How to Use pavucontrol to Route Application Audio on Linux

What pavucontrol is

pavucontrol is the graphical mixer for PulseAudio. It can route an application to a specific output device, choose which microphone or other input device an application records from, and adjust per-application volume. The same tool is often available as pavucontrol-qt, a Qt-based interface with equivalent controls.

Before you start

Use a Linux session where PulseAudio is running for the local user. pavucontrol works through the running audio service; if you connect to a remote desktop or remote audio server, the available devices come from that environment and may require additional configuration, which is not covered here.

For the device routing to work, the application you want to control should already be running or producing audio. A camera utility, web browser, conferencing tool, or media player may appear in pavucontrol only after it has registered an audio stream with PulseAudio.

• Start by checking your distribution's package list. On many Debian- or Ubuntu-based systems, install pavucontrol through the package manager. On systems using the Qt variant, install pavucontrol-qt instead. The package name may vary by distribution.
• No separate web service is required for local routing.
• Avoid making routing changes during an important recording; use a short test call or local preview first.

Step-by-step instructions

Open pavucontrol and learn the tabs

Launch pavucontrol from the applications menu or by typing pavucontrol in a terminal. The window normally has tabs for Playback, Recording, Output Devices, Input Devices, and Configuration. The Playback tab shows applications currently sending audio. The Recording tab shows applications currently capturing audio or capable of recording.

If an application is not displayed, start or wake it, play a sound, or open its audio settings. An application with no active stream can still appear as a list entry with the label showing a currently selected device or no stream.

Route playback from an application

• In the Playback tab, find the application name for the stream you want to move.
• Next to that stream, open the device selector.
• Choose the output device you want. This may include speakers, headphones, a monitor, or an HDMI or USB audio output, depending on what the system exposes.
• If the selector is missing or disabled, the application may not currently have an active stream. Produce some audio from the app and check again.

Some applications let you choose a device in their own settings. When an application has its own device selection, either setting can be overridden later; check both places if the route changes unexpectedly after a restart.

Route an application to a microphone or other input device

• Open the Recording tab.
• Start the application's microphone or capture feature if it has not started already.
• Find the recording stream for that application.
• Use the selector next to the stream to choose the desired input device, such as a USB microphone, headset microphone, or built-in camera microphone.

The Input Devices tab lists the available input devices and includes an input level control. Do not use the Recording tab alone to judge quality; the Input Devices tab shows the current level for the selected input, which can help you set the input level before recording.

Set a sensible input level and reduce background noise

• In the Input Devices tab, select the microphone or camera microphone you plan to use.
• Speak at your normal recording or meeting volume and watch the level indicator.
• Lower the input level if the level is near the top and distorting. Raise it if the level is too low.
• Set the port if the device offers alternatives, such as a microphone or line-in connection. The exact names differ by hardware.

pavucontrol is not a noise filter. Background noise from a room or camera fan should be reduced by placing the microphone closer, muting other sources, or using a noise reduction feature in the calling or recording application, if available. The pulseaudio routing controls do not remove echo or ambient noise by themselves.

Check the Configuration tab when a device is unavailable

If an expected device is missing from the selectors, open the Configuration tab and look at the profile entry for that device. A USB or built-in audio device can be set to several profiles, such as analog stereo input, output, duplex, or digital output. Selecting the profile that matches your use may make the device appear in the Input Devices or Output Devices tabs.

A profile change can interrupt active streams or reset volume levels, so make this change between recordings where possible. If the change causes an unwanted result, return to the previous profile.

Use the Qt interface the same way

pavucontrol-qt presents the same Playback, Recording, Output Devices, Input Devices, and Configuration tabs. The device selectors and sliders work the same way, although the window layout and wording differ. The same instructions apply.

Check the output

• Play audio from the routed application and confirm that the sound comes from the intended speaker, headset, or monitor.
• For recording, run a short local recording or test call, then play it back and confirm that the voice is from the intended microphone and not from a built-in device you did not select.
• In the Playback or Recording tab, check that the routed stream remains at the intended device while the application is active.
• If the device supports different sample rates or formats, those settings are managed by PulseAudio or the device profile; pavucontrol normally exposes routing and level rather than a full sample rate editor.

If the device shown in pavucontrol changes by itself, the application or the desktop audio settings may still be selecting a different device. Reopen the application's own audio settings and align them with the pavucontrol route.

Common problems and next steps

An application may stick to the wrong output after restart. Route it in the Playback tab, then check the application's native device selector to avoid a conflicting setting. If the application cannot be routed or keeps resetting, close the stream, restart the application's audio feature, and route it again.

If the recording stream is silent, check that the microphone is not muted in the Input Devices tab, that the correct port is selected, and that the input level is high enough. Then test with a short capture rather than a full call.

When a device is missing, open the Configuration tab and choose the matching profile. If the device still does not appear, the audio service or driver may not be detecting it; in a video call, also check whether the browser or meeting application has permission to use the device.

For camera setups, route the camera microphone in the Recording tab and the camera monitoring or playback audio in the Playback tab if the camera exposes those streams. The exact names vary by camera and connection type.

How to revert or make a temporary route

pavucontrol overrides act as runtime routing choices. To return to normal, select the previous device in the same stream selector or restart the affected application. Desktop audio settings, application settings, and pavucontrol may all be involved, so check the layer you changed before assuming a route is permanent.

When to use pulseaudio routing instead of application settings

Use pavucontrol when an application does not expose a device selector, when you need to move one application without changing the system default, or when a call needs a different microphone than the desktop default. If the application has a reliable built-in selector, either method can work, but the two should be kept consistent.