Cheatpactl Sound server control
Light · Postcard
102 × 152 mm · PDF
Dark · Postcard
102 × 152 mm · PDF
Ink saver · Postcard
102 × 152 mm · PDF
Light · A4 landscape
297 × 210 mm · PDF
Dark · A4 landscape
297 × 210 mm · PDF
Ink saver · A4 landscape
297 × 210 mm · PDF
Light · A3 landscape
420 × 297 mm · PDF
Dark · A3 landscape
420 × 297 mm · PDF
Ink saver · A3 landscape
420 × 297 mm · PDF
Start here
pactl infoServer and default devices
pactl list short sinks
Output devices
pactl list short sources
Inputs and monitors
pactl set-default-sink <sink>
Pick the output
pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ 50%
Set volume
pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ toggle
Mute / unmute
pactl list short sink-inputs
Playing streams
pactl move-sink-input <id> <sink>
Move stream to a device
Concepts
- Card hardware, profile
- Sink output, port
- Sink input app playback stream
- Source input or sink monitor
Inspect
pactl infoServer, version, default sink/source
pactl list short sinks
Output devices, one per line
pactl list short sources
Input devices and monitors
pactl list short cards
Sound cards
pactl list short sink-inputs
Playback streams
pactl list short source-outputs
Recording streams
pactl list sinks
Full detail: ports, volume, state
pactl list short modules
Loaded modules
pactl list short clients
Connected clients
pactl -f json list sinks
Machine-readable output
pactl list short samples
Cached samples
pactl statDaemon memory statistics
Default device
pactl get-default-sink
Print default output
pactl set-default-sink <sink>
Change default output
pactl get-default-source
Print default input
pactl set-default-source <source>
Change default input
pactl set-default-sink @NONE@
Back to priority-based choice
pactl set-sink-port <sink> <port>
Switch speakers / headphones
pactl set-source-port <source> <port>
Switch mic port
Volume and mute
pactl get-sink-volume <sink>
Show volume
pactl set-sink-volume <sink> 50%
Absolute volume
pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ +5%
Raise by 5 points
pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ -5%
Lower by 5 points
pactl set-sink-volume <sink> 0dB
Volume in decibels
pactl set-sink-mute <sink> toggle
Toggle mute
pactl set-sink-mute <sink> 1
Mute (0 = unmute)
pactl get-sink-mute <sink>
Show mute state
pactl set-source-volume <source> 80%
Mic level
pactl set-source-mute <source> toggle
Mute the mic
pactl get-source-volume <source>
Show mic level
pactl set-sink-volume <sink> 40% 60%
Per channel (left, right)
Give as many values as the sink has channels.
Streams
pactl move-sink-input <id> <sink>
Send a stream to another output
pactl set-sink-input-volume <id> 30%
Per-app volume
pactl set-sink-input-mute <id> toggle
Mute one app
pactl move-source-output <id> <source>
Record from another input
pactl set-source-output-volume <id> 50%
Per-recording volume
pactl set-source-output-mute <id> toggle
Mute one recording
Cards and devices
pactl set-card-profile <card> <profile>
Change profile (e.g. HDMI, A2DP)
pactl suspend-sink <sink> true
Suspend output (false resumes)
pactl suspend-source <source> true
Suspend input (false resumes)
pactl set-port-latency-offset <card> <port>
<usec>
Compensate port latency
pactl set-sink-formats <sink> <formats>
Passthrough formats (;-separated)
Modules
pactl load-module <name> [args]
Load; prints module index
pactl unload-module <id or name>
Unload by index or name
pactl load-module module-null-sink
sink_name=<name>
Virtual output
pactl load-module module-loopback source=<src>
sink=<sink>
Route input to output
pactl list short modules | grep <name>
Find a module's index
Events and samples
pactl subscribeStream server events, runs until stopped
pactl upload-sample <file> [name]
Cache a sound file
pactl play-sample <name> [sink]
Play cached sample
pactl remove-sample <name>
Drop cached sample
pactl send-message <recipient> <message>
Message a module
pactl exitAsk the server to quit
Options
pactl -s <server> <command>
Use another server
pactl -f json <command>
JSON output (text is default)
pactl -n <name> <command>
Client name shown on the server
pactl --versionPrint client version
Recipes
pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ +5%pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ togglepactl get-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@for i in $(pactl list short sink-inputs | cut -f1); do pactl move-sink-input "$i" <sink>doneid=$(pactl load-module module-loopback latency_msec=50)# listen to the mic through the speakerspactl unload-module "$id"pactl load-module module-null-sink sink_name=capture# play to "capture", record from capture.monitorpactl list short sources | grep capture
