Sound problem

Question

Ever since I got this laptop, I noticed that the sound is very low. Especially when watching movies (Netflix, HBO, etc.) It's mostly okay while watching Youtube. I put it on the highest possible volume but it still very low.

Answer 1

Hi Ayala Or-el,
Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. I'm happy to help.

It seems your computer were playing surround sound codec from streaming platform while your system is currently configured as stereo output.

Some movies support both surround sound and stereo as separate audio tracks, please do troubleshoot by changing audio track to a stereo one to see if you get louder sound.

If you have any updates, please feel free to let me know.

Thank you for your time.

Answer 2

Sound on laptops is not very loud usually, and if you have your sound set to 100% and it is still not loud, you may not be able to increase the loudness on your laptop.

Open the old Control Panel.

Set view at the top of the old Control Panel to large icons.

Open the Sound applet.

On the resulting utility, select your speakers and click Properties.

Is there any enhancements available on your audio playback tabs.

If not, go to the support page for your laptop on the manufacturers website to download and manually re-install (not update) the version of HD Audio drivers they provide.

Answer 3

Try these checks and adjustments to improve the low volume when watching movies and streaming apps:

1. Check Windows volume and app volumes
   • On the taskbar, select and hold (right‑click) the Speakers icon.
   • Open the Volume mixer (Windows 10) or More mixer settings (Windows 11).
   • Make sure:
     • The main Speakers slider is at or near 100.
     • The sliders for the specific apps (Netflix, HBO, browser, etc.) are not turned down or muted.
2. Verify the correct output device and that it’s enabled
   • Go to Start > Settings > System > Sound.
   • Under Output, select your laptop speakers or the device you actually use.
   • Open Device properties (Windows 10) or More sound settings → Playback tab (Windows 11/10), select your device → Properties.
   • Ensure the device is enabled (Device usage = Use this device (enable), or Disable checkbox is not selected).
3. Check all hardware and accessory volume controls
   • If using headphones, external speakers, or a soundbar, turn up volume on the device itself.
   • Make sure nothing is muted on:
     • The laptop’s physical volume buttons.
     • The keyboard volume keys.
     • The external speakers/headset.
   • If multiple jacks/USB ports are available, try another port and confirm cables are fully plugged in.
4. Turn off audio enhancements Audio “enhancements” can sometimes reduce perceived volume.
   • Windows 11:
     • Start > Settings > Sound.
     • Select your output device.
     • Under Advanced settings, set Audio enhancements to Off.
   • Windows 10:
     • Open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound.
     • On Playback tab, right‑click your default device → Properties.
     • On Enhancements tab, select Disable all enhancements (or Disable all sound effects) → OK.
5. Set the correct default audio device
   • If you have HDMI monitors, USB headsets, or other audio devices:
     • Windows 11: Start > Settings > System > Sound, under Output choose your laptop speakers as the device (this also sets it as default).
     • Windows 10: Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound, on Playback tab right‑click your speakers → Set as Default Device → OK.
6. Adjust volume in each app
   • Many streaming apps (Netflix, HBO, etc.) have their own volume slider inside the player.
   • Set the in‑app volume to maximum, then control loudness with Windows/system volume.
7. Run the audio troubleshooter
   • Windows 11:
     • Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
     • Under Audio, select Run.
   • Windows 10:
     • Start > Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
     • Select Playing audio → Run the troubleshooter.
8. If still too quiet across all apps
   • On some devices the physical speakers are limited. If everything above is correct and volume is still low, consider using external speakers or headphones that have their own amplification.

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References:

• Fix sound or audio problems in Windows
• Troubleshoot Surface sound and audio accessories
• The volume of the incoming audio is low