9 ways to turn the Windows volume up or down

Are you wondering how to increase the volume on your laptop, desktop computer, or tablet in Windows 10 or Windows 11? Or perhaps you want to know how to turn the volume up on a computer with your keyboard, so you’re looking for the sound volume shortcut key on your PC? The volume control in Windows 10 and Windows 11 is an essential feature, regardless of the device you’re using. That is why Microsoft offers several built-in ways to control the sound volume in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Read this guide to find out all about the different methods available, including the popular Windows Volume Mixer and keyboard volume control:

Contents

1. 1. Use the keyboard volume control on your PC or laptop
2. 2. Use the system tray volume control in Windows 10 and Windows 11
3. 3. Use the volume control on your speakers
4. 4. Use the new Windows 11 Volume Mixer
5. 5. Use the classic Volume Mixer in Windows 10 and Windows 11
6. 6. Create or download a Volume or a Volume Mixer shortcut for Windows 10 and Windows 11
7. 7. Adjust the volume from the Settings app in Windows 10 or Windows 11
8. 8. Use the volume buttons on your tablet
9. 9. Use the volume controls on your monitor
10. Which method do you prefer?

1. Use the keyboard volume control on your PC or laptop

If you’re looking for a keyboard shortcut for volume, Windows laptops have multimedia keys for controlling the sound. However, to use them, you have to press-and-hold the Fn key on the keyboard and then the key for the action you want to perform. Just check your laptop’s keyboard for any F keys (on the top row) with a speaker icon next to them. For instance, you might have to simultaneously press the Fn + F8 keys to increase the laptop volume on the keyboard shown below. To turn down the volume, press the Fn + F7 keys at the same time. The mute volume keyboard shortcut is Fn + F6.

How to turn the volume up on a laptop with the keyboard, as well as lower or mute the sound

NOTE: The keys you have to press to control the volume are different for every laptop, so study your keyboard carefully or read the user manual for your Windows laptop.

Desktop keyboards may use a similar combination of keys or have dedicated multimedia keys, like the HyperX Alloy Elite RGB keyboard in the image below. This keyboard and others like it have a volume wheel, shown on the right. Rotate it up or down, depending on how you want to adjust the volume. Use the button to its left to mute the sound if you need complete silence as fast as possible.

Use a slider for keyboard volume control in Windows

Other desktop keyboards may have separate multimedia keys to increase or lower the volume, like the one below.

Windows volume shortcut keys

The keys you need to press to turn the volume up or down are different for every keyboard. Get familiar with yours to find the keys for controlling the sound volume.

2. Use the system tray volume control in Windows 10 and Windows 11

While the system tray changes names based on the operating system you’re using (Notification area in Windows 10 or taskbar corner in Windows 11), it always includes a speaker icon that helps you control the volume.

In Windows 11, clicking or tapping on the speaker icon (or on the adjacent network or battery icons) launches the Quick Settings, which include a Volume slider at the bottom.

Open Quick Settings to access the volume control in Windows 11

Click or tap anywhere on the slider bar or drag the slider to change the volume. Alternatively, you can also hover the mouse over the slider bar while scrolling the mouse wheel to adjust the Windows 11 volume.

Use the slider for the Windows 11 volume control

If you’re using Windows 10, click or tap the speaker icon in the notification area to reveal a volume slider on top of it. The instructions for moving the slider are pretty similar: you can click or tap anywhere on the bar or drag the slider button to the desired position. However, you don’t have to hover over the slider when scrolling. As long as the slider is shown on your screen, you can move the mouse anywhere, and scrolling adjusts the Windows 10 volume.

The Windows 10 volume control slider

In both cases, clicking or tapping on the speaker icon next to the slider mutes or unmutes the sound on your device.

3. Use the volume control on your speakers

If you connect stereo speakers to your Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer, you can use their volume button to adjust the sound intensity.

The volume button on Logitech multimedia speakers

If you connect a Bluetooth speaker, like Sony SRS-X11, to your Windows laptop or tablet, use the volume keys on it to control the sound volume.

