Guide · Sound

How to make a video louder than 100% in Chrome or Edge

Some videos are mixed so quietly that full volume still isn't enough, especially on laptop speakers. Your browser can't go past 100% on its own, but there are a few ways to get more out of it.

First, check the obvious volume controls

There are usually three separate volume levels between a video and your ears, and any of them can be the one holding things back:

1. The player on the page. YouTube and most video sites have their own volume slider, separate from your computer's. Make sure it's all the way up.
2. The browser itself. On Windows, right-click the speaker icon in the taskbar, open the Volume mixer, and check that Chrome or Edge isn't turned down there. Browsers sometimes get set lower than other apps and stay that way.
3. Your computer's main volume. On a Mac, also check System Settings → Sound, and that the right output (speakers or headphones) is selected.

If all three are at the top and the video is still too quiet, the audio itself is quiet. That's when you need a boost.

Why browsers stop at 100%

The volume control in a web page can only turn sound down, never above the level it was recorded at. To go louder, something has to amplify the audio before it reaches your speakers. Browsers have a built-in audio engine that can do this, but there's no setting for it, so it takes an extension.

Boost a website above 100% with Quiet Volume Booster

Quiet Volume Booster is our free extension for exactly this. It amplifies audio and video on any normal website up to 600%, and remembers the level for each site.

1. Install Quiet Volume Booster and pin it to your toolbar.
2. Open the page with the quiet video and start playing it.
3. Click the Volume Booster icon and press 200%, or drag the slider until it sounds right.
4. The browser asks once for access to that site, so the level can come back next time. Allow it, and that site stays at your level on every visit.

A few things that help:

• Start at 200% and go up slowly. A built-in limiter keeps big boosts from crackling, but very large boosts on small speakers can still sound harsh.
• Use the keyboard. Alt+Shift+Up and Alt+Shift+Down turn the current site up or down without opening the popup.
• It works the other way too. If a site is always too loud, set it to 50% and it stays quieter than everything else.
• Every website (optional). Turn this on if you want your levels applied everywhere without opening the popup first.

Quiet Volume Booster

Free. Boost up to 600%, or turn loud sites down. Remembers each site. No ads, no tracking. Optional Pro upgrade ($4.99 one-time) adds equalizer presets, mono for one earbud and quiet hours.

Coming soon to Microsoft Edge and Chrome. Email us to hear when it's out.

When a boost won't work

• Browser and store pages (like settings pages or the extension stores) can't be changed by any extension.
• Some sites stream audio from a separate server in a way browsers don't let extensions touch. The popup tells you when this happens; the site's own volume control still works normally.
• Very quiet dialogue under loud music is a mixing problem more than a volume one. Turning everything up makes the music louder too. Voice-focused equalizer presets help with this (they're part of Volume Booster Pro).

Quick answers

Is boosting volume bad for my speakers?

Normal use is fine. Laptop speakers have physical limits, so if you hear rattling or distortion, turn the boost down a step. With headphones, keep the overall level comfortable; louder than normal for long periods isn't good for your hearing.

Does it slow my browser down?

No. The sound is processed by the browser's own audio engine on the tab you're boosting, and nothing runs on sites you haven't set.

Does it record or send my audio anywhere?

No. Everything happens on your computer. See our privacy policy.