Updated October 2026 · Loudness and levels
Platforms adjust playback loudness, and many turn down very loud files without turning up quiet ones. If your video sounds quieter than others, the audio was probably mixed low or with a low peak level. Check the loudness of your export and raise it to a sensible target.
Viewers often notice that one video sounds much quieter than the next, even at the same volume setting. The cause is usually the audio itself. Playback systems adjust levels, but they do not perform miracles. A quiet mix stays quiet unless the level was set well in the first place.
Streaming and video platforms often adjust the level of playback so that loud and quiet files sound more alike. In general, very loud files are turned down. Whether quiet files are turned up depends on the platform and its settings, so you should not rely on the platform to fix a low mix. Check the current guidance from the platform you publish to, because the rules can change.
A project can sound fine on your studio speakers and still export low. Export the file, then measure its loudness and peaks. The LUFS meter gives the loudness of the exported file, which is the number that matters for the viewer.
If the exported file is much quieter than your target, raise the level, then check the peaks again. Raising the level too far makes the peaks clip, so use a limiter gently if you need extra level. The loudness guide explains the common targets for online video.
Choose a video in a similar genre that you think sounds right, and compare it with yours on the same device. Match the overall level, not the exact number, because different genres and mixes call for different levels. Listen at the same volume setting, and switch between the two quickly.
Many viewers watch on a phone, where the speaker is small and the level is set differently. Play the final video on your phone before you publish. If it is hard to hear the speech over background sound, the mix needs a clearer voice, not only more level.
Platforms change their processing, and some devices add their own. A video that sounds right on your computer may still sound different on a television or a speaker. Aim for a clear, steady mix, and do not chase one exact number. The viewer’s volume knob will do the rest.
Integrated LUFS, true peak and streaming targets. Runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded.
Not reliably. Do not depend on playback processing. Set a sensible level before you upload.
Use a loudness target suited to your content, and check the guidance from the platform you publish to.
Phone speakers are small and their levels differ. Check the video on a phone before you publish.
Only if the peaks stay below full scale. Check the true peak after you raise the level.
