You're watching a video in VLC. The dialog is quiet. You turn VLC's volume all the way up. You turn your Mac's volume all the way up. Still can't hear properly. The video was just recorded too quietly.
The good news: VLC actually has a built-in solution that most people don't know about. The even better news: you can stack it with a system-level boost for even more volume.
VLC's built-in volume boost (up to 200%)
VLC can go above 100% volume on its own. The volume slider in VLC's player bar maxes out at 100%, but you can increase it further:
Method 1: Scroll wheel
Hover your mouse over VLC's volume slider and scroll up. The slider will go past the visible 100% mark, up to 200%. You'll see the percentage displayed as you scroll.
Method 2: Keyboard shortcut
Press Command + Up Arrow (⌘↑) repeatedly to increase volume above 100%. Each press adds a step. Command + Down Arrow (⌘↓) to decrease.
Method 3: Audio menu
Go to VLC → Audio → Increase Volume. Repeat until the volume is high enough. The current level is shown in the bottom-right of the player.
VLC's 200% boost works by amplifying the audio signal within VLC's decoder. At extreme levels it can introduce distortion, but for genuinely quiet video files it's very effective.
Beyond VLC's boost: system-level amplification
If VLC at 200% still isn't loud enough — or if you want to boost VLC without affecting its internal audio settings — a system-level per-app volume mixer adds another layer of amplification.
SoundDial gives VLC its own volume slider from 0% to 200% at the system level. This stacks with VLC's internal boost:
- VLC internal: 200% × SoundDial: 200% = effective 400% amplification
- VLC internal: 150% × SoundDial: 150% = effective 225% amplification
This is extreme amplification and will introduce distortion on some content, but for extremely quiet source material it might be what you need.
More importantly, SoundDial lets you boost VLC independently. Your music player, browser, and communication apps stay at their normal levels while only VLC gets louder. If you boost VLC to 180% in SoundDial, Spotify doesn't change. This is something VLC's built-in boost can't do — VLC's boost only affects VLC, but macOS's single system volume still ties everything else together.
Get SoundDial on the Mac App Store — €14.99 one-time purchase, no subscription, macOS 14.2+.