====== Volume Control Using i3 ======


===== Change system volume/mute from media controls =====

For muting, using ALSA to mute the Master output is a safe bet.

<code>bindsym XF86AudioMute exec amixer -q set Master toggle
</code>
To adjust system volume, I have done this in 2 main ways:


==== Using Pulseaudio ====


Here, you can change how much you want to adjust the volume by (eg: 1%), and the sink number (eg: 2).

For example, I had the regular volume buttons change the 2nd sink volume, which is my USB DAC, and 'Mod1+XF86AudioRaiseVolume' to change the internal sound card volume by having it control sink 1.

<code>bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec "pactl set-sink-volume 2 +1%"
bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec "pactl set-sink-volume 2 -1%"
</code>

==== Using ALSA ====


This will change the volume of whatever output device is selected as default. I have found a slight glitch, if you adjust volume too fast, the left and right channels may imbalance. In this case, bring the volume down to 0, then back up.

<code>bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec "amixer -q set Master 5%+ unmute"
bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec "amixer -q set Master 5%- unmute"
</code>


==== New method from Fedora config ====

I saw this on Fedora git, and it works better. Use this. It doesn't imbalance. It does sometimes get stuck on my [[reviews:lenovo_thinkpad_e495|Lenovo Thinkpad E495]] and go up or down to infinity, but I think that's the laptop, not the config.

  # Use pactl to adjust volume in PulseAudio.
  set $refresh_i3status killall -SIGUSR1 i3status
  bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ +5% && $refresh_i3status
  bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-volume @DEFAULT_SINK@ -5% && $refresh_i3status
  bindsym XF86AudioMute exec --no-startup-id pactl set-sink-mute @DEFAULT_SINK@ toggle && $refresh_i3status
  bindsym $mod+XF86AudioMute exec --no-startup-id pactl set-source-mute @DEFAULT_SOURCE@ toggle && $refresh_i3status