Spotify is at full volume. Your Mac is at full volume. And it's still not loud enough. This is one of the most common Spotify complaints on Mac, and it has multiple causes — most of which aren't obvious.
This guide walks through every reason Spotify might be too quiet on your Mac and how to fix each one. Including how to boost Spotify's volume beyond 100% if nothing else works.
Check Spotify's own volume slider first
Spotify has an independent volume control in the bottom-right corner of the app (or bottom of the screen on the redesigned player). This slider is separate from your Mac's system volume. If it's at 50%, then Spotify is only outputting half its potential volume — even if your system volume is at 100%.
Fix: Make sure Spotify's in-app volume slider is all the way to the right (100%).
Check Spotify's volume normalization
Spotify has a feature called Volume Normalization that automatically adjusts playback volume so all tracks play at roughly the same level. This is meant to prevent jarring volume jumps between songs, but it can also reduce the overall volume of louder tracks.
To check: Open Spotify → Settings → Playback → Normalize volume.
You have three options:
- Loud — least normalization, closest to original mastering levels
- Normal — moderate normalization (default)
- Quiet — most normalization, reduces volume further
Fix: If Spotify sounds too quiet, either disable normalization entirely or set it to "Loud." This is the single most common cause of Spotify being unexpectedly quiet.
Check Spotify's audio quality setting
Lower audio quality settings can sometimes result in quieter playback, especially on older audio hardware. Go to Spotify → Settings → Audio Quality and make sure you're using "Very High" (320 kbps) if you have a Premium subscription, or "High" (256 kbps) on the free tier.
Check macOS headphone safety limits
If you're using headphones (wired or Bluetooth), macOS may be limiting your volume. Go to System Settings → Sound → Headphone Safety. If "Reduce Loud Audio" is enabled, macOS is capping your headphone volume at a level it considers safe.
Fix: Disable "Reduce Loud Audio" or raise the decibel threshold. Note: this setting only affects headphone output, not speakers.
Check Bluetooth volume
If you're using AirPods or Bluetooth speakers, there's a separate volume layer. Bluetooth devices have their own volume that's negotiated between the Mac and the device. Sometimes this gets out of sync.
Fix: Disconnect and reconnect your Bluetooth device. Also check if the device has its own volume buttons — make sure those are at maximum too.
Reset Core Audio
macOS's audio system can occasionally get stuck in a low-volume state, especially after sleep/wake cycles or switching between output devices. Restarting the audio daemon often fixes this.
Open Terminal and run:
sudo killall coreaudiod
Audio will cut out for a second and restart. Try Spotify again — it may be louder.
Boost Spotify beyond 100% with SoundDial
If you've tried everything above and Spotify is still too quiet, the problem might be that Spotify's maximum output simply isn't loud enough for your setup. This is common with MacBook built-in speakers and some Bluetooth devices.
SoundDial lets you boost any app's volume up to 200% — including Spotify. It intercepts Spotify's audio stream and amplifies it beyond the app's built-in maximum, without affecting any other app's volume.
Here's the key difference: a system-wide volume boost would make everything louder — notifications, calls, system sounds — not just Spotify. SoundDial boosts Spotify independently. Set Spotify to 160% while your browser stays at 80% and Zoom stays at 100%.
Bonus: auto-ducking for music during calls
If the opposite problem also applies — Spotify is too loud during video calls — SoundDial's auto-ducking feature automatically lowers Spotify when you join a Zoom, Teams, or FaceTime call. When the call ends, Spotify returns to its previous volume. No manual adjustment needed.
Get SoundDial on the Mac App Store — €14.99 one-time purchase, no subscription, macOS 14.2+.