Share audio from only one application (e.g. PowerPoint), not whole system audio

[NemanMTX]

Hi. How can I share audio on Zoom from one application only? I am hosting an All Hands. The PowerPoint presentation has embedded intro/outro audio tracks. During the presentation, other audio-generating applications will be running on my computer, like Slack. I don't want my Slack notification, Outlook notification, etc. sounds to be heard by the attendees.

Related: Is it finally possible to toggle audio share without stopping/restarting the share? That would be a sort-of acceptable solution, as the notification sounds would only come through during that brief period of time.

[NemanMTX · Accepted solution]

Thanks Frank. Yeah, I think you might be right. In my case, Windows 11 can manage the volume of any individual audio-generating item using the Volume mixer tool. (Right-click the speaker icon in the notification area > Volume Mixer.) I was hoping Zoom had a more elegant way of managing this problem - you've already recognized it's (a) too advanced for most users and (b) enough of a pain you've set up an alternate account!

Turns out there is a (more complex but) better answer for Windows. The astonishingly good Nir Sofer has implemented command-line volume management of specific applications in NirCmd! I use NirCmd for other stuff, decided to look this up after your post, and voila! https://blog.nirsoft.net/2011/02/25/how-to-control-the-volume-level-of-specific-application-from-com...

To reduce Chrome's volume to 20%, I can either drag the slider or:

nircmd.exe setappvolume chrome.exe 0.2

The only challenge is knowing the executable names of the sounds I want to mute (chrome.exe above) but that's just a matter of looking at Task Manager. Once I (painfully) find each noisemaker's exe name, they'll all go into my "shut up" and "speak up" batch files that I can toggle sound off and on with.

[Frank_TB]

Hello,

I dont think this is up to Zoom.

Your operating system should have a way to manage notifications.  On my Mac I manage notifications  through System Settings > Notifications.

Since I don't want to mange these each time I present I have created another user account I use for screen recording or Zoom presentations. This way I can keep these notifications managed at all times and I don't have to manage them every time I present.

Regards

If my reply helped, don't forget to click the accept as solution button!

 

[NemanMTX · Accepted solution]

Thanks Frank. Yeah, I think you might be right. In my case, Windows 11 can manage the volume of any individual audio-generating item using the Volume mixer tool. (Right-click the speaker icon in the notification area > Volume Mixer.) I was hoping Zoom had a more elegant way of managing this problem - you've already recognized it's (a) too advanced for most users and (b) enough of a pain you've set up an alternate account!

Turns out there is a (more complex but) better answer for Windows. The astonishingly good Nir Sofer has implemented command-line volume management of specific applications in NirCmd! I use NirCmd for other stuff, decided to look this up after your post, and voila! https://blog.nirsoft.net/2011/02/25/how-to-control-the-volume-level-of-specific-application-from-com...

To reduce Chrome's volume to 20%, I can either drag the slider or:

nircmd.exe setappvolume chrome.exe 0.2

The only challenge is knowing the executable names of the sounds I want to mute (chrome.exe above) but that's just a matter of looking at Task Manager. Once I (painfully) find each noisemaker's exe name, they'll all go into my "shut up" and "speak up" batch files that I can toggle sound off and on with.

[NemanMTX]

For some reason, my answer to my question was marked as spam and vanished.

In short: Windows 11 --> Settings > System > Sound > Volume Mixer maps to the notifications on Mac. You can turn them all down or up manually, leaving the one you want to make noise turned up.

To (painfully) automate

1. Download NirSoft's NirCmd. It's a command-line utility that is insanely powerful.
2. Use Windows Task Manager to find the exe names of the things you want to manipulate. (The are the things that show up in the Volume Mixer.)
3. Write a batch file using the examples at https://blog.nirsoft.net/2011/02/25/how-to-control-the-volume-level-of-specific-application-from-com...

Example: To set Chrome to 20% of maximum volume, run this on the command line or in the batch file

nircmd-dot-exe setappvolume chrome.exe 0.2

I now have two batch files, one to "shut up" and one to "speak up". 🙂

Hope that helps!

[NemanMTX · Accepted solution]

And now it looks like my second response has also been eaten by the spam filter. Wow. Maybe third time lucky?

Manual:

Use Windows' Volume Mixer to figure out what's making noise. Turn them down. Remember to turn them up when done.

Automated:

1. Use Task Manager to figure out the names of the exe files listed in Volume Mixer

2. Use NirSoft's NirCmd to write one command line per application you want to mute

3. Slap them all into a batch file and run

Google search nircmd how to control volume level of specific application for the details.

Hope this helps, and I'll pray the spam gods let me through at least once.

[NemanMTX]

This thread looks like I was hallucinating now that my dangerously spammy responses have been restored. 😀