This is a big subject, and this post can't cover all possibilities. But it's a good place to start. I see a lot of "My audio isn't working in Linux" posts. Most of this will be done from the command line. This eliminates layer of complexity.
Here are some things to try, before you ask for more help. Running these commands will help other people help you.
First, what kind of sound hardware do you have?
This should return something similar to this. You may have more or less devices, but you need at least one.
Next, are the drivers for that audio device loaded into my kernel?
This can return qute a bit of "stuff".
Again, you may have more or less, but you should at least have something here. The dummy and timer devices will be there even if nothing else is. Those don't help much.
Well, OK, my computer knows I have audio hardware. But does Linux know about it?
This should return a list similar to ths.
This command is similar, but only for recording/capture devices.
This might return something like.
If you've gotten this far, you are usually in pretty good shape. Now it's probably just configuration and adjusting volume levels.
This next command doesn't work on all distro's. So if you get no output, don't worry. But it's helpful if it does work.
If that doesn't work, we can try to do that a little differently.
First, we will look for a pulseaudio server.
If that doesn't return anything, don't panic yet. My computer doesn't return anything from that command.
So next, we will look for pipewire.
This might return something like...
Now you should know more information to help us. What Linux distro are you using?
There have been cases, believe it or not, where the firewall has blocked sound on some distro's.
You can try disabling the firewall to see if it helps. (This usually isn't a problem in you're running firewalld).
For some audio devices, especially SoundBlaster cards, you might need to install the alsa-firmware.
Debian/Mint/Ubuntu
Fedora/Redhat/Rocky/Oracle
Well, OK I checked all of that, and everything looks good. But I still got no sound. What else can I look at?
That should bring up a screen like this.
In my case, it selected the wrong sound card. How can we fix this? Press your [F6] function key that top of your keyboard.
Now you should see a list of audio devices.
Use your up and down arrow keys to pick the one you want. Depending on how many channels your audio device has, you might see something like this.
Sometimes you will only see left and right. That's OK, at least you have sound channels. Well here is a problem, and default volumes on all channels are pretty low, no wonder I can't hear anything. Let's turn things up. Use your right and left arrow keys to select the channel. Then use your up and down arrow keys to crank up the volume. My headphones, and my microphone are set to zero volume. Let's fix this.
Ahhh... much better. Everything is turned up now. But I turned up my front Microphone a little too far. (I did it on purpose so I could mention it here) if you see red at the top, It might overload your audio device and cause distortion. I recommend turning the volume down to at least the "white" levels. Now amazing enough, my headphones are working when I play audio. All I needed to do was adjust the volume here. Press the [Esc] key to exit alsamixer.
Now go back into your music player. (vlc or whatever you like) and see if it's working now. If not, at least you know a lot more information to start doing more serious troubleshooting.
Remember before you ask for help. What distro? What soundcard? What audio server? Are the kernel drivers loaded?
Happy Linux'ing.
Here are some things to try, before you ask for more help. Running these commands will help other people help you.
First, what kind of sound hardware do you have?
Code:
sudo lspci | grep -i audioThis should return something similar to this. You may have more or less devices, but you need at least one.
Code:
2e:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation TU104 HD Audio Controller (rev a1)
30:00.4 Audio device: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Starship/Matisse HD Audio ControllerNext, are the drivers for that audio device loaded into my kernel?
Code:
sudo lsmod | grep sndThis can return qute a bit of "stuff".