The volume buttons on Sony SRS-X11

4. Use the new Windows 11 Volume Mixer

Windows 11 introduces a new Volume Mixer, integrated with the Settings app, under System > Sound > Volume mixer. Opening it reveals a volume slider that controls the sound on your device.

The Windows 11 Volume Mixer

You can learn everything about it from our guide on the Windows 11 Volume Mixer.

5. Use the classic Volume Mixer in Windows 10 and Windows 11

The classic Volume Mixer in Windows 10 and Windows 11 allows users to change the audio volume for the entire system or only for certain apps. To access it, open the Control Panel, and go to Hardware and Sound. Then, in the Sound section, click or tap the “Adjust system volume” link.

Access Adjust system volume for the Volume Mixer window

Use the Volume Mixer window that pops up to set the desired sound level for the speakers, system sounds, or any open Windows apps.

The classic Volume Mixer in Windows 10 and Windows 11

TIP: In Windows 10, you could also easily access the Volume Mixer by right-clicking or pressing-and-holding on the speaker icon in the system tray (shown in the second section of this guide) and then clicking or tapping on the “Open Volume mixer” option. If you need an easier way to access this timeless feature in Windows 11, check out our guide on accessing the old Volume Mixer in Windows 11.

6. Create or download a Volume or a Volume Mixer shortcut for Windows 10 and Windows 11

You can get shortcuts for both Volume and the Volume Mixer on your desktop and use them to control the volume in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Shortcuts for Volume and Volume Mixer for Windows 10 and Windows 11

Learn how to create your own shortcuts or download the ones we made for you by reading this guide.

7. Adjust the volume from the Settings app in Windows 10 or Windows 11

You can also use the Settings app for volume control in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

If you’re running Windows 11, open Settings and then click or tap on Sound in the System tab.

The Sound section takes you to the Windows 11 volume control included in Settings

Alternatively, you can also right-click or press-and-hold on the speaker icon from the system tray and then access Sound settings.

Access the Sound settings from the system tray

Use the slider in the Sound section to control the volume in Windows 11.

The volume control slider inside the Windows 11 Settings

On Windows 10, launch the Settings app and open Ease of Access.

Go to Ease of Access in the Windows 10 Settings

Access the Audio tab from the left column, and on the right, use the slider under “Make your device easier to hear” to turn the volume up or down.

Use the Change device volume slider to control the sound in Windows 10

8. Use the volume buttons on your tablet

If you have a tablet with Windows 10 or Windows 11, like the Surface Pro, you can find physical buttons for changing the volume on the edges of the device (check the tablet’s manual if you’re not sure where they are). You can then use the available buttons to change the sound volume on your tablet to the level you desire.

The Volume button on a Surface Pro

TIP: If you often come across annoying websites that play sound or videos automatically, you can also check out our guide on muting a tab in Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera.

9. Use the volume controls on your monitor

Last but not least, your computer monitor might also have volume controls available in its menus. The most common situations when you need to adjust the volume from your monitor’s menus are these:

• You’re using a monitor with built-in speakers
• You connected your external speakers to the audio jack on your display, and the sound output is delivered via HDMI or DisplayPort

In both cases, you can turn the volume up or down by entering your screen’s menu. Usually, you can do that by pressing the Menu button on the monitor or the joystick on it, if it has one. Then, navigate through the menus until you find a setting called Sound or Audio. Note that, depending on your monitor’s make and model, you might have to delve deeper into its menus to find them. For example, on an ASUS ROG Strix XG32VQ display that we’re using, the Volume setting is found inside the System Setup > Sound menu.

Turn the volume up or down from your monitor's menus

Once you’ve found the sound settings, all that remains for you to do is use your monitor’s arrow buttons or the joystick to increase or decrease the volume.

Which method do you prefer?

We recommend trying all the methods in this guide to choose the one that works best for you. Before closing this tutorial, comment below and tell us which way to control the volume in Windows 11 and Windows 10 you prefer. Do you like changing the volume using the keyboard? If not, do you prefer the speaker icon or the Volume Mixer? Tell us your favorite method in the comments section.