GIMP Version: 2.10.36
Operating System: Windows 11
GIMP Experience: Experienced User

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So I often like to listen to music or watch shows while I'm using gimp and up until recently I've had no issue. Now everytime I click on a different window while using gimp the audio levels shoot up and blow my eardrums out so I'm forced to work in basically silence unless I use my phone. If anyone has experienced this and has a fix I would so so so much appreciate jt.

Yeah I don't know latest GIMP version is funky for me too.
Like I can't export as jpg only png for now not sure what's going on.

It's been really frustrating I have like 6 windows I'm working from and get ear blasted every 2 seconds.

If the audio is turned down on an open window but goes up on a newly opened window then the audio is ignoring the volume setting on the new windows.

Maybe open the images inside a single instance of Gimp rather than multiple instances of Gimp (if that's what you are doing). It's not caused by Gimp because as far as I know Gimp has no audio input-output capability.

There are multiple variables like headphones, speakers, type of soundcard etc. Are there any other performance hits when opening these windows or do your system resources (like ram) handle them?

So for instance, I have a chrome tab open watching a show with the master volume down at like 60. I open gimp and once I'm on the gimp window the volume shoots back up to 100. If I click on the chrome window the sound goes back to 60. I usually don't run more than 1-3 instances on gimp and more often then not just have a single project open and it happens still. I am baffled by this because like you mentioned gimp doesn't or shouldn't have any input/output audio function. I can turn the sound back down after it goes back up automatically but again I'm usually going between a chrome window where one tab has what im watching and another for searching/doing whatever and then gimp. Even if I'm using spotify the at the same time I'm using gimp it does the same. Tab back to change a song and it gets quick tab back to keep working and it's at full volume.

A common issue apparently.

I'm quoting from here.

System Tray Volume > Tray Volume Mixer > More Volume Settings > Settings Volume Mixer > scroll down to Apps > select the drop-down for the application (e.g., Firefox) > Output device drop-down > select the desired output.

Press, Ctrl + Windows + V. It'll just be

Ctrl + Windows + V > Volume Mixer > select the drop-down for the application (e.g., Firefox) > Output device drop-down > select the desired output.

Weird one, it has never happened to me