ELi5: How do laptops increase and decrease volume without potentiometers?

Question

How do digital devices like laptops and smartphones increase and decrease speaker volume on the physical level?

In: 7

Answer 1

Just phyisically play a quieter sound.

When a volume down setting is applied, for example 50%, all sound digital signals are multiplied by a factor of 0.5, the resulting signal goes into the DAC, producing an analog sound signal with less amplitude, therefore quieter sound.