How to Prevent Discord from Lowering Your Volume When Others Speak

Discord is a popular communication platform, especially among gamers, but some users experience an issue where the volume of other applications is lowered when someone speaks in a Discord voice channel. This is due to Discord’s automatic attenuation feature, which aims to enhance voice clarity by reducing background noise. If you find this feature disruptive, here’s how to disable it and maintain consistent audio levels across your apps.

Understanding Discord’s Automatic Attenuation

Discord’s attenuation feature automatically lowers the volume of other applications when someone in a voice channel speaks. While this can be helpful for clearer communication, it can be annoying if you want to listen to music or other audio content simultaneously.

Steps to Disable Attenuation in Discord

On Windows

1. Open Discord: Launch the Discord app on your Windows computer.
2. Access User Settings: Click the gear icon at the bottom left corner to open User Settings.
3. Navigate to Voice & Video: In the left sidebar, select Voice & Video.
4. Adjust Attenuation: Scroll down to find the Attenuation section. Drag the slider to 0% to disable automatic attenuation.

Alternative Methods

If adjusting the attenuation setting doesn’t resolve the issue, try these additional methods:

Disable Windows Communication Activity

1. Open Sound Settings: Use Win + I to open Settings and navigate to Sound.
2. Access More Sound Settings: Scroll down and click on More Sound Settings.
3. Modify Communications Settings: In the Communications tab, select Do Nothing and click Apply.

Turn Off Exclusive Control

1. Open Sound Settings: Use Win + I to open Settings and navigate to Sound.
2. Access More Sound Settings: Scroll down and click on More Sound Settings.
3. Modify Audio Device Properties: Right-click on your audio device and select Properties.
4. Disable Exclusive Control: In the Advanced tab, uncheck Allow applications to take exclusive control of this device.

Attenuation is a useful feature that you can easily customize. To disable attenuation completely, follow these steps:

1. Open the settings menu by clicking on the gear icon.
2. Navigate to the “Voice & Video” section.
3. Scroll down until you find the “Attenuation” option.
4. Locate the attenuation slider and move it to 0%.

Please be aware that this adjustment can only be made using the desktop version of the application.

Note: This slider is only available on the Desktop client.

Using Third-Party Software

Consider using third-party applications like VoiceMeeter or Audio Router to manage and control audio levels across different apps. These tools can provide more granular control over your audio settings.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can prevent Discord from lowering the volume of other applications, ensuring a seamless audio experience while using the platform. Whether you’re gaming, listening to music, or multitasking, maintaining consistent audio levels can enhance your overall experience. If you continue to experience issues, ensure your audio drivers are up-to-date and consult Discord’s support resources for further assistance.