system sound

Hi Sharan G,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A.

I understand how inconvenient it can be when you're trying to mute one app while using another, especially if you're multitasking or working in a quiet environment. To best assist you, could you please tell me which applications you are trying to separate sounds from, as well as your Windows version? It could help me provide a more specific answer, and possibly figure out the issue (if anything is running wrong).

While waiting for the answer, I can share some viable options if you are on later versions of Windows (e.g. W11). They do provide a way to control sound per application, though it’s not always obvious at first glance:

1 - Use Volume Mixer

• Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar > Open Volume Mixer
  • Or go to Settings > System > Sound > Advanced > Volume Mixer
• You’ll see a list of all currently running apps that are producing sound.
• Find the app you want to mute > drag the slider to zero or click the mute icon.

Please note that the app must be actively playing sound to appear in the volume mixer. If it’s silent, it may not show up until it starts producing audio.

2 - Use third-party tools (optional)

If you need more control like automatic muting based on app focus, you can try third-party tools like EarTrumpet (from the Microsoft Store) or Audio Switcher.

Disclaimer: Check carefully before downloading any third-party applications. Microsoft is not responsible for the information you received from those sites.

I hope the answer above helps your situation. Let me know if you need more help and consider sharing the specific apps you want to mute and the version of your Windows. Thanks for your time!

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Hi, I am an Independent Advisor, and welcome to Microsoft Q&A.

I understand you cannot mute an app when you use another application.

Have you tried using the Volume Mixer?

Right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar (bottom right).

Click "Open Volume Mixer".

• In Windows 11, this may take you to the Settings → System → Sound → Volume Mixer page.
• Choose the application you need to mute.