How to Use pavucontrol with PipeWire

Before you start

pavucontrol works with PipeWire on systems where PipeWire provides a PulseAudio-compatible server interface. This usually means the distribution has pipewire-pulse or an equivalent package installed and running. You need a local desktop session or another session where the PipeWire and PulseAudio-compatible services are available. If you are unsure whether the session is audio-enabled, start by checking whether other desktop audio tools can see speakers or a microphone.

The instructions here cover the main window and the Playback, Recording, Output Devices, Input Devices, and Configuration tabs. Version labels and exact tab order can differ between pavucontrol releases, but the underlying controls for routing and volume are similar.

Step-by-step instructions

These steps cover the most common task: adjusting an application stream or changing the device that an application uses. Work through them with the application already playing audio or using the microphone so that its stream appears.

Open pavucontrol

Start pavucontrol from the application menu or run it from a terminal. If the window opens but shows no devices, the PulseAudio-compatible PipeWire service may not be available in the current session.

Route an application stream

• Open the Playback tab for programs that play sound, or the Recording tab for programs using a microphone.
• Find the application in the stream list. Some applications appear only while they are actively playing or recording.
• Next to the application name, use the device selector to choose the desired sink or source. The list may use device names from PipeWire, modules, or the device driver.
• Watch the level indicator near the stream. A moving indicator shows that audio is passing through the selected route.
• If the move is not immediate, stop and restart the application's capture or playback so it reconnects through the new device.

Set output and input levels

• In the Playback or Recording tab, adjust the per-application volume slider.
• Use the Output Devices tab to set volume and mute state for speakers or headphones.
• Use the Input Devices tab to set microphone gain and mute state.
• Keep the application volume at a moderate level and adjust the device level only if the stream is too quiet or too loud.

Change device profiles and ports

The Configuration tab lists audio hardware profiles. A profile may expose different combinations of input and output ports. If a microphone or headphone port is not available, select a profile that includes the connector type you are using. Avoid selecting a profile simply because it has a higher channel count unless that matches your hardware configuration.

Check the output

Use a short audio sample that has a consistent level, or speak at a normal distance when checking a microphone. Look for motion on the level meter in pavucontrol and, if available, listen to the result through the intended device.

For video calls and recording tools, test the route inside the application's own device chooser afterward. The application may still be using its previous audio device until it is restarted. Keep in mind that pavucontrol shows PulseAudio-compatible routing; some professional audio tools may query PipeWire directly or use another session manager and may not appear in the same way.

Common problems and next steps

If pavucontrol starts but shows only a dummy output, the PipeWire session may be running without a working audio device or without the PulseAudio-compatible component. Open another audio preferences tool to see whether the desktop environment reports the same hardware. A missing device is usually a system or session issue rather than a pavucontrol setting.

If an application does not appear in pavucontrol, confirm that it is actively playing or capturing and that it is using a PulseAudio-compatible path. Some browsers and recording apps create a stream only after permission is granted. Stop and restart the application after any larger routing change, because some programs do not reconnect automatically.

High CPU use, crackling, or stalled audio is not fixed by lowering only the application slider. Check whether the selected profile creates an unsupported combination and compare the same device in another profile. If a change produces an unusable route, return to the previous setting rather than adding more changes.

pavucontrol can be used as a temporary routing aid, but exact behavior depends on the installed PipeWire version, the session manager, and the desktop's audio integration. If a setting changes back after reboot, configure the preferred route in the session manager or desktop sound settings and use pavucontrol for the current session.