Google Meet doesn't have a native Mac app — it runs inside your browser. This means Meet's audio is part of Chrome's (or Safari's) audio stream, and any volume issues are tangled up with how your browser handles audio. Let's untangle it.
1. Check Meet's own audio settings
During a Meet call, click the three dots menu (⋮) → Settings → Audio. Make sure the correct speaker device is selected. Meet sometimes defaults to an unexpected device, especially if you recently connected or disconnected audio hardware.
2. Check your browser's tab volume
In Chrome: right-click the Meet tab → make sure "Mute site" is NOT selected. A muted site produces no audio regardless of other settings.
In Safari: click the speaker icon on the tab to make sure it's not muted.
3. Check system output
System Settings → Sound → Output. Verify the right device is selected and the volume is at maximum. Also check Headphone Safety if you're using headphones.
4. The Chrome audio problem
Google Meet runs as a Chrome tab, and Chrome's audio output can be lower than dedicated apps. Chrome processes audio through its own renderer, which has its own volume ceiling. If Chrome's overall audio is low, Meet is low — even if macOS volume is at 100%.
There's no built-in way to boost Chrome's audio past its maximum. macOS treats Chrome as one app with one volume level, and that level maxes out at 100%.
5. Bluetooth codec issue
If you're using AirPods or Bluetooth headphones, Google Meet activating your microphone forces the Bluetooth codec switch from AAC to SCO. This reduces audio quality and volume significantly.
Fix: In Meet's audio settings, select your Mac's built-in microphone as the input device while keeping Bluetooth headphones as the output. This prevents the codec switch and maintains high-quality audio.
6. Boost Google Meet (Chrome) past 100%
If Meet is still too quiet after checking everything, you need to amplify Chrome's audio beyond what macOS allows.
SoundDial gives Chrome its own volume slider that goes up to 200%. Since Google Meet runs inside Chrome, boosting Chrome boosts Meet. Drag the slider to 150% or 180% and the call audio is amplified in real-time.
This also works with Safari if you use Meet in Safari. SoundDial controls each browser independently — boost Safari for Meet while keeping Chrome at normal volume for everything else.
And with auto-ducking, your background music automatically lowers when a Meet call starts (when your mic activates) and restores when the call ends.
Available on the Mac App Store — Apple-reviewed, €14.99 one-time purchase, no subscription, macOS 14.2+.