Per-app balance on Mac
Per-app balance on Mac means one app can lean left or right while the others stay centred; macOS has one balance for everything, and SoundDial adds a balance slider to every app.
A call on the left, music on the right. Or a small correction for music only, while calls stay in the middle. Both need a balance that belongs to one app.
What macOS gives you
System Settings > Accessibility > Audio has a Balance slider, and System Settings > Sound > Output shows one for the selected device. Both shift everything that plays on that device. If you hear on one side only, Mono Audio in Accessibility > Audio is the right tool, because it sends both channels to both ears.
Balance per app in SoundDial
- Open SoundDial and click ⋯ on the app's row
- Choose “Equalizer & Balance…”
- Move the balance slider; it snaps back to the centre when you get close
The slider runs from -100 (left) to 100 (right), and the app's row shows an L or R chip while it is shifted. Balance works by lowering one side; it never boosts the other, so a shifted app leans without getting louder. “Reset EQ & Balance” puts it back in the middle.
Setups
- Call app fully left, Spotify fully right, in headphones
- Music slightly right, the call centred so voices stay clear
- A correction for one app only, instead of the system slider
Save a setup as a profile to switch back with one click: profiles store each app's balance with its volume, mute and EQ.
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FAQ
Does per-app balance work with surround systems?
No. SoundDial is stereo only.
Does moving an app to one side make it louder?
No. Balance lowers one side and never boosts the other.
Does each app keep its balance?
With “When an app opens” set to “Remember last”, each app's balance comes back when it opens.
SoundDial: a volume slider and mute button for every app.
€14.99 one-time purchase · macOS 14.2+ · no subscription