Why Discord Voice User Volume Resets to Default for Specific Members

You adjust the volume slider for a specific member in a Discord voice channel, but the next time you or they join, the volume returns to 100 percent. This happens consistently for the same people, making it hard to balance loud and quiet users in a group call. The cause is a combination of how Discord stores per-user volume settings and a known limitation in the client. This article explains why the volume resets and provides the exact steps to prevent it from happening again.

Why Discord Per-User Volume Settings Reset to Default

Discord stores per-user voice volume adjustments in a local configuration file named settings.json. This file lives in the Discord app data folder on your computer. When you drag a member’s volume slider, Discord writes the new value into that file. The setting is tied to the user’s unique Discord ID, not to the channel or server.

Several events can cause this file to reset or become unreadable:

Client Update Overwrites the Configuration File

When Discord updates to a new version, it may replace the entire settings.json file with a default copy. This is more common after major version jumps or when the update process encounters a conflict. If the file is replaced, all custom volume values are lost.

Corrupted Local Storage

If Discord crashes or your computer shuts down unexpectedly while the volume slider is being adjusted, the settings.json file can become corrupted. Discord then reads a malformed file and falls back to default values for every user.

Server Mute or Deafen Overrides

When a server moderator mutes or deafens a member, Discord temporarily overrides the per-user volume setting. After the mute or deafen is removed, the volume slider may return to 100 percent instead of restoring the previous custom value. This is a known behavior in Discord’s voice state management.

Multiple Discord Clients Running

If you run Discord on two devices at the same time using the same account, the volume setting from one client can overwrite the setting from the other. The last client to save the file wins, which can cause the volume to revert to default if the other client had not yet loaded the custom value.

Steps to Stop Discord Volume from Resetting for Specific Members

Follow these steps in order. Each step addresses a different cause of the reset.

Step 1: Set the Volume While in a Voice Channel

1. Join a voice channel
   Open Discord and join the voice channel where the member is currently speaking. You must be in the same channel to see the volume slider.
2. Right-click the member’s name
   In the voice channel user list, right-click the member whose volume you want to adjust. A context menu appears.
3. Drag the User Volume slider
   In the context menu, find the User Volume slider. Drag it to your desired level, for example 50 percent. Do not close the menu yet.
4. Click anywhere outside the menu to save
   Click on an empty area of the Discord window. This action triggers Discord to write the new volume value to the settings.json file.

Step 2: Close Discord Completely After Adjusting

1. Right-click the Discord system tray icon
   In the Windows taskbar notification area, right-click the Discord icon. If you do not see it, click the arrow to show hidden icons.
2. Select Quit Discord
   Choose Quit Discord from the menu. This ensures Discord fully shuts down and writes all pending changes to the settings file.
3. Restart Discord
   Open Discord again. Join the same voice channel and verify the volume slider shows your custom value.

Step 3: Disable Hardware Acceleration

1. Open User Settings
   Click the gear icon at the bottom of the Discord window, next to your username.
2. Go to Voice & Video
   In the left sidebar, click Voice & Video under App Settings.
3. Scroll to the bottom and toggle off Hardware Acceleration
   Find the Hardware Acceleration toggle and turn it off. Discord may prompt you to restart. Click Okay.
4. Restart Discord
   Close Discord completely using the Quit Discord method from Step 2, then reopen it. Hardware acceleration can interfere with file writes; disabling it stabilizes the settings save process.

Step 4: Manually Edit the Settings File (Advanced Users)

1. Close Discord completely
   Use the Quit Discord method from Step 2.
2. Open the Discord settings folder
   Press Windows key + R, type %appdata%\discord, and press Enter. This opens the Discord folder in File Explorer.
3. Locate the settings.json file
   In the Discord folder, find the file named settings.json. Right-click it and select Open with Notepad.
4. Search for the user ID
   Press Ctrl + F, then type a portion of the member’s Discord user ID. The volume entries look like "userVolume":{"USER_ID":50} where 50 is the volume level. If the entry is missing or shows 100, edit the number to your desired value.
5. Save the file and restart Discord
   Press Ctrl + S to save, close Notepad, and open Discord. The volume should now be set to your custom value.

If Discord Volume Still Resets After the Main Fix

Volume Resets After Every Discord Restart

If the volume resets every time you restart Discord, the settings.json file may be set to read-only. Navigate to %appdata%\discord, right-click settings.json, select Properties, and uncheck Read-only. Click Apply and OK. Then repeat Step 1 to set the volume again.

Volume Resets After a Server Mute or Deafen

After a server moderator unmutes or undeafens a member, the volume slider may return to 100 percent. The only workaround is to ask the moderator to avoid using server mute or deafen on that member, or to re-adjust the slider after the action. Discord has not provided a setting to preserve custom volumes through mute events.

Volume Resets After Switching Voice Regions

Changing the voice region of a server can cause Discord to reload the voice state for all members. This reload sometimes clears per-user volume settings. After switching regions, re-enter the voice channel and check each member’s slider. Set the volume again if needed.

Discord Volume Persistence: Desktop Client vs Browser Client

Item	Desktop Client	Browser Client
Storage location	Local settings.json file	Browser local storage
Volume reset after update	Common if settings.json is overwritten	Less common; browser storage is separate from Discord updates
Volume reset after crash	Possible due to file corruption	Possible if browser cache is cleared
Ability to edit manually	Yes, via Notepad	No direct file access; must use browser developer tools
Effect of hardware acceleration	Can interfere with file writes	Not applicable; browser handles rendering

If you use Discord in a browser, volume settings are stored in the browser’s local storage. Clearing your browser cache or cookies will reset all per-user volumes. To avoid this, do not clear site data for discord.com when cleaning your browser.

Now you know why Discord voice user volume resets to default for specific members and how to stop it. Start by setting the volume while in the same voice channel and then close Discord completely to force a save. If the problem persists, disable hardware acceleration in Voice & Video settings or manually edit the settings.json file. For browser users, avoid clearing Discord’s site data to keep your custom volumes intact.