The Windows 11 24H2 Update won't get rid of this decades-old feature

Microsoft recently released the build 26100, which is allegedly the base for the Windows 11 24H2 Update, also known as the 2024 Update, coming later this year. Build 26100 addresses many bugs and issues, and speeds up the Microsoft Store, among other capabilities.

It’s safe to say that the 24H2 patch will update Windows 11, down the road, with many capabilities that will replace the old ones, but at least this decades-old feature will still be present, for now.

We’re talking about the old Volume Mixer, which the earlier Windows 11 patches kept around, and according to Windows enthusiast, @XenoPanther, it will still be around in the 24H2 update, as well.

Nice to see the old volume mixer is still in build 26100 (sndvol.exe) pic.twitter.com/lqbcDiFZ5J

— Xeno (@XenoPanther) April 7, 2024

Back in Windows XP, and Windows 7, this Volume Mixer could be accessed in the taskbar and allowed for more detailed control over the device’s audio inputs and outputs. However, now, when clicking the volume icon in Windows 11’s taskbar, the Quick Settings panel will show up, allowing you to control the volume of your device.

But the old Volume Mixer can still be accessed in Windows 11, by using following these steps:

1. Open the Run application, by typing Run in the Search bar.
2. In the Run application, type in: sndvol.exe > OK.

It will then automatically open the Volume Mixer, and you can control the volume of each application currently open. The mixer will also allow you to equalize the volume, and it generally makes it easier to manage the audio outputs of Windows 11.

The latest version of Windows 11 is keeping this decades-old Volume Mixer; one wondered if, with so many upcoming AI features coming to the operating system, Microsoft would get rid of it, but it seems that users can still access it without any issue.

Do you think Microsoft will deprecate this feature in the following years? Do you want it to?