Microsoft has been planning to update its Windows 10 volume control settings for some time. Indeed, the company first started the overhaul back in 2018 but the refresh was seemingly postponed. However, it looks like Redmond is now finally to release the new settings later this year.
Windows Latest reports on a hint towards new volume controls in Windows 10 Preview Build 19577. Specifically, the codebase for the new Insider update there is code referring to the upcoming change.
If you’re on a Windows 10 PC, you can see the current volume flyout when you press the volume or mute keys on your keyboard. The controls appear in the top left of the screen when playing audio on a browser or third-party services like Spotify.
It’s a basic tool and Microsoft wants to make it more functional. The company will reportedly move volume controls and the ability to play, pause, and stop music through the mouse to a newly designed flyout.
New Controls
This new tool will be available directly through the volume icon in the system tray. Certainly, doing so will make that volume icon far more functional on a single click. Currently, clicking the icon on allows users to adjust the volume on a speaker or headphones. More granular controls require a right click.
The new flyout will be more multimedia friendly and will also display album covers and the name of the app that is playing the content.
It is worth noting that while the tool is in the codebase for Windows 10 preview build 19577, it is not available on the build. 19577 is a Windows 10 20H1 release that will launch this spring. It seems the new volume controls will make their way to Windows later in the year as part of the 20H2 build.
