How to make your laptop louder

Laptop speakers are small, so they run out of volume quickly — especially with quiet videos and calls. Work through these steps in order; most people find the fix in the first three.

On Windows

1. Pick the right output. Click the speaker icon in the taskbar and check which device is selected. HDMI monitors and Bluetooth devices often take over without you noticing.
2. Open the Volume mixer (right-click the speaker icon) and make sure the app you're using — Chrome, for example — is at 100%.
3. Turn on Loudness Equalization if your audio driver offers it: Settings → System → Sound → your speakers → Properties, then look for “Enhance audio” or the Enhancements tab in the older Sound control panel. It lifts quiet sounds without letting loud ones get painful.
4. Update your audio driver from your laptop maker's support site. Manufacturer drivers often include their own volume and speaker-tuning apps.
5. Run the troubleshooter: Settings → System → Sound → Troubleshoot common sound problems.

On a Mac

1. Open System Settings → Sound and check the output device and its volume slider.
2. If you use Bluetooth headphones, check their own volume too — they have a separate level.
3. macOS has no built-in boost above 100%, so for browser audio, use a volume booster (below).

Go beyond 100% for browser audio

Most of what we listen to on a laptop plays in the browser: YouTube, streaming sites, Google Meet, podcasts. The SoundBooster Chrome extension amplifies any tab up to 600% with a limiter, so quiet audio gets much louder without crackling. It works the same on Windows, Mac and ChromeOS.

For audio files, the free Audio Normalizer raises a file to a target loudness and saves a louder copy.

Clean your speakers

Dust in the speaker grilles really does muffle sound. With the laptop off, brush the grilles gently with a soft, dry brush. Avoid compressed air at close range, which can damage small speaker cones.