Can I Make My Acer Laptop's Volume Louder?

Acer claims that its new models are a "diverse range of notebooks with the performance, graphics and communication tools to maximize your digital entertainment." No matter how new your laptop is, there is likely to be some feature that doesn't work as expected. Low volume is a common complaint in Acer laptops that have a weak sound card. Fortunately, there are ways, including a feature built into Windows 7, that will increase the volume.

The natural thing to do when your volume is too low is to press the "Volume up" button. But on some laptops, merely tapping the button will not work. On many Acer laptops, the "Fn" button must be held down first. Check your laptop's documentation to see what button might be used besides "Fn."

The sound mixer directly controls the volume, and sometimes adjusting the sound from the buttons has no effect. Click the volume icon in the lower right corner of the task bar and drag the slider all the way to the top. Additionally, right-click the icon and choose "Volume Mixer" to see more sliders that affect the volume. Drag each one to the top, and the changes will take effect immediately.

Loudness equalization is a feature found in Vista and Windows 7. It boosts quiet sounds and limits loud ones so that they even out, making your overall sound much louder and repairing most low-volume issues. Right-click the audio icon on the task bar and click "Playback Devices." Double-click the default device and go to the "Enhancements" tab. Place a check by "Loudness Equalization" and then click "OK" to confirm.

Any file on your hard drive can become corrupt, including drivers. File corruption is usually caused when your computer is forced to shut off without properly shutting down. From the Start menu, right-click "Computer" and click "Properties." On the left side of the menu, click "Device Manager." Click to expand "Sound, Video and Game Controllers" and locate your audio device. Right-click it and then click "Uninstall." Wait for the window to refresh, then click "Action" and "Scan for Hardware Changes." The drivers will reinstall without the need for a restart.