How to Use Volume Mixer in Windows 11

There might still be time for the Windows 11 public release, but the early birds have already got their hands on it as Insider Previews are already available. People might still be deciding their opinion of the OS, but almost everyone can agree on one thing when it comes to using Windows 11. There are a lot of changes users are in for, big and small.

Windows 11 touts a new look, and it’s definitely a fresh breeze of air. Everything in Windows 11 is designed to be user-friendly and easier to access. This is especially true for the new, redesigned Settings app and the Taskbar.

But there are also certain things people are going to miss. The Volume Mixer flyout, for instance. If you constantly use the Volume Mixer to manage volume for different apps separately, you might find it hard to adjust to the fact that there isn’t a flyout for it anymore.

The sound, battery, and Wi-Fi icons sort of act as a single unit when you hover over them.

Clicking them brings up a fresh new menu that houses the settings for Wi-Fi, sound, and battery, along with some other options. You can even access the audio-switcher by clicking the arrow next to the volume slider.

But there’s no option for accessing Volume Mixer in these settings. All it has is the option to go to Volume settings. But that’s a lot of clicks and it still won’t directly bring up Volume mixer.

And yet, the new design of the settings app still makes it easy to use in a couple of clicks. All you need to do is switch your clicks when trying to access it from the taskbar.

Accessing Volume Mixer from the Taskbar

To access the Volume Mixer, go to the right corner of your taskbar, and right-click the ‘Audio’ icon.

Then, select ‘Volume Mixer’ from the options that appear.

Windows 11 will open the volume mixer from the sound settings. The apps for which you can control the volume separately will be available. Control the volume for each app by changing the position of the slider.

You can also manually find the Volume Mixer from the Sound settings by opening the Settings app, but it’ll take a couple more clicks than accessing it from the Taskbar.

Adding Classic Volume Mixer to your Taskbar

There’s also a workaround for adding the Volume Mixer straight to your taskbar if you’re such a frequent user. Classic Volume Mixer used to be a fan favorite before Microsoft removed it from Windows 10. This workaround brings it back.

Go to the taskbar and click the ‘Search’ icon or use ‘Windows + R’ to open Run. Either will do fine.

Then, type ‘sndvol.exe’ and press the Enter key or run it from the suggestions.

The classic Volume Mixer will open.

Now, go to the taskbar and right-click the icon for the Volume Mixer app. Select ‘Pin to Taskbar’ from the options.

The Volume Mixer will be available from your Taskbar with just a single click now. But, of course, this workaround doesn’t add it to the system tray. It’ll be present at the center (or left, depending on your preference) of the taskbar along with the rest of your pinned apps.

Windows 11 might boast of a simple interface and user-friendly design, but it can still take some time to find your way around it. Now, it’s one less thing you have to worry about figuring out in Windows 11.