If we're being honest, there are parts of the Windows UI that could be a lot better. The audio settings are near the top of that list on Windows 11, with the split between the new settings menus and the "old-school" Control Panel being most noticeable. Having to go through multiple context menus in order to switch a default audio device or test microphone functionality is quite annoying. Don't get me started on the mixer, either. What was once a small menu that took up a tenth of your screen real estate simply did not need to turn into a menu that takes up my entire display.

If these UI quirks also bother you on a daily basis, EarTrumpet is the perfect solution to simplify your audio settings on Windows. Not only does it take all the settings you'd need and make them much easier to access, but it also adds a ton of functionality on top. Here are 3 reasons why EarTrumpet is a must-have for anyone who spends significant time on Windows.

3 The compact audio mixer

It's even better than the OG

While its window might be a tiny bit bigger in size, EarTrumpet's audio mixer is even better than the original one from prior Windows versions, and it's lightyears better than the bloated audio mixer included with Windows 11. There's simply no reason to have a mixer buried in context menus within the taskbar, or a browser-sized window. EarTrumpet does it right, laying out exactly what you need to see, and nothing more. When clicking on the icon in your taskbar tray, it will display what programs are open and their current volume levels, along with a visualizer.

There's a bigger version available in the context menu, which allows you to see all your audio devices laid out. It's a great setup if you use multiple outputs. You can mute specific outputs and their associated apps, as well as change what apps are using which outputs. It's super convenient and makes you wonder why Microsoft doesn't bake it into Windows directly.

2 Hotkey shortcuts

Quick and easy access

Besides turning the volume up and down, there aren't many audio settings you can hotkey in vanilla Windows. EarTrumpet allows for many different hotkey options, including opening the mixer, opening the settings, as well as custom keys for turning volume up and down. This is useful if the normal F10, F11, and F12 keys don't work for your use case. I can see this being especially useful on a 60% keyboard, where keyboard shortcut real estate is at a premium. I personally don't need shortcuts for these settings, but for any audio power users out there, I'm sure you'll find these to be invaluable to your workflow.

1 Easy access to Control Panel audio settings

No more digging through the Settings app

As someone who's primarily used Windows as an operating system for many years, I have kind of just accepted the fact that the Settings app is just bad. I spend as little time in it as possible, and have Control Panel pinned to my taskbar. You could chalk it up to familiarity and refusal to adapt, but honestly, I've tried. It's just so unbelievably unintuitive, I've found myself thinking to myself "surely someone at Microsoft is working on making this better."

While that's up for debate, having easy access to audio settings certainly isn't, and EarTrumpet having quick access to all parts of the legacy audio settings is truly glorious. You can pull up all the original Control Panel menus from one place; no more hunting through the Settings app for the correct dropdown or toggle switch. Even Microsoft acknowledges EarTrumpet as being great, having awarded it a Microsoft Store Community Choice Award in 2022.

It's head and shoulders above the stock option

If you change your audio settings on Windows any amount on a daily basis, EarTrumpet is a must-have utility. It integrates seamlessly into Windows and gives all the functionality a user could need. The only thing I don't like about using it is how Windows doesn't give you an option to remove the system volume icon from the taskbar tray. You could accomplish this with registry tweaks, but honestly, I don't think it's worth it. Even with that pesky old volume icon kicking around, I still daily drive EarTrumpet in my taskbar and use it daily.