# Sound

> Volume, speakers and headphones, the microphone, voice effects for calls, and what to do when there is no sound or it crackles.

Source: https://wolos.org/manual/sound

## What it is

Everything about sound in one place: the volume, where sound comes out (speakers, headphones, a TV), which microphone listens, and a few helpers for calls. The quick controls are in Control Center; everything else is in System Settings > **Sound**.

## Why WolOS does it this way

On many computers 100% does not mean the same thing on two devices, and a new microphone may arrive set so loud that it distorts. In WolOS, 100% is each device's own normal full level (0 dB), for speakers and microphones alike, so a new device starts sounding right. Going above it is possible, but only when you ask for it, because louder than normal can distort.

## How

### Set the volume

Drag the **Sound** slider in Control Center, or press the volume keys. A sign in the middle of the screen shows the new level. The mute key silences everything until you press it again.

### Choose speakers, headphones and the microphone

Click the arrow at the end of the Sound slider in Control Center. **Output** lists where sound can go, **Input** lists the microphones, each with its own slider and mute button. Click a device to use it; the tick moves. Wireless headphones show their codec under their name.

![Control Center's Sound page: the output slider with AirPods Pro (AAC) ticked, MacBook Speakers and HDMI Display; the input slider with Yeti Nano ticked and Built-in Microphone; Sound Settings… at the bottom.](/img/manual/controlcenter-sound.png)

### System Settings > Sound

Press Super+, and choose **Sound**, or click **Sound Settings…** at the bottom of Control Center's Sound page.

![System Settings > Sound: Output volume and Mute, the Output list (AirPods Pro with AAC ticked, MacBook Speakers, HDMI Display), Balance, Allow louder (Lets volume sliders pass 100%), and the start of the Input list.](/img/manual/settings-sound-wide.png)

| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| **Output volume**, **Mute** | | The same as the slider in Control Center. |
| **Output** | The device you used last | Where sound comes out. |
| **Balance** | Middle | Shifts sound to the left or right speaker. |
| **Allow louder** | Off | "Lets volume sliders pass 100%." Use it for a quiet laptop speaker or a quiet microphone; above 100% sound can distort. |
| **Input** and its level meter | The built-in or last microphone | Which microphone listens. The meter moves as you speak; red means too loud. |
| **Automatic input level** | Off | Keeps your voice at an even level in calls. It adds an input called *WolOS Microphone* and makes it the default. |
| **Reduce background noise** | Off | Filters out fans, keyboards and street noise from the microphone. |
| **Bluetooth: Autoswitch** | | A headset switches to its call mode while an app records, so the microphone in the headset works. |
| **Pro Audio** | Automatic | The sample rate and how much sound is prepared ahead (the buffer), for recording and music; see [Low-latency sound](/manual/audio-latency). |
| **Troubleshooting** | | **Soft volume** for a device whose volume jumps or does nothing; **Reset**; **Copy diagnostics** for a report. |

## A worked example

Alice has a video call. Her colleagues say she sounds far away. She opens System Settings > Sound, watches the input meter while she speaks (it barely moves), turns on **Automatic input level** and **Reduce background noise**, and the call app now uses *WolOS Microphone*. Her voice comes through clearly, and the fan of her laptop no longer does.

## If something goes wrong

| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| No sound at all | Check the mute key, then Control Center > Sound page: tick the device you want under Output. |
| Sound comes from the speakers, not the headphones | Tick the headphones under Output on the Sound page. |
| "No microphone is connected" | Nothing is plugged in or paired. Check the cable, or pair the headset in System Settings > Bluetooth. |
| "Sound devices are coming back" | The sound system restarted. Wait a few seconds. |
| The microphone is too quiet | Turn on **Allow louder** and raise the input slider while you watch the meter; red means it distorts. Or turn on **Automatic input level**. |
| A Bluetooth headset sounds bad in calls | That is its call mode, which every headset has. Turn **Autoswitch** off if you only listen. |
| Crackling or dropouts | In **Pro Audio**, choose a larger buffer or Automatic. |
| The volume jumps or does nothing on one device | Turn on **Soft volume** in Troubleshooting. |
| A switch flips back | The change did not take; the line under the section says why. Try again. |
| Nothing helps | **Reset** in Troubleshooting forgets stored volumes and devices and restarts sound. **Copy diagnostics** puts a report on the clipboard to paste into a bug report. |