# Windows 7 volume control **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 29, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270 "2011-06-29T15:16:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270/1 "2011-06-29T15:16:15Z")
I have a Lenovo desktop running Windows 7. Unfortunately, my keyboard does not have volume control. Is there a key combination built into Windows that will control it? If not, any suggestions, short of buying a new keyboard? It’s a slight pain to mouse over to the tray and bring up the volume control. Keystrokes would be so much easier. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Morgan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc8723/32.png) [@Captain\_Morgan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Morgan)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270/2 "2011-06-29T17:09:59Z")
[This is what you’ll need.](http://www.downloadzen.com/keyboard-shortcut-to-control-volume-globally-windows-7-vista-xp-volume-shortcut-keys.htm) ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270/3 "2011-06-29T17:19:57Z")
> [@Captain\_Morgan](#): > > [This is what you’ll need.](http://www.downloadzen.com/keyboard-shortcut-to-control-volume-globally-windows-7-vista-xp-volume-shortcut-keys.htm) That looks like an option, but I’d rather not install software on a work computer. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270/4 "2011-06-29T17:42:46Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > … If not, any suggestions, short of buying a new keyboard? … if neither installing software nor buying hardware are options; you might consider simply leaving the volume control window open, alt-tab to it when needed and use the scroll button on your mouse. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270/5 "2011-06-29T19:16:13Z")
My Lenovo laptop has a mute button just above the F1 key and a +/- volume button just above the F2 and F3 keys. Your desktop lacks these? ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270/6 "2011-06-29T19:21:04Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > My Lenovo laptop has a mute button just above the F1 key and a +/- volume button just above the F2 and F3 keys. Your desktop lacks these? Yep. All I have above the function keys is a useless indent for holding a pen. This keyboard is new, but looks like a 1980s IBM board (and actually has a pretty nice keystroke to it). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270/7 "2011-06-29T20:19:02Z")
Set your windows volume at about 30%. Then, use the volume knob on your amplified speakers. I never have to touch the windows volume again. These days, they probably offer remotes with some amplified speakers. The remote should have a mute and other nice features. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270/8 "2011-06-29T20:24:49Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Set your windows volume at about 30%. > > Then, use the volume knob on your amplified speakers. > I never have to touch the windows volume again. > > These days, they probably offer remotes with some amplified speakers. The remote should have a mute and other nice features. I ain’t got no speakers! I use earbuds all day with Pandora. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270/9 "2011-06-29T20:36:44Z")
> [@sparky\_1](#): > > Yep. All I have above the function keys is a useless indent for holding a pen. This keyboard is new, but looks like a 1980s IBM board (and actually has a pretty nice keystroke to it). They didn’t mean literally above. They mean as an alternate command, in the way the “!” and the “@” are “above” the 1 and 2 keys. Typically modern laptops have a option to control volume by pressing the Ctrl + F2 buttons (F1, F3, F4 etc.). On my Vaio, Ctrl + F2 is mute, Ctrl + F3 is volume down, Ctrl + F4 is volume up. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-7-volume-control/587270/10 "2011-06-29T20:38:56Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > They didn’t mean literally above. They mean as an alternate command, in the way the “!” and the “@” are “above” the 1 and 2 keys. Typically modern laptops have a option to control volume by pressing the Ctrl + F2 buttons (F1, F3, F4 etc.). On my Vaio, Ctrl + F2 is mute, Ctrl + F3 is volume down, Ctrl + F4 is volume up. Nope, they are just function keys (except Alt + F4 which closes a program).