The Windows operating system comes with plenty of bizarre errors. Some are easier to diagnose, while others seem almost impossible. One such error is the one where your volume gets controlled automatically. You might see your volume mixer raise or decrease the volume in such scenarios.
There’s a possibility that the volume mixer is fine, but you’re not able to listen clearly. There are many reasons for such errors, like using a third-party program. You could be using an app that overshadows others or Skype and Discord settings.
All that sounds confusing when you read it like that. That’s why we have created this guide. Forget the confusion. This simple guide will help you diagnose and fix various issues. So, if you have trouble with the automatic ups and downs of the volume, let’s begin!
Solutions To Fix Windows 10 Lowers Volume Automatically
- The Automatic Volume Adjustment Feature
- Time To Check Enhancement Tab
- Run The Audio Troubleshooter
- The Audio Driver Settings
- Uninstall Drivers From Device Manager Window
- Reset To The Basic Drivers
- Disable The Dolby Digital Plus
- Third-Party App Issues
Fix Volume Automatically Goes Up And Down In Windows 10
Before we get down to the in-depth solutions, it is good to try a checklist. This checklist will help you diagnose the issue better. You might have already tried these. But, it is our duty to make sure that you’re thorough in your attempts.
That’s how you will find the best solution. So, let’s have a look:
- Unplug and disconnect all the audio devices. Then reconnect them.
- Make sure that you have the correct audio device selected.
- See if your device has a manual volume controller. Make sure that it is not hindering your volume.
- Ensure that the in-game, in-app, or input device has full volume. That you’re not controlling them.
- If you have a Game Controller or Mouse attached, they might have an extra key for volume controls. See if you’re not using it by mistake. Make sure that you didn’t enable any such feature for them, either.
- Check the jack and the cable (wire) of your audio device. Sometimes, the problem is physical.
- Make sure that the device hasn’t sustained any damage, either.
- Does your Keyboard have the media control keys? For example, the volume keys. If there are, check and disable them. Make sure that they are not stuck.
- Try uninstalling/reinstalling the app, which causes the automatic up and down the issue.
- Check the volume mixer for the app and device. Make sure that it isn’t causing the problem.
Once you follow through with these options, you will have a complete checklist. Now, you can move through the solutions given below. These will help you make things easier:
1. The Automatic Volume Adjustment Feature
The latest Windows OS comes with a feature that allows it to adjust the volume automatically. This feature specifically works if you receive a phone call on the PC. In other words, if you’re using a VoIP (voice over internet protocol) service, you will come across this. You can disable this feature because it also works with apps like Discord and such.
In these cases, you will find that the Volume of your PC has reduced significantly. The settings vary from decreasing any percentage (1-100%). So, you can fix it by following these steps:
- The quickest way for you is to launch the Run program. Press Windows Key + R key together on your keyboard.
- Once the Run dialogue appears, type: mmsys.cpl and press the Enter button (or click on OK).
- This will open Sound controls for you. Now, go to the Communications tab.
- There, you will see a feature, ‘When Windows detects communication activity.’ As you can see, there is an option to reduce sound or do nothing.
- Make sure to click on the ‘Do Nothing’ option. Then apply the changes and save them.
This should fix the error. But, if you already had ‘Do nothing’ selected, you might want to check other solutions.
2. Time To Check Enhancement Tab
The Enhancement Tab option is available only for users using an audio device. It won’t work for Laptop’s built-in speakers. The enhancement tab helps you configure sound settings. You can boost the bass, add an equalizer, and much more. But, the same settings can also cause the problem.
So, if you’re running into the volume error, it is worth checking out:
- Once again, launch the Sound Control Panel by using the run command.
- Keep yourself to the ‘Playback’ tab. Find the currently active devices. It can be the speaker or a headphone.
- Once you find them, right-click on them and select Properties.
- In the new properties window, you will find the ‘Enhancement tab.’ Click on it and see if you have any enhancement active. If not, then make sure to check on ‘disable all enhancements.’
