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By default in Windows 8 when you are listening to a song and switch to Desktop or any other app that takes full screen then the Music Player app sound level fades. Of course I can dock the app on the side but then it takes desktop space.

How can it be made to not fade the music level when in background?

EDIT This question is about Metro UI music player, not WMP.

6
  • Use a different media player like VLC.
    – Elmo
    Oct 28, 2012 at 14:53
  • WMP is a desktop app. I can't reproduce the behavior Oct 28, 2012 at 18:40
  • 1
    @Louis: there are two versions. I can't reproduce this behavior. Using either version does not fade anything.
    – houbysoft
    Oct 28, 2012 at 20:13
  • Can you look in the settings of both the Modern UI WMP and you Sound? Oct 29, 2012 at 11:50
  • 1
    I have the same problem using the Xbox Music App. Interestingly it only occurs sometimes... I think this has something to do with other apps trying to access the audio device as well.
    – flooooo
    Nov 6, 2012 at 14:15

4 Answers 4

7

Here's a Technet thread which has some solutions for the same problem.

Do check out if it helps.

One of the proposed answers contains the solution to this problem:

I had this problem with Steam and something else in Windows 7. Moral of the story is as follows

  1. Windows key + x

  2. control panel

  3. Hardware and sound

  4. Sound

  5. Communications

  6. Do Nothing

  7. Apply or OK

  8. Victory Achieved

Seems the communications stuff in Steam triggers windows communications fade, which defaults to 80% (sounds about right). Following the instructions above allows you to keep steam running and avoid the audio fade problem.

Link: Technet

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  • looks good - I will check if it works when I'm home. Nov 14, 2012 at 10:56
  • Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference. Jun 25, 2013 at 21:27
13

I've been experiencing the same issue; occurs only after I wake the computer from sleep and the solution has been to terminate Steam. Audio immediately returns to normal levels.

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  • 3
    +1 Closing the Steam application solved the issue for me.
    – gius
    Mar 19, 2013 at 16:24
3

I think I finally have all the pieces together.

1) Steam by default has a setting which automatically detects when you speak and transmits your voice (To disable it: Go to Steam > Settings > Voice tab and select "Use a push-to-talk key to transmit voice". and then restart Steam)

2) Windows by default lowers volume of non-communication sound by 50% when it detects communication activity (see JKarthik answer how to change this behavior)

3) Metro apps completely ignore this setting when they are at the foreground as they're considered "immersive", but once they're in the background, they are no longer considered "immersive"...

Every one of these setting sounds reasonable by itself, but together they actually create quite a disastrous user experience...

0

I Had a similar problem in windows 7. Except for instead of in a metro app(obviously) it was music fading to a lower volume when launching a game. The solution was to go to control panel -> Sound -> Communications Tab. Under "when windows detects communications activity" select do nothing.

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