Fix Windows’ clunky volume controls with this free app

If you’ve ever tried to change your volume in Windows and ended up clicking through a maze of menus, you know how clunky it feels. Something as simple as adjusting sound shouldn’t take that much effort, but somehow it still does. Enter EarTrumpet . It’s a free app that gives you full control over your PC’s audio, without the usual hassle. It replaces the basic Windows volume mixer with easy-to-use sound functions. Instead of one clunky slider, you get clean, separate controls for every app playing sound on your PC. So if your sweet ambient background music is too loud but the YouTube video on your browser is too quiet, you can fix it in seconds. No digging through settings or switching between each app or window to change the volume controls. EarTrumpet replaces the Windows volume mixer with a much easier to use audio hub. Jon Martindale / IDG EarTrumpet lives right in your system tray, just like the default audio icon, but offers way more control. You can switch audio outputs on the fly, move apps between audio devices, and see exactly what’s playing where. It’s an excellent, often essential tool for streamers. As a bonus, I pair it with SoundSwitch to effortlessly control all of my Windows audio. The app itself taps into Windows’ modern audio APIs, which means it’s fast, reliable, and plays nicely with the system instead of fighting it. And, unlike a lot of other Windows utility apps that look straight out of the Y2K era, the EarTrumpet developers invested in UI design so it actually looks good. If you use headphones, speakers, or juggle multiple apps at once, EarTrumpet just makes your life easier. Give it a try and never spend time hunting down that random auto-play video in one of your dozens of open tabs again. For more fun and helpful website and app recommendations, be sure to subscribe to our PCWorld Try This newsletter.