On Windows 11, you can now enable an early preview of the new Volume Mixer interface to control the system and app’s volume, and here’s how on build 25281 or higher releases available in the Dev Channel.
You can access the new Volume Mixer from the Taskbar’s System Tray to quickly switch audio outputs, control individual app volumes, and enable additional features like Spatial Audio. You will still be required to perform a few more clicks, but you will no longer have to open the Settings app to change the app’s volume individually.
Although this is a welcome addition, it doesn’t seem to be something completely original since the new Volume Mixer looks very similar to EarTrumpet, a third-party app that has been around for multiple years to offer the same volume control experience. The app was created by Former Microsoft engineer Dave Amenta and Microsoft MVP Rafael Rivera, and they pointed out the similarities on Twitter saying “oh snap. Microsoft is catching up to EarTrumpet.”
The feature hasn’t officially been announced yet, instead, it’s one of the hidden items available on Windows 11 build 25281 (via @PhantomOcean3). If you want to get hands-on with the new volume controls, you can use a third-party tool known as “ViVeTool” created by Rafael Rivera and Lucas on GitHub to enable the new experience on your computer.
This guide will teach you the steps to enable the Volume Mixer on Windows 11.
Enable new Volume Mixer on Windows 11
To enable the new “Volume Mixer” interface on Windows 11, use these steps:
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Download the ViveTool-vx.x.x.zip file to enable the new Volume Mixer.
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Double-click the zip folder to open it with File Explorer.
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Click the Extract all button.
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Click the Extract button.
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Copy the path to the folder.
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Open Start.
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Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
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Type the following command to navigate to the ViveTool folder and press Enter:
cd c:\folder\path\ViveTool-v0.3.1
In the command, change the path to the folder with your path.
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Type the following command to enable the new “Volume Mixer” interface on Windows 11 and press Enter:
Vivetool /enable /id:42106010
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Restart the computer.
Once you complete the steps, you can access the Volume Mixer by clicking the sound icon in the System Tray and clicking the button next to the Sound slider.
If you don’t have Windows 11 build 25281, you need to enroll in the Dev Channel using the “Windows Insider Program” settings from the “Windows Update” section. Once you enroll the device in the program, you can download build 25151 from the “Windows Update” settings by clicking the “Check for Updates” button, and then you can follow the steps outlined above.
If you change your mind, you can revert the changes with the same instructions, but in step 10, make sure to use the vivetool /disable /id:42106010 command and then restart the device.
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. Email him at [email protected].