PipeWire is a newer multimedia framework that is being adopted by many Linux distributions because of its ability to handle both audio and video streams more efficiently than PulseAudio and JACK.
Here’s how you can switch to PipeWire on Ubuntu 22.04:
1. Install PipeWire and Required Packages
Ubuntu 22.04 comes with PipeWire partially installed by default, but you need to install some additional packages to replace PulseAudio and ensure PipeWire handles everything correctly.
Run the following command to install the necessary packages:
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sudo apt update sudo apt install pipewire pipewire-audio-client-libraries libspa-0.2-bluetooth libspa-0.2-jack pipewire-pulse
This will install PipeWire itself, Bluetooth support, JACK support, and the PulseAudio compatibility layer.
2. Disable and Stop PulseAudio
Next, you need to stop and disable the PulseAudio service, as PipeWire will take over its responsibilities.
Stop PulseAudio:
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systemctl --user stop pulseaudio.service pulseaudio.socket
Disable PulseAudio from starting at boot:
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systemctl --user disable pulseaudio.service pulseaudio.socket
Mask PulseAudio to prevent it from being started accidentally:
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systemctl --user mask pulseaudio
3. Enable and Start PipeWire
Now, enable and start the PipeWire services to ensure it handles both audio and Bluetooth.
Start and enable the PipeWire service:
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systemctl --user --now enable pipewire pipewire-pulse
Enable PipeWire to replace PulseAudio:
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systemctl --user enable pipewire-pulse
You can check if PipeWire is running properly by using this command:
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pactl info
The output should list Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire x.x.x) indicating that PipeWire is now handling audio.
4. Optionally Enable JACK Compatibility
If you want PipeWire to also handle JACK (useful for professional audio users):
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sudo apt install pipewire-jack
5. Reboot the System
Finally, reboot your system to ensure all changes take effect properly:
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sudo reboot
After rebooting, PipeWire should be running and managing your audio and video streams. You can confirm this by running pactl info again to ensure PipeWire is in charge. You can also test sound output through your usual applications.
Optional: PipeWire Management Tools
To manage your PipeWire settings and configuration, you can install the following tools:
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WirePlumber (recommended for managing PipeWire policies):
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sudo apt install wireplumber -
QJackCtl (for managing JACK through PipeWire):
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sudo apt install qjackctl
That’s it! You have successfully switched to PipeWire on Ubuntu 22.04.
4o
You said:
I did that, but now I don’t see devices in sound settings
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
If you don’t see any devices in the sound settings after switching to PipeWire, it could be due to a configuration or service issue. Let’s go through some troubleshooting steps to resolve this.
1. Check PipeWire Services
Make sure that all the necessary PipeWire services are running:
Run the following commands to verify if PipeWire and its PulseAudio compatibility layer (pipewire-pulse) are active:
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systemctl --user status pipewire systemctl --user status pipewire-pulse
You should see both services marked as “active (running).” If not, try starting them manually:
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systemctl --user start pipewire systemctl --user start pipewire-pulse
Also, enable them again to start at boot:
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systemctl --user enable pipewire systemctl --user enable pipewire-pulse
2. Restart the Audio Service
Try restarting the PipeWire and PipeWire Pulse services:
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systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-pulse
After restarting the services, check your sound settings again to see if the devices appear.
3. Check if PipeWire is Handling Audio
Run the following command to confirm that PipeWire is in control of your audio system:
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pactl info
You should see something like this:
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Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire x.x.x)
If it doesn’t show PipeWire but instead shows PulseAudio, it means PulseAudio is still running. In that case, make sure PulseAudio is fully disabled:
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systemctl --user mask pulseaudio
4. Install WirePlumber (if not already installed)
Ensure that you have wireplumber installed, which is an important session manager for PipeWire. Without it, PipeWire may not function correctly.
To install wireplumber:
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sudo apt install wireplumber
After installing, restart the service:
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systemctl --user enable wireplumber --now
5. Check Device Visibility in ALSA
PipeWire relies on ALSA to access audio hardware, so we should check if ALSA recognizes your devices.
Run the following command to list available ALSA sound devices:
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aplay -l
If no devices are listed, you might have a hardware issue or a problem with ALSA. If devices are listed, the problem is likely with the PipeWire setup or configuration.
6. Reboot the System
After checking the above, reboot your system to ensure everything is cleanly loaded:
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sudo reboot
7. Check Logs for Errors
If you’re still facing issues, checking the logs may give you more insight into what’s wrong. Use the following command to check user session logs for PipeWire errors:
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journalctl --user -xe | grep pipewire
This will show you any errors or warnings related to PipeWire that could point to the root cause.
8. Manually Reload ALSA
In case ALSA isn’t working properly with PipeWire, you can try reloading ALSA:
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sudo alsa force-reload
9. Fallback: Reinstall PipeWire and PulseAudio
If none of the above steps work, you could try fully reinstalling PipeWire or restoring PulseAudio.
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To reinstall PipeWire:
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sudo apt remove --purge pipewire wireplumber sudo apt install pipewire wireplumber -
To revert to PulseAudio:
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sudo apt install --reinstall pulseaudio
Let me know how it goes after trying these steps!