Windows Volume Control is a program in Windows which lets you manage the sound devices installed in Windows. Windows Volume control has has always been a very simple tool that lets you manage the sound volume high or low, select the default sound device and very simple mixing settings. Windows 7 introduced a tweaked version of Windows Volume control which added a per program sound control. This means that now you can adjust the volume of each program, mute the ones that you don’t want while adjust the volume of the others.
Let me share some Windows volume control alternatives which are free and offer some advanced customization and functionality like advanced hotkey control, skinning the user interface, command line support etc.
Volume2
Volume2 is the best amongst all the volume control programs. It offers some advanced features. It includes 30+ skins which can be masked on the default Windows volume control. An On Screen Display (OSD) feature is also available which can show an on screen volume change visual when the volume levels are being adjusted. See the screenshot below.
Other notable features of Volume2 include the following:
- Volume and mute notifications.
- Hotkeys can be used for several different functions including controlling the volume, brightness, balance the channels etc.
- Triggers can be set to adjust the volume accordingly.
- Screen edges can be used for adjusting the volume.
- Command line support is also available in Volume2.
Volumouse
Volumouse is an advanced customizable and easily configurable tool for the basic Windows Volume Control, Volumouse is for you. Volumouse lets you control the computer volume through the keyboard or even your mouse wheel. You can adjust the settings such that Volumouse will activate the hotkey or mouse scroller only in specific conditions or events.
3RVX
3RVX is rather an on screen display tool for Windows which brings many exciting skins to the Windows Volume Control. Usually if no other volume OSD software is installed, you will only be able to see the volume animation in the system tray. 3RVX will bring the animation right in the center of your desktop allowing you to see exactly how much volume is being adjusted.
You can also choose a hotkey for each volume function like mute, volume up and volume down. You can choose the hotkey in two ways, one using only the keyboard and two using a keyboard key and the mouse.
Which is your favorite program to manage volume controls in Windows?
