 1 of 3:

How to Adjust the Volume on a Mac

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1
Press the volume keys on your keyboard to adjust the volume. Most Mac keyboards have volume buttons on F11 and F12 . Press these to turn the volume up or down.
- Use ⇧ Shift + ⌥ Option + F11 or ⇧ Shift + ⌥ Option + F12 to adjust the volume in smaller increments.
- Pressing the F10 key on your Mac will mute the audio completely.
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If you have a MacBook Pro with an OLED touch Bar, tap the Volume button on the right side to display the volume slider. Tap and drag the slider to adjust the volume.

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3
Click and drag the slider under the Volume button in the menu bar. Click on the speaker icon on the right side of the menu bar. Move the slider to the left to lower the volume or to the right to raise the volume.
- If you don’t see a speaker icon or sound options in the menu bar, turn on the setting in the System Preferences.
4

Raise or lower the volume of the Sound settings in System Preferences. Click the Apple logo in the top left corner, and select System Preferences . Choose the Sound option and select Output . Then, adjust the volume slider to change the volume levels.
5

Adjust the Sound slider in the Control Center. Click on the Control Center icon that looks like 2 sliders in the top right of the menu bar. Look for the Sound option and move the slider to make the volume quieter or louder. ^{[1]
X
Research source}

Section 2 of 3:

Enabling Volume Controls on the Menu Bar

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This can be found in the upper-left corner of the screen.
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If you don't see the Sound option, click the Show All button at the top of the window, or search for it. You’re able to adjust any input or output settings that you need to from here.
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After you select the box, the volume button appears in the top right of your menu bar, which looks like a speaker.

Section 3 of 3:

Troubleshooting Other Volume Issues on Mac

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1
Click on the correct output device if no sound is playing. Open the Sound options in the System Preferences. Under the Output devices, choose the speakers you want to hear the audio come from. ^{[2]
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- To quickly access the Output settings, press ⌥ Option as you click the Volume button in the menu bar.
- If you’re using Bluetooth speakers or headphones, make sure the device is turned on and connected in your Mac’s Bluetooth settings.
2
Adjust the Balance if you don’t hear sound out of one speaker. If the volume sounds louder through speakers on one side of your Mac, then the audio balance may have changed. ^{[3]
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- Click on the Apple logo in the top left and select System Preferences .
- Select Sound from the menu and choose Output .
- Move the Balance to the center position so the volume is level on both sides.
3
Check an application’s volume settings if a specific program is quiet. If you’re only having trouble hearing the sound coming from one application, open the program-specific settings and look for the sound options. Turn up the master volume if it’s too quiet, or lower it if it’s too loud.
- Some applications also let you choose which audio output device sound comes from, so make sure it’s set to the speakers you’re trying to use.
4
Reset your Mac’s Core Audio if other fixes aren’t working. The Core Audio driver controls all the sound that comes from your Mac, and resetting it can help quickly resolve any bugs in your system. ^{[4]
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Research source}
- Open the Terminal app.
- Type in “ sudo killall coreaudiod ” and press Enter.
- Enter your password if it’s required.
- Test your sound again after a few seconds.
5
Update your Mac if there’s one available. If you’re still having problems with your Mac’s volume, open System Preferences and click on Software Update. If there’s an update available for your computer, install it because it could potentially fix the issues you’re having with audio drivers and software.
- If there isn’t an update available, then try contacting Apple Support to see if they have any other ways to solve the issue.

Community Q&A

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Question

F10, F11 and F12 are not working, what should I do?

Community Answer

Go to volume preferences, and enable show volume in the menu bar. Go to your menu bar, and use the slider there.

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If you are using external speakers and are not hearing sound, make sure that they are properly connected and powered. If they have external volume controls, be sure to check them as well for the proper levels.

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How to Adjust the Volume on Your Mac

How to Change Mac Volume

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How to Adjust the Volume on a Mac

Enabling Volume Controls on the Menu Bar

Troubleshooting Other Volume Issues on Mac

Community Q&A

Video

Tips

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