pactl

Practical pactl command reference for inspecting, controlling, and automating PulseAudio sinks, sources, streams, and modules

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See what is using audio just now

pactl list sink-inputs | grep -E "(Sink Input|media.name|application.name)"

If something on on mute you just have to set

pactl set-sink-input-mute 253 0

Show server statistics

pactl stat

Show PulseAudio server information

pactl info

List PulseAudio objects

pactl list [short] [TYPE]

Terminate the PulseAudio daemon

pactl exit

Upload an audio sample

pactl upload-sample FILENAME [NAME]

Play an uploaded sample

pactl play-sample NAME [SINK]

Remove an uploaded sample

pactl remove-sample NAME

Load a PulseAudio module

pactl load-module NAME [ARGS ...]

Unload a PulseAudio module

pactl unload-module NAME|#N

Move a stream to another sink or source

pactl move-(sink-input|source-output) #N SINK|SOURCE

Suspend or resume a sink or source

pactl suspend-(sink|source) NAME|#N 1|0

Set card profile

pactl set-card-profile CARD PROFILE

Get default sink or source

pactl get-default-(sink|source)

Set default sink or source

pactl set-default-(sink|source) NAME

Set sink or source port

pactl set-(sink|source)-port NAME|#N PORT

Get sink or source volume

pactl get-(sink|source)-volume NAME|#N

Get sink or source mute state

pactl get-(sink|source)-mute NAME|#N

Set sink or source volume

pactl set-(sink|source)-volume NAME|#N VOLUME [VOLUME ...]

Set stream volume

pactl set-(sink-input|source-output)-volume #N VOLUME [VOLUME ...]

Mute or unmute sink or source

pactl set-(sink|source)-mute NAME|#N 1|0|toggle

Mute or unmute a stream

pactl set-(sink-input|source-output)-mute #N 1|0|toggle

Set supported sink formats

pactl set-sink-formats #N FORMATS

Set port latency offset

pactl set-port-latency-offset CARD-NAME|CARD-#N PORT OFFSET

Send a message to a PulseAudio object

pactl send-message RECIPIENT MESSAGE [MESSAGE_PARAMETERS]

Subscribe to PulseAudio events

pactl subscribe