Google Meet Volume Too Low on Mac? How to Fix It

On a Mac, Google Meet usually runs inside your browser. That means Meet's audio is part of your browser's audio, and any volume problem can sit in Meet, in the browser or in macOS. Here's how to work through them.

1. Check Meet's audio settings

During a call, open Meet's settings (the three-dots menu) and look for the audio section. Make sure the correct speaker is selected. Meet can pick an unexpected device, especially after you connected or disconnected headphones or a monitor. If a test option is shown, use it to check the level.

2. Check that the tab isn't muted

• Chrome: right-click the Meet tab and make sure the site isn't muted (the menu shows an option to unmute it if it is).
• Safari: if you see a speaker icon on the tab or in the address bar, click it to make sure the tab isn't muted.

A muted tab plays nothing, no matter what the other settings say.

3. Check macOS output

Open System Settings > Sound > Output. Check that the right device is selected and the volume is at maximum. If you use headphones and your Mac shows a Headphone Safety option with "Reduce Loud Audio" turned on, it may be limiting the volume.

4. Bluetooth headset mode

If you use AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones, Meet turns on their microphone when you join. Many headphones then switch to a hands-free (headset) mode that sounds lower in quality and often quieter.

Fix: In Meet's audio settings, keep the Bluetooth headphones as the speaker but choose your Mac's built-in microphone (or a USB mic) as the microphone. The headphones stay in their normal mode. More in Bluetooth headphones too quiet on Mac.

5. Restart Core Audio

If the audio seems stuck at a low level after sleep or a device change, open Terminal and run:

sudo killall coreaudiod

Audio restarts after a short break. Rejoin the call and check again.

6. Why you can't boost Meet in macOS

macOS treats your browser as one app with one volume level, and the system volume stops at 100%. If the other person's mic is quiet, there's no built-in way to make that one browser louder than maximum.

7. Boost your browser (and Meet) past 100%

SoundDial gives every running app its own volume slider from 0% to 200%. Because Meet runs inside your browser, boosting the browser above 100% makes the call louder. Raise Chrome's slider above 100% in small steps while your music app and other apps stay where they were. There's no limiter, so a big boost can clip or distort if the voice is already loud.

Each browser gets its own slider. If you take Meet calls in Safari, boost Safari and leave Chrome at its normal level for everything else. Keep in mind that SoundDial works per app, not per tab: all tabs in the boosted browser get louder. For more on browser audio, see YouTube too quiet in Safari or Chrome.

You can also turn your music down or mute it with one click before a call starts, without touching the call. SoundDial's auto-ducking (on by default) does this for you: while your browser uses the microphone for a call, other apps drop to 30% of their level (adjustable from 10% to 80%) and come back when the call ends. The browser itself is never ducked. You can turn it off in SoundDial's settings. More in lower music during calls on Mac.

SoundDial, a per-app volume mixer for Mac lives in the menu bar, needs macOS 14.2 or later and costs €14.99 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store, no subscription.

Get SoundDial on the Mac App Store.