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Incremental Volume Steps as Default?

N

nCode

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 14, 2021
65
58
Are there any ways of changing the default volume behaviour to use small incremental steps, instead of having to always press 'Option + Shift' everytime?

Cheers
 
Yes, but is it really worth installing, fiddling with, maintaining, and troubleshooting a 3rd party app just to avoid holding two extra keys down? I mean, your fingers are probably hovering over those keys anyway. 😆

Anyway, you can use Karabiner Elements (free) and the Fine Volume Control (rev 2) rule to do what you want using the existing volume adjustment keys.

By the way, Karabiner has an absolute ton of user-submitted rules you can import into Karabiner. I have NOT used this app, so I don't know if any of it works... I just assume it does. 😉
 
MacGizmo said:
I'm not seeing anything in that thread that's applicable here. They're trying to solve a similar but different problem with a USB speaker output app/hardware combo. arw had an idea (the scripts), but it didn't appear to work and involved installing another app (which may or may not even address the issue to begin with) to get it to work.
Click to expand...
Post #10 describes how to use Apple Script “set volume output volume” in Automator Quick Actions (services) that can be triggered by F11/F12. The example uses 5 as increment, but it can be 1, 2, 3 … depending on how much you wish to turn up/down the volume. In this way, F11 can be used as Option + Shift + Volume Down and F12 as Option + Shift + Volume Up.
 
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bogdanw said:
Post #10 describes how to use Apple Script “set volume output volume” in Automator Quick Actions (services) that can be triggered by F11/F12. The example uses 5 as increment, but it can be 1, 2, 3 … depending on how much you wish to turn up/down the volume. In this way, F11 can be used as Option + Shift + Volume Down and F12 as Option + Shift + Volume Up.
Click to expand...
Post #11 indicates it doesn't work - it simply duplicates what's already there. I just tried it using numbers 1-4, 10 and 16... the F11 Volume key (which is what I bound the script to) performs the same as it always has.
 
MacGizmo said:
Post #11 indicates it doesn't work - it simply duplicates what's already there. I just tried it using numbers 1-4, 10 and 16... the F11 Volume key (which is what I bound the script to) performs the same as it always has.
Click to expand...
Pressing volume up/down vs. the scripts
 
MacGizmo said:
the F11 Volume key (which is what I bound the script to) performs the same as it always has.
Click to expand...
You're right. For the F-keys to actually trigger something different than Apples default function, one has to:
- press fn at the same time, or
- globally activate Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys in System Preferences > Keyboard
(Ventura: Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > Function Keys)

I forgot I initially had to tick that setting to remap the keys with BetterTouchTool.
Quite sad it's equally necessary even when using the built-in shortcut-feature. Now EACH other F-key has to be re-mapped as well.
 
Last edited:
The default setting for F11 is Show Desktop.
Apple: "Use keyboard function keys on Mac"
https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-keyboard-function-keys-mchlp2596/mac
F11 Show Desktop.jpg

Apple: "Change a conflicting keyboard shortcut on Mac"
https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-a-conflicting-keyboard-shortcut-on-mac-mchlp2864/mac
 
As I initially posted, it's just easier to hold the Option+Shift keys down than go through all this headache. 🤪
 
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