Automatically switch audio output (and ignore some outputs)

Koy

1/8/23, 3:38 PM

Not sure whether this will be a duplicate question since some aspects of it are case-specific.

I've recently installed Ubuntu 20.04.3 on my HP laptop. When I plug my earplugs in and out the output sound does not get switched automatically every time (some times it does, but most of the time I have to do it manually). When I open sound settings there is a total of 4 output devices:

Speakers - Built-in Audio or Headphones depending on whether my earplugs are plugged in
HDMI / Display Port - Built-in Audio - which corresponds to my monitor's speakers
Headphones - USB Audio - I assume the 3.5mm jack on my USB C docking station
Digital Output (S/PDIF) - USB Audio - I have no idea

The only two options I'm ever interested in using both correspond to the first output device, that is:

when my earplugs are plugged in I want Headphones