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alsamixer

audiolinux
The alsamixer command is one of the most frequently used commands in Linux/Unix-like operating systems. alsamixer The alsamixer command provides a text-based user interface for adjusting audio volume and settings using the ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) sound system.
See ExamplesView Syntax

Quick Reference

Command Name:

alsamixer

Category:

audio

Platform:

linux

Basic Usage:

alsamixer [options] [arguments]

Common Use Cases

  • 1

    Audio level control

    Adjust volume levels for different audio channels and devices

  • 2

    Sound card configuration

    Configure and test sound card settings and capabilities

  • 3

    Audio troubleshooting

    Diagnose and fix audio playback and recording issues

  • 4

    Multi-channel audio

    Manage complex audio setups with multiple input/output channels

Syntax

alsamixer [options]

Options

Option Description
-h, --help Display help and exit
-c, --card NUMBER Select the sound card by number
-D, --device NAME Select the device name (default: default)
-V, --view MODE Select the view mode: playback, capture, all (default: playback)
-g, --no-color Toggle the use of colors
-a, --abstraction LEVEL Control abstraction level: none, basic (default)
-f, --config FILE Use the specified configuration file
-z, --no-zero Hide controls with zero volume range
-M, --no-menu Disable the top menu bar
-m, --no-mouse Disable mouse support

Examples

How to Use These Examples

The examples below show common ways to use the alsamixer command. Try them in your terminal to see the results. You can copy any example by clicking on the code block.

Basic Examples:

Start alsamixer with default settings
alsamixer
Start alsamixer for a specific sound card
alsamixer -c 1
Start alsamixer in view mode
alsamixer -V all
Start alsamixer for a specific sound card device
alsamixer -D hw:0

Advanced Examples:

Start alsamixer showing all controls including those with zero volume range
alsamixer -V all -a
Start alsamixer for a specific device with a specific view
alsamixer -c 2 -V capture
Start alsamixer with a specific ALSA configuration file
alsamixer -f ~/.asoundrc
Start alsamixer with a display showing the help menu
alsamixer -h
Start alsamixer for a specific sound card and hide inactive controls
alsamixer -c 1 -z

Try It Yourself

Practice makes perfect! The best way to learn is by trying these examples on your own system with real files.

Understanding Syntax

Pay attention to the syntax coloring: commands, options, and file paths are highlighted differently.

Notes

Keyboard Controls:

When using alsamixer, you can control it with these keyboard shortcuts:

  • ← and →: Select a channel (control)
  • ↑ and ↓: Adjust the volume level
  • M: Toggle mute for the selected channel
  • Space: Toggle recording for the selected input channel
  • Tab: Switch between Playback, Capture, and All views
  • F1 through F6: Select sound cards 1-6
  • Page Up/Page Down: Move 10 steps at a time
  • End: Set volume to 0%
  • Home: Set volume to 100%
  • Q or Esc: Quit alsamixer
  • F: Toggle between relative dB and absolute volume display

Views and Modes:

Alsamixer has different view modes that can be accessed with the -V option or by pressing Tab:

  • Playback (F3): Shows only playback (output) controls
  • Capture (F4): Shows only capture (input/recording) controls
  • All (F5): Shows all controls

Sound Card Selection:

If you have multiple sound cards:

  • Use -c or --card to select a specific card by number
  • Press F1-F6 to switch between cards while running alsamixer
  • List available cards with aplay -l or cat /proc/asound/cards

Color Coding:

Alsamixer uses colors to represent different statuses:

  • Green bar: Normal volume level
  • Red bar (on top of green): Volume is above 0dB, which might cause clipping
  • Blue/Cyan bar: Captured/Recording channels
  • Gray/white with MM: Muted channel
  • Gray/white with OO: Channel is unmuted
  • Red with CAPTURE: Recording is active for this channel

Saving Settings:

Alsamixer itself doesn't save settings between reboots. To save your settings:

# Save the current mixer settings
sudo alsactl store

# Restore previously saved settings
sudo alsactl restore

Troubleshooting:

  • If you don't see any controls, try changing the sound card with -c or F1-F6
  • If a channel is muted, press M to unmute it
  • If you can't increase the volume beyond a certain level, check for additional mixer controls like "Master" or "PCM"
  • If changes aren't persistent across reboots, make sure to use sudo alsactl store
  • If alsamixer doesn't start, ensure ALSA is properly installed: sudo apt install alsa-utils

Integration with Desktop Environments:

While alsamixer is a terminal-based application, many desktop environments provide graphical alternatives:

  • GNOME: Use gnome-control-center sound
  • KDE: Use KMix
  • XFCE: Use xfce4-mixer

Important Notes:

  • Alsamixer requires the alsa-utils package to be installed
  • Some systems use PulseAudio or PipeWire on top of ALSA, which might limit direct ALSA volume control
  • For systems using PulseAudio, consider using pavucontrol as an alternative
  • Not all controls shown in alsamixer may affect the sound output, as some might be unused or unsupported by your hardware
  • The interface might look different depending on your sound card capabilities and drivers

Common Use Cases

Audio level control

Adjust volume levels for different audio channels and devices

Sound card configuration

Configure and test sound card settings and capabilities

Audio troubleshooting

Diagnose and fix audio playback and recording issues

Multi-channel audio

Manage complex audio setups with multiple input/output channels

System audio setup

Configure system-wide audio settings and device preferences

Related Commands

These commands are frequently used alongside alsamixer or serve similar purposes:

amixer
aplay
arecord
alsactl
pactl
pavucontrol
pulseaudio
Explore All Commands

Use Cases

1

Audio level control

Adjust volume levels for different audio channels and devices

2

Sound card configuration

Configure and test sound card settings and capabilities

3

Audio troubleshooting

Diagnose and fix audio playback and recording issues

4

Multi-channel audio

Manage complex audio setups with multiple input/output channels

5

System audio setup

Configure system-wide audio settings and device preferences

Learn By Doing

The best way to learn Linux commands is by practicing. Try out these examples in your terminal to build muscle memory and understand how the alsamixer command works in different scenarios.

See ExamplesTry Lab Exercises
$ alsamixer
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