How to Set the Default Audio Output in pavucontrol

Before you start

This task uses pavucontrol, the graphical PulseAudio volume control. The procedure applies when PulseAudio manages your local sound devices. If your system uses PipeWire with its PulseAudio-compatible layer, pavucontrol may still appear, but the available controls and exact labels can differ. You do not need to edit configuration files for a normal session-level default; pavucontrol can set the fallback output that applications use as their starting device.

Open pavucontrol from your application menu or by running pavucontrol. Keep the window open while you make the change. If no output device is listed, close the window, confirm that your playback hardware is connected, and reopen pavucontrol.

Step-by-step instructions

Use the Output Devices tab to choose the device that should become the new default output. This tab is separate from the Playback tab, which controls individual application streams.

• Open the Output Devices tab.
• Find the output device you want to use.
• Select the check button next to that device. In current versions this is usually labelled Set as fallback.
• If a confirmation appears, accept the selection.
• Restart or reopen the application you want to test. Programs that were already playing audio may continue using their previously assigned output until they are restarted.

The fallback device is the device new streams choose when an application has not requested a specific output. It is not the same as forcibly moving every currently playing stream. To move an existing application, use the Playback tab and choose the desired device from that application's output selector.

Older pavucontrol builds may show a small check button rather than the Set as fallback label. The action is the same: activate it on the intended output device. If the button appears already active on another device, first select your preferred device and confirm that the active indicator moves to it.

Check the output

Start audio playback in the application you want to test. It should now open on the fallback output if the application has no saved device preference. In pavucontrol, open the Playback tab and confirm that the new stream is associated with the intended output device.

Return to the Output Devices tab and verify that the fallback indicator remains on the selected device. The indicator shows the session default, not proof of sound quality or that the physical device is producing audible output. Confirm the hardware side separately by checking volume and physical connections.

Common problems and next steps

If an application keeps using the old output, check the Playback tab and move its stream manually. An application may also remember its own last-used output device, in which case the fallback is not applied until that application preference is changed or reset.

When the expected device does not appear, confirm that it is available to PulseAudio and set as an output device rather than an input device. The Output Devices tab can show devices in different profiles; choosing the correct profile may be necessary first. Avoid changing an input device setting when the goal is output routing.

If the selection does not persist after logout or reboot, the fallback setting may be overridden by a distribution audio policy or remembered per-user session state. Reapply the fallback after the change is lost and test with a fresh application stream. This article covers the pavucontrol interface; for permanent startup behaviour, check the configuration options supported by your Linux distribution.