Adjusting Sound Volume in Ubuntu Linux: A Simple Guide

How to increase or decrease the sound volume in Ubuntu Linux

The fastest way to change the volume is from the system menu in the top bar. Move the slider up or to the right to make sounds louder, and down or to the left to make them quieter. Stop when the level suits you. The change takes effect straight away, so you don’t need to save anything or restart.

The system menu sits on the right side of the top bar. It is the small group of icons that usually includes Wi-Fi, Speaker and, on laptops, Battery. All of these icons are one clickable area, so you can click any of them.

Follow these steps to open the menu and find the volume control:

1. Click the group of icons at the right end of the top bar.
2. Look for the volume slider in the panel that opens. It has a speaker icon next to it.

On newer releases such as 24.04, there is also a small arrow next to the slider. Click it to open a sound submenu that lists your output devices, such as speakers, headphones or an HDMI display, so you can switch between them without opening Settings. If your release has no arrow, use the Settings app instead.

1. Click and hold the slider handle, or click a point on the slider bar.
2. Drag it left to lower the volume or right to raise it.
3. Play something, such as a video or music track, to check the level. Adjust the slider until it sounds right.

If the sound is still too quiet at the top of the slider, check the volume on your speakers or headphones. Many external speakers have their own volume knob. The slider normally stops at 100%. If you need more, see the Over-Amplification option in the Settings section below.

How to turn off or mute Sound on Ubuntu Linux

To silence your computer quickly, drag the volume slider to the left until the level reads 0. Nothing will play through your speakers or headphones while it stays there.

You can also use the mute key on your keyboard. It usually has a speaker icon with a line or cross through it. Press it once to mute and press it again to unmute. The on-screen volume indicator shows the new state.

Once the computer is muted, you will see an indicator such as x, or the slider will sit at its far left position. If you want sound back, drag the slider to the right again, or press the mute key once more if you muted with the keyboard. If you hear nothing afterwards, check that the slider has actually moved off the left edge.

How to adjust the Sound from the Ubuntu Linux settings app

The Settings app gives you more control than the system menu. Its Sound panel lets you change the output level for your speakers or headphones, pick which output device to use, test your audio devices, and set the volume for each open app separately. Use it when one app is much louder than the rest, or when sound plays through the wrong device.

Ubuntu keeps most system options in one Settings app. You can manage system configuration, user accounts, updates and sound from this single window. There are two ways to open it.

To open Settings from the system menu:

1. Click the system menu at the top-right of your desktop.

The same panel you used for the volume slider opens.

2. Select Settings, as highlighted below.

The Settings window opens. You can also open it by searching for “Settings” in the Activities overview.

1. In the Settings⚙️ window, find the Sound entry and click it. On most versions it is in the sidebar on the left. On some versions it appears as a tile.

The Sound panel opens on the right. It lists output and input options and the volume controls.

1. In Settings › Sound, find the volume slider for your computer. It is labeled System Volume or Output Volume, depending on your version.
2. Drag the slider left or right to change the volume for the whole system.
3. Look for the per-app sliders in the same panel, under Volume Levels on many versions. Each app that is currently running and playing sound gets its own slider there. Move an app’s slider to change only that app. If an app is missing from the list, start playing something in it and look again.
4. If you hear nothing, check the Output section. Choose the right Output Device, such as your speakers, headphones or an HDMI display. A wrong output device is one of the most common reasons for no sound. You can also switch devices from the sound submenu in the system menu, if your release has one.
5. If the volume is still too low at 100%, turn on the Over-Amplification option in the same panel. The slider then goes past 100%. Very high levels can distort the sound or strain small speakers, so raise it gradually. Turn the option off again to return to the normal limit.

Your changes apply immediately, and you can close the Settings window when you are done. No restart is needed.

Special keyboard keys also control the volume. Desktop keyboards with multimedia keys have them ready to use. On most modern laptops, the volume controls are printed on the ‘F’ keys, usually with speaker icons for mute, volume down and volume up.

1. Find the F keys marked with speaker icons.
2. Hold down the Fn key and press the volume key you want, if the volume key does not work on its own.
3. Watch for the on-screen volume indicator. It confirms the new level.

The mute key works the same way: press it once to mute and again to unmute. Some laptops reverse this behavior, so the volume keys work on their own and you hold Fn to use the plain F1 to F12 functions. If the keys do nothing, look for an Fn Lock key or a BIOS/UEFI option that switches this around.

That completes the process. You can now change the volume from the system menu, the Settings app or the keyboard.

Conclusion:

• Adjusting the sound volume in Ubuntu Linux is simple. You can do it from the system menu on the top bar or from the Settings app.
• You can raise, lower or mute the sound with the sliders in the system menu or in Settings › Sound. The Settings app also lets you set levels for individual apps under Volume Levels, choose the output device, and allow volume above 100% with Over-Amplification.
• If your keyboard has dedicated volume and mute keys, or volume functions on the F keys, you can use those and skip the menus.
• Whether you want a comfortable level, a quick mute or a fix for one loud app, Ubuntu gives you a way to do it. If there is no sound at all, check the output device first.