Code:
snd_seq_dummy 12288 0
snd_hrtimer 12288 1
snd_hda_codec_realtek 221184 1
snd_hda_codec_generic 131072 1 snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hda_scodec_component 20480 1 snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 102400 1
snd_hda_intel 69632 4
snd_usb_audio 614400 2
snd_intel_dspcfg 45056 1 snd_hda_intel
snd_intel_sdw_acpi 16384 1 snd_intel_dspcfg
snd_usbmidi_lib 57344 1 snd_usb_audio
snd_hda_codec 225280 4 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_ump 49152 1 snd_usb_audio
snd_rawmidi 57344 2 snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_ump
snd_hda_core 155648 5 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hwdep 20480 2 snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_codec
mc 90112 1 snd_usb_audio
snd_seq 135168 7 snd_seq_dummy
snd_seq_device 16384 3 snd_seq,snd_ump,snd_rawmidi
snd_pcm 196608 5 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_core
snd_timer 53248 3 snd_seq,snd_hrtimer,snd_pcm
snd 159744 28 snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_usb_audio,snd_usbmidi_lib,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_timer,snd_ump,snd_pcm,snd_rawmidi
soundcore 16384 1 sndAgain, you may have more or less, but you should at least have something here. The dummy and timer devices will be there even if nothing else is. Those don't help much.
Well, OK, my computer knows I have audio hardware. But does Linux know about it?
Code:
sudo aplay -lThis should return a list similar to ths.
Code:
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC1220 Analog [ALC1220 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 1: ALC1220 Digital [ALC1220 Digital]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0This command is similar, but only for recording/capture devices.
Code:
arecord -lThis might return something like.
Code:
**** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC1220 Analog [ALC1220 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 2: ALC1220 Alt Analog [ALC1220 Alt Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: DeviceEcho058 [USB PnP Device(Echo-058)], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0If you've gotten this far, you are usually in pretty good shape. Now it's probably just configuration and adjusting volume levels.
This next command doesn't work on all distro's. So if you get no output, don't worry. But it's helpful if it does work.
Code:
pactl info | grep "Server Name"If that doesn't work, we can try to do that a little differently.
First, we will look for a pulseaudio server.
Code:
systemctl --user status pulseaudioIf that doesn't return anything, don't panic yet. My computer doesn't return anything from that command.
So next, we will look for pipewire.
Code:
systemctl --user status pipewire-pulseThis might return something like...
Code:
○ pipewire-pulse.service - PipeWire PulseAudio
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire-pulse.service; disabled; preset: disabled)
Drop-In: /usr/lib/systemd/user/service.d
└─10-timeout-abort.conf
Active: inactive (dead)
TriggeredBy: ○ pipewire-pulse.socketNow you should know more information to help us. What Linux distro are you using?
Code:
cat /etc/os-releaseThere have been cases, believe it or not, where the firewall has blocked sound on some distro's.
You can try disabling the firewall to see if it helps. (This usually isn't a problem in you're running firewalld).
Code:
sudo ufw disableFor some audio devices, especially SoundBlaster cards, you might need to install the alsa-firmware.
Debian/Mint/Ubuntu
Code:
sudo apt-get install alsa-firmwareFedora/Redhat/Rocky/Oracle
Code:
dnf install alsa-firmwareWell, OK I checked all of that, and everything looks good. But I still got no sound. What else can I look at?
Code:
alsamixerThat should bring up a screen like this.
In my case, it selected the wrong sound card. How can we fix this? Press your [F6] function key that top of your keyboard.
Now you should see a list of audio devices.
Use your up and down arrow keys to pick the one you want. Depending on how many channels your audio device has, you might see something like this.
Sometimes you will only see left and right. That's OK, at least you have sound channels. Well here is a problem, and default volumes on all channels are pretty low, no wonder I can't hear anything. Let's turn things up. Use your right and left arrow keys to select the channel. Then use your up and down arrow keys to crank up the volume. My headphones, and my microphone are set to zero volume. Let's fix this.
Ahhh... much better. Everything is turned up now. But I turned up my front Microphone a little too far. (I did it on purpose so I could mention it here) if you see red at the top, It might overload your audio device and cause distortion. I recommend turning the volume down to at least the "white" levels. Now amazing enough, my headphones are working when I play audio. All I needed to do was adjust the volume here. Press the [Esc] key to exit alsamixer.
Now go back into your music player. (vlc or whatever you like) and see if it's working now. If not, at least you know a lot more information to start doing more serious troubleshooting.
Remember before you ask for help. What distro? What soundcard? What audio server? Are the kernel drivers loaded?
Happy Linux'ing.
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