MixBar / Guides / Per-app volume
Step-by-step

How to control volume per app on Mac

Lower Spotify without lowering FaceTime. Mute a notification-heavy app without muting a video. Here is the practical way to give active Mac applications independent controls.

Updated October 15, 20265 minute readmacOS 14.2+

Why the normal volume keys are not enough

The keyboard volume keys and Control Center change the Mac’s complete output. Some apps have their own sliders, but they live in different places and many background sounds do not expose one. A per-app mixer puts currently active sources in one panel.

Set independent app volume with MixBar

  1. Install MixBar in the Applications folder and open it from the menu bar.
  2. Start audio in the applications you want to balance.
  3. Choose Enable Audio in MixBar and approve Apple’s System Audio Recording permission.
  4. Move the slider beside an application. The other applications keep their existing levels.
  5. Use the app’s mute button when you want silence without changing its saved volume.
Example mixKeep FaceTime at 80%, Music at 25%, and Slack muted. The Mac’s master volume can still raise or lower the complete mix afterward.

Make the balance persistent

MixBar saves app settings by bundle identifier. When the same app starts again, its volume, mute state, custom name, and EQ can return automatically. Helper processes are grouped under their owning application, while advanced controls remain available when you expand the group.

Adjust tone, not only loudness

A source can be the right volume and still feel harsh, muddy, or thin. MixBar adds Bass, Mid, and Treble controls from −12 dB to +12 dB for each app and detected subprocess. Keep changes modest at first: lower the band that bothers you before boosting another one.

If an app does not appear

  • Confirm the app is actively producing audio; silent apps may not expose an active source.
  • Open macOS System Settings → Privacy & Security → System Audio Recording and confirm MixBar is enabled.
  • Quit and reopen the source app after granting permission.
  • Use MixBar’s refresh action after sleep or after connecting a new audio device.
  • Remember that protected or unusual audio paths may remain on the app’s normal output.

What happens when you change headphones or speakers?

MixBar can switch the macOS output between built-in speakers, displays, wired headphones, Bluetooth, and AirPlay. Wireless paths may have latency, so MixBar applies route-aware handling while preserving each app’s relative level.

Build the mix once. Let MixBar remember it.

Per-app volume, mute, EQ, saved settings, and automation are included in one $21 purchase.

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