Low volume on Lenovo Yoga

I noticed that my Lenovo Yoga volume was VERY quiet recently, when viewing a YouTube video. So I went and did all the usual things: checked that the volume was up in YouTube, was up the web browser, and up in the control panel. Still quiet.

So I updated the sound drivers using Lenovo Vantage. Still quiet.

I checked that the sound drivers had actually updated by going into Control Panel | Device Manager | Sound, video and game controllers | [speaker brand] | Driver | Driver Details. Damn. It was up to date. Still quiet.

Time for a Google search. Aha: after a long trawl and many false leads telling me to do what I had already done, I found that this is a Windows 10 problem. We need to go to Control Panel | Sound | Communications. And under the options for "When Windows detects communication activity:" select "Do nothing" from the list.

Microsoft seems to detect ANY noise in the background - you know, like breathing, heart beats - as a requirement for sound reduction. Yet another example of big brother's care not doing what it was intended to do, and working against our interests instead of for us.

But solved.

Sam

• Reference: Microsoft Support (22 February 2016). Volume is low even when the volume is set to maximum on Windows 10. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware-winpc/volume-is-low-even-when-the-volume-is-set-to/954d7db1-c604-4a20-b5f8-af495ab88bae?auth=1&page=4