- Make sure to apply the settings and press OK to save them.
You can reboot the PC once to see if this solves the issue. Some headphones or audio devices also come with the ‘immediate mode’ option. It is usually in the same Enhancement tab. So, make sure to uncheck and disable it as well.
3. Run The Audio Troubleshooter
If none of the solutions were viable for you, it is time to carry out a diagnosis. Windows 10 comes with troubleshooters for almost everything. These can help you diagnose and fix the problem automatically. So, it is worth checking out:
- Go to the Windows Search Bar in the Start Menu and find the Control Panel.
- You will have a Search Bar in the Control Panel on the top-right side. Search for: Troubleshooting.
- Click on it and select the ‘View All’ option from the left side of the Troubleshooting window.
- You will get a new list of troubleshooters. Find the ‘Playing Audio’ and ‘Recording Audio’ options. Right-click on them and select ‘Run As Administrator.’ This will take care of any other problem with permission that might appear.
- A new troubleshooting wizard will pop up. See that at the bottom. You will have the ‘Advanced’ option. Click on it. This will activate the automatic repair sequence, as well.
- Now, all you need to do is go through the Troubleshooter by clicking Next. Let it find and fix any problem. If it fails to do so, then move to the other solutions.
Troubleshooters are great and could fix most issues. So, before moving to the next solution, give it a try.
4. The Audio Driver Settings
If the above-three solutions failed to solve the issue, then here is the master of all. Every hardware on your system has a correlating driver. The driver helps with Windows 10 communicating with the hardware. So, if you have a corrupted driver, Windows 10 won’t work with it. The hardware won’t work either.
Similarly, having outdated or too advanced drivers can also cause various issues. So, it is worth checking out. If you’re having a problem with the automatic volume up and down, try these steps:
- First, run the Device Manager. You can find it in the Windows Search (Start Menu). You can also use ‘Run’ and type: devmgmt.msc. Both will lead you to Device Manager.
- Next, find the Sound, Video, and Game Controllers. Expand on it. The Sound Drivers will have a speaker icon on the left side of the name.
- Go ahead and right-click on them and select Properties. This will open a new Device Window.
- Go to the ‘Driver’ tab. You will come across various options like Disable, Update, Uninstall, Details.
This is where things get interesting because there is a lot you can do with the drivers. Here is a step by step guide to help you out:
- First, Uninstall all the drivers that are not in use anymore. These are related to the audio devices you used once upon a time, but not anymore. So, clear out the drivers.
- Next, try to use the ‘Enable/Disable’ function. Do this for all the audio devices (and drivers) that are currently active. Before you move to other steps, see if this solves the issue.
- If that doesn’t solve the issue, it is time to update the drivers. In the same Drivers Tab, you will see an Update Driver option. If it is grey, then updates are not available. But, if it is available for you to click, check it out.
- Make sure to select the ‘Search For The Updates Automatically’ option. You need to have an active internet connection for this to work.
- Once the drivers are updated, restart your PC and see if this solves the issue. You can also update other drivers.
5. Uninstall Drivers From Device Manager Window
There are too many solutions available from the device manager. That’s why we decided to split the steps and diagnosis into other sections. If the above-given driver solution didn’t work for you, try these:
- Relaunch the Device Manager and go to the respective Audio Driver.
- Right-click on it, select ‘Uninstall Device.’ If the option isn’t available there, go to properties > driver tab. You will find the option there.
Why uninstall the driver? Because there’s a possibility that it is corrupted. The corruption is preventing the drivers from getting used correctly. So, you might want to reinstall the driver.
How do you reinstall the driver? Well, you use the same method you did the first time:
- Restart your PC and reconnect the Audio device. See if this automatically installs the driver.
- If not, open the Device Manager and go to the top-left corner. You will have the ‘Scan For Hardware Changes’ option. Click on it. This will download the respective drivers.
