Sound Booster MaxYouTube Volume Booster: How to Make YouTube Louder in Chrome
Swasthik Raj- Updated
- 3 min read
To make a YouTube video louder than its maximum, first check the player's volume slider and your system volume are both at 100%. If it is still too quiet, add a YouTube volume booster extension such as Sound Booster Max, click its icon on the YouTube tab and raise the slider above 100%, up to 600%.
YouTube's volume slider stops at 100%, and for most videos that is plenty. The trouble is the videos that were uploaded quietly: a lecture filmed on a phone, an old concert recording, a tutorial where the microphone was too far away. Here is how to get those to a listenable level.
Why some YouTube videos are so quiet
YouTube measures how loud each video is and turns down the ones that are louder than its target level, so you are not blasted between videos. It does not turn quiet videos up. A video uploaded at a low level stays low.
You can see this for yourself. Right-click the video, choose Stats for nerds, and look at the volume line. A "content loudness" figure with a negative number means the video is quieter than YouTube's target.
Check these before you boost
- The player's own slider. Hover over the speaker icon and make sure it is at the top.
- Your system volume, and on Windows the volume mixer, where Chrome can be set lower than other apps.
- Stable volume. In the player's settings menu, some devices and videos show a Stable volume option that evens out loud and quiet parts. Try it on and off.
- Your output device. Bluetooth headphones and external speakers often have their own volume.
If all of that is at maximum and the video is still quiet, you need more than 100%.
Use a YouTube volume booster extension
- Add Sound Booster Max to Chrome on your computer and pin the green icon.
- Open the YouTube video and press play.
- Click the green icon. A small control window opens for the YouTube tab.
- Drag the slider above 100%. Try 200% first.
- Keep the control window open while you watch.
The boost applies only to that tab, so other tabs and apps stay at their normal level. Sound Booster Max is a general sound booster for Chrome, so the same steps work on any site.
Tips for different kinds of video
- Lectures, tutorials and podcasts. Speech has room to spare. 200% to 300% is common, and more is fine if it stays clean. See clearer speech in Chrome.
- Music videos. Music is already mastered loud. Small boosts of 120% to 150% are usually enough, and larger ones distort.
- Live streams. Levels change as the stream goes on. Leave the control window where you can reach it.
- Old or low-quality uploads. Boosting raises the hiss too. Find the point where speech is clear and stop there.
Full screen while boosting
While a tab's audio is being boosted, Chrome may show the video in a maximised window rather than true full screen. If that happens, press F11 on Windows or Control + Command + F on Mac to put the browser itself into full screen.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a YouTube volume booster built into Chrome?
No. Chrome and YouTube both stop at 100%. Going higher needs an extension.
Does the YouTube sound booster work on the YouTube app?
No. It works in Chrome on a computer. Phone apps do not support Chrome extensions.
Will boosting YouTube audio damage my speakers?
Normal use will not, but pushing small laptop speakers into heavy distortion for long periods is not good for them. If it crackles, turn it down. See is a volume booster extension safe?
Can I boost YouTube Music as well?
Yes. YouTube Music plays in a Chrome tab, so a volume booster extension can raise it above 100%. Music has little spare room, so keep the boost near 120% to 150%. The same applies to other web players, covered in the streaming volume guide and in how to make Spotify louder.
