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User profile for user: John Baro1
John Baro1 Author
User level: Level 1
74 points

Sound Volume Icon Keeps Popping Up

I have a brand new M1 Mac mini, just started it up for the first time two days ago. Everything was fine until today, when the sound volume icon, the one that appears in the center of the screen when you adjust the volume, started appearing. It started popping up about every 10 seconds, then fade out after about a second. Now, it's continuous, as soon as it fades out, it pops up again. Also, sometimes when it appears, it adjusts the volume up or down a tick or two. Other times, there's no change. This is making the computer unusable.


It doesn't appear to be a stuck key on the new Magic Keyboard (in use for two days). The only external devices connected are the display in the HDMI port, and two drives in the two USB ports. The only thing that's changed in the past two days since setting up the computer, is the installation of some Adobe and Microsoft applications.


Any ideas how to fix this? Could it have something to do with something migrated over from the old system? If so, why would it take two days to start happening?

Mac mini 2018 or later

Posted on Feb 27, 2022 2:46 PM

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User profile for user: John Baro1
John Baro1 Author
User level: Level 1
74 points

Posted on Feb 28, 2022 5:09 PM

As I said in the OP, it is a new M1 Mac mini (not a laptop) running MacOS 12.2 (it's not yet been updated). Sometimes the volume adjusts, sometimes the icon just pops up. The only external devices are two hard drives, which are needed and can't really be disconnected for any length of time, as I said.


Restarting fixes the problem temporarily, then it eventually comes back (within 24 hours). It appears while using Photoshop, though that's most of the time, so I don't think that's related.

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User profile for user: John Baro1
John Baro1 Author
User level: Level 1
74 points

Feb 28, 2022 5:09 PM in response to Nicholas_B2

As I said in the OP, it is a new M1 Mac mini (not a laptop) running MacOS 12.2 (it's not yet been updated). Sometimes the volume adjusts, sometimes the icon just pops up. The only external devices are two hard drives, which are needed and can't really be disconnected for any length of time, as I said.


Restarting fixes the problem temporarily, then it eventually comes back (within 24 hours). It appears while using Photoshop, though that's most of the time, so I don't think that's related.

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User profile for user: Nicholas_B2
Nicholas_B2
User level: Community Specialist

Feb 28, 2022 11:27 AM in response to John Baro1

Hi John Baro1,


Thank you for posting in Apple Support Communities! From our understanding, the volume on your MacBook will randomly adjust without any input from you, is that right? Since noticing this has your Mac been restarted?


Shut down or restart your Mac


Is your Mac running the latest version of macOS ( 12.2.1)?


Update macOS on Mac


You can disconnect any external devices and see if this continues to occur. This will help isolate the issue a bit further.


Cheers!

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Sound Volume Icon Keeps Popping Up

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