Fix: Slack Audio Notifications Lowering The Volume Of Ongoing Music Or Videos

Slack is a widely used communication platform, but sometimes, small technical glitches can disrupt its smooth functionality.

One common issue that users experience is Slack audio notifications lowering the volume of ongoing music or videos.

This can be frustrating, especially when you are listening to music while working or watching a video, only to have the volume automatically reduced whenever a Slack notification sound plays.

This issue primarily occurs due to Windows or macOS sound settings and how Slack interacts with system audio.

If you’ve been experiencing this problem, don’t worry!

There are several ways to fix it, whether you’re using Slack on Windows or macOS.

How to Fix Slack Audio Notifications Lowering the Volume of Ongoing Music or Videos

If Slack notifications are causing music or videos to drop in volume, follow these troubleshooting steps to fix it.

1. Adjust Windows Communication Settings

Windows has a built-in feature that automatically lowers the volume of other sounds when it detects communication activity.

Since Slack is often categorized as a communication tool, its notifications might trigger this setting.

Here’s how to adjust it:

1. Right-click on the speaker icon in your taskbar and select Sounds.
2. Navigate to the Communications tab.
3. You’ll see options for how Windows handles communication activity. Select Do nothing.
4. Click Apply and OK.

This change prevents Windows from lowering the volume of ongoing audio when Slack notifications play.

2. Modify Slack Notification Sound Settings

Another potential fix is adjusting Slack’s notification sound settings to prevent interference with other audio.

1. Open Slack and click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
2. Select Preferences > Notifications.
3. Under the Sound & appearance section, try changing the notification sound to a less disruptive one.
4. You can also disable notification sounds completely by unchecking Play a sound when a notification is received.

If you rely on Slack notifications but don’t want them to interfere with your music or videos, selecting a softer or less intrusive sound can help.

3. Turn Off Exclusive Mode in Windows Sound Settings

Exclusive mode allows certain applications to take full control of the audio device, which can sometimes lead to volume lowering issues.

1. Right-click on the speaker icon in your taskbar and select Sounds.
2. Go to the Playback tab, select your audio output device, and click Properties.
3. Navigate to the Advanced tab.
4. Uncheck Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device.
5. Click Apply and OK.

This prevents Slack (or any other app) from taking full control over your audio output, ensuring that your music or videos play at a consistent volume.

4. Adjust macOS Ducking Settings

If you’re experiencing this issue on a Mac, the problem may be caused by macOS’s Ducking feature, which lowers the volume of background audio when notifications or Siri are active.

To disable Ducking on macOS:

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
2. Navigate to Accessibility.
3. Select Audio.
4. Toggle off Reduce volume of other audio sources when Siri is speaking (on older macOS versions, this might be labeled differently).

This should prevent Slack notifications from lowering your music or video volume.

5. Check Third-Party Audio Enhancing Software

Some third-party audio-enhancing software, such as Dolby Atmos, Nahimic, or Realtek HD Audio Manager, may be causing the issue by applying automatic sound adjustments when notifications play.

If you have such software installed, try these steps:

1. Open the audio software and look for sound enhancement settings.
2. Disable any auto-volume adjustment or communication-related sound features.
3. Save changes and restart your system.

Conclusion

Slack audio notifications lowering the volume of your music or videos can be frustrating, but with the right settings adjustments, you can prevent it from happening.

Whether you modify Windows communication settings, tweak Slack’s notification sounds, disable exclusive mode, or turn off macOS Ducking, these solutions should help you regain control over your audio experience.

If none of these solutions work, consider updating Slack or reinstalling the app to ensure you’re using the latest version.

Hopefully, this guide has helped you fix the issue, so you can enjoy uninterrupted music or video playback while staying on top of Slack notifications.