Why the Mac volume keys are not enough
The volume keys on a Mac change the level for the current system output. That works when every app should get louder or quieter together, but it does not solve the common case where one app is too loud and another is too quiet.
VolumeDirector adds the missing per-app layer. It lists apps that are producing audio and gives each one its own volume and mute controls while leaving the Mac’s normal master volume available.
Set a different volume for each app
- 1
Install and open VolumeDirector, then choose its icon in the macOS menu bar.
- 2
Approve System Audio Recording access when macOS asks. The permission allows audio adjustment; VolumeDirector does not record or save audio.
- 3
Start playback in the app you want to control so it appears in the list.
- 4
Move that app’s slider or choose its mute button. Other apps and the system volume stay at their existing levels.
A few useful details
- Pin an important app if you want it to remain easy to find when it is quiet.
- VolumeDirector controls an app, not an individual browser tab or window.
- The current release adjusts from silence to the app’s normal maximum; it does not boost audio beyond 100 percent.
- VolumeDirector requires an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS 15 or later.