---
name: "mixerctl"
section: "8"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mixerctl"
---

# mixerctl(8)

manipulate controls for audio hardware

## NAME

**mixerctl** – manipulate controls for audio hardware

## SYNOPSIS

**mixerctl** \[**-anv**\] \[**-f** *file*\]

**mixerctl** \[**-nv**\] \[**-f** *file*\] *name* *...*

**mixerctl** \[**-qt**\] \[**-f** *file*\] *name* *...*

**mixerctl** \[**-q**\] \[**-f** *file*\] *name*=*value* *...*

## DESCRIPTION

The **mixerctl** command displays or sets various controls for audio hardware, such as microphone reference voltage or output level. Where hardware defaults are not the desired ones, controls can be set at system startup using the configuration file [mixerctl.conf(5)](/mixerctl.conf/5.md).

**mixerctl** itself can only be run by the superuser. Common controls should be adjusted at runtime using [sndioctl(1)](/sndioctl/1.md), which is intended for every day use and requires no superuser privileges. Manual use of **mixerctl** is intended for controls which cannot be set using [sndioctl(1)](/sndioctl/1.md).

If a list of control names is present on the command line, **mixerctl** prints the current value of those controls for the specified device.

The options are as follows:

- **-a**

  Print all device controls and their current values. This is the default, if no parameters are given to **mixerctl**.

- **-f** *file*

  Specify an alternative audio control device. The default is */dev/audioctl0*.

- **-n**

  Suppress printing of the control name.

- **-q**

  Suppress all printing when setting a control.

- **-t**

  Toggle. Attempt to select the next possible value of an enum (see below).

- **-v**

  Show all possible values of controls. Enum values are shown in ‘\[\]’ and values belonging to a set are shown in ‘{}’ (see below).

- *name*=*value*

  Attempt to set the control with given *name* to *value*.

The exact set of controls that can be manipulated depends on the device. The general format (in both getting and setting a value) is:

class.name=value

The *class* can have values like “inputs” or “outputs”, indicating that the control affects the input or output, respectively, to the device. The *name* indicates what part of the device the control affects. Continuous values, e.g. volume, have numeric values in the range 0-255. If *value* can be set for each channel independently, the values are printed separated by commas. Discrete values, e.g. the recording source, have symbolic names.

Variables may take one of three types, again dependent on the mixer:

1. Enums. These may take only one out of a possible list of symbolic values or the literal string “toggle”, which toggles the value, e.g. inputs.mic.source=mic0.

2. Sets. These can take one or more of a possible list of symbolic values; multiple values are specified as a comma-separated list, e.g. record.source=mic,cd. Additionally, *value* may be omitted to specify the empty set, e.g. record.source=.

3. Numbers. Numerical values may be specified in either absolute or relative forms. The relative form is indicated by a prefix of ‘+’ or ‘-’ to denote an increase or decrease, respectively.

## ENVIRONMENT

- MIXERDEVICE

  The audio control device to use.

## FILES

- */dev/audioctl0*

  Default audio control device.

- */etc/mixerctl.conf*

  **mixerctl** configuration file.

## EXAMPLES

Show possible values for all controls, and their current settings:

```
# mixerctl -av
inputs.mic=0,0 volume
inputs.mic.mute=off  [ off on ]
inputs.cd=220,220 volume
inputs.cd.mute=off  [ off on ]
inputs.dac=220,220 volume
inputs.dac.mute=off  [ off on ]
record.record=220,220 volume
record.record.source=mic  [ mic cd dac ]
monitor.monitor=0 volume
```

Toggle inputs.dac.mute:

```
# mixerctl -t inputs.dac.mute
inputs.dac.mute: off -> on
# mixerctl inputs.dac.mute=toggle
inputs.dac.mute: on -> off
```

## SEE ALSO

[aucat(1)](/aucat/1.md), [cdio(1)](/cdio/1.md), [audio(4)](/audio/4.md), [mixerctl.conf(5)](/mixerctl.conf/5.md), [audioctl(8)](/audioctl/8.md), [sysctl(8)](/sysctl/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **mixerctl** command first appeared in OpenBSD 2.4.