How to Use qpwgraph to Route PipeWire Audio

Before you start

qpwgraph is a graphical patchbay for PipeWire sessions. It shows audio and video nodes on a canvas and lets you connect an output device or application to an input device or application. The tool runs locally on the same machine that is running the PipeWire session; it does not need a separate service or account. Before opening it, start the application or device you want to route. A microphone, webcam or media player usually appears only after it is active. If a Bluetooth device or USB interface is involved, connect it first and confirm that the system sees it as an available audio device.

Step-by-step instructions

Open qpwgraph from the applications menu or by running qpwgraph in a terminal. The main window shows boxes for sources on the left and destinations on the right, with ports on the edge of each box. On many Linux desktops, source ports are outputs and destination ports are inputs.

To connect a microphone to an application, locate the microphone node on the left and the application input on the right. Click the microphone output port, then click the application input port. qpwgraph draws a line between them. To disconnect a route, click the line and press Delete, or right-click the line and look for a disconnect action in the menu.

The same method works for routing an application to speakers or headphones. Select the application output on the left, then the device playback port on the right. If a connection already exists, remove it before adding the new route so that audio does not go to two places unintentionally.

To adjust loudness, use the controls in the source application or the desktop sound settings rather than expecting qpwgraph to provide a mixer. qpwgraph is primarily a connection tool. Input level and output level are controlled by the recording program, media player or system volume panel. Keep changes reversible by noting the original connection before replacing it.

Check the output

After making a connection, speak into the microphone or play audio and watch the level indicator in the receiving application. In a recording tool, the input meter should move. For speaker routing, sound should come from the chosen output device. If the application exposes a sample rate setting, confirm that it matches the rate expected by your device or session. qpwgraph shows the route, but it does not change format or sample rate by itself.

For a webcam or video call tool, make a short local test call or use the application's preview meter. Check that the selected microphone and speaker names match the nodes you connected in qpwgraph. Close background applications that may also capture the microphone if the test call shows unexpected echo or background noise.

Common problems and next steps

If a device does not appear in qpwgraph, verify that it is listed in the system audio settings and that it is not suspended. Some devices appear only while an application is using them. If an application appears without the expected input port, start or refresh its capture function, then reopen the qpwgraph view.

When audio is routed but too quiet, raise the input level in the recording application and move the microphone closer. If background noise is noticeable, mute or remove connections for unused input devices and close applications that are not needed. This is more reliable than adding multiple recording nodes to the same source.

If a saved connection disappears after reboot, remember that qpwgraph routes exist for the current session. Some versions can load a stored patchbay file, but a fresh device or changed PipeWire graph may require you to create the connection again. Keep the procedure simple: reconnect the needed ports and confirm the route with a short recording or test call.