- If none of these worked, you could use the internet to find the driver for your device. Download them and use them.
6. Reset To The Basic Drivers
Windows 10 itself comes with the basic HD audio drivers for your ease. If you are confused and none of the above-given solutions worked, this one’s worth a try. You can first try to uninstall all the audio drivers available on your PC. After that, you can repeat the step with the Realtek Drivers. Why the Realtek drivers? Because the issue is quite frequent in their drivers.
After that, you will reboot your PC. Then follow these steps:
- Once again, launch the Device Manager and go to the Sound, Video, And Game Controllers. Expand the list and see if you can find any installed drivers. This is the automatic one that Windows has.
- Right-click on it and select the Update Driver. You can also do this for any audio driver causing the issue.
- Instead of the automatic option, select ‘Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.’
- Next, you will have to click on ‘Show compatible drivers’ while you’re searching for the drivers.
- Windows will most likely show you ‘High Definition Audio Device’ select it and click Next.
- If you get any prompt, click Yes and let Windows install it.
After that, reboot your PC and see if this solves the issue. It is one of the best methods available for users.
7. Disable The Dolby Digital Plus
Many Windows 10 users find Realtek and Dolby Digital Plus as two of the extra components that they get. The Dolby Digital Plus is an app and a feature you can download for Windows. Yes, it is pretty effective and can enhance sound quality.
But, there have been instances reported by the users that it can cause the problem. Similarly, it would be a good idea to check it out. There’s a feature known as Volume Leveler.
It causes the volume to change automatically. Typically, it would’ve been better to disable the feature, but that’s not available. You will have to disable the entire Dolby Digital Plus.
Follow these steps:
- Once again, it is time for you to launch the Sound Control Panel. Go to Run > Type:
mmsys.cpl> Hit enter. - Go to the current Playback Device and click on the Properties for it.
- If you have Dolby Digital Plus, there will be a new tab. Go to that tab and click on the power button. This should shut it down.
- Now go ahead and reboot the PC.
8. Third-Party App Issues
There are plenty of third-party apps that you use all the time on your Windows PC. There’s Skype, Discord, Games that you play, Steam. Even if you use VLC Media player or something similar, that’s a third-party app.
All these apps will use your PC and take control of the audio. After all, they have built-in volume and sound commands. So you might have to check for the automated features in each one. Make sure that the problem isn’t on your end.
Here’s one example of Discord with Attenuation feature that often causes problems:
- Launch the Discord app if you have it. In the bottom right corner, you will see a Settings button next to your name. Click on it and find the Voice and Video settings in the list.
- See if you can find the Attenuation option and a slider for it. Make sure to turn down the Attenuation dialer to 0.
- Once done, save the settings and see if this fixes the issue.
There are many other similar built-in features. Like Discord allows you to control the sound of each person individually in a call. So, make sure to check these options, as well.
- If you’re using a VLC Media player or something else, check for the built-in volume tool.
- Check the Volume Mixer on your Windows if you witness Lower Volume only on specific apps. For instance, your Volume Mixer might have low volume for Chrome. That will lead to anything you play on Chrome having a lower volume. But if you have a high volume set for another browser or app, that app will perform higher. This is one of the leading causes and is worth checking.
Most third-party apps, from recording ones to equalizers, are responsible for the error. So, it is worth diagnosing them and checking them out.
Conclusion – How To Fix Volume On Windows 10?
If nothing has worked so far, it could be a malware attempt. It would be worth it if you decided to scan for virus threats. Your Windows 10 comes with Virus & Threat protection. See if that helps you ease the situation.
You can also check for Windows 10 updates, app updates, and such. Those could be the cause of the problem. It’s a rare occurrence, but still probably.
Either way, we hope you found the solutions you were looking for. It is often confusing to find some of the most viable solutions. That’s why we created this list for you.
So, go ahead and enjoy your audio devices and receive uninterruptible entertainment.
