How to normalize sound volume on Windows 10

Annoyed by loud commercials while watching TV shows online or listen to music at different sound volume levels? Then use this guide to normalize the sound volume on Windows 10.

Normalize sound volume on Windows 10
Normalize sound volume on Windows 10
  • To normalize sound on Windows 10, open Settings > System > Sound > Sound Control Panel > Playback, choose the speaker, click “Properties,” open the “Enhancements” tab, check “Loudness Equalization,” click “Apply” and “OK.”
  • This feature is available on most devices, but not every sound device supports it.

UPDATED 11/17/2023: On Windows 10, when you have to constantly adjust the speakers’ volume while watching videos or streaming music, it can quickly get annoying. If you have ever tried to stream shows online from content providers, you probably noticed that commercials are played louder than the show. The same is true with music collections (depending on how you got those songs), as some tracks may play at different sound volume levels.

If you are dealing with different sound levels for contents, you can quickly normalize the audio on Windows 10 to have a consistent sound volume level across applications and web browsers when watching shows online or listening to music.

In this guide, I will teach you the steps to enable “Loudness Equalization” to normalize the output sound on Windows 10.

Normalize volume sound using Loudness Equalization

To change the sound settings to normalize volume on Windows 10, use these steps:

  1. Open Settings on Windows 10.

  2. Click on System.

  3. Click on Sound.

  4. Under the “Related Settings” section, click the “Sound Control Panel” option.

    Sound settings on Windows 10

  5. Click on the Playback tab.

  6. Select the speaker currently set as the default (the green check mark).

  7. Click the Properties button on the bottom right.

    Windows 10 Sound properties

  8. Click on the Enhancements tab.

  9. Check the Loudness Equalization option.

    Loudness Equalization option

  10. Click the Apply button.

  11. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, you should now be able to watch shows online or listen to music with a consistent volume level. In addition, you can also use the Loudness Equalization option on Windows 10 to boost sound volume, even when you max it out and you’re still hearing things too low. As you probably noticed, this option “reduces perceived volume differences,” which makes quiet and loud sounds easier to hear. 

Usually, most media applications include a “loudness equalization” or “volume normalization” feature. However, Windows 10, similar to older versions, features an option to normalize volume for the entire system. 

While this feature is available on most devices, not every sound driver supports the enhancement options.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 14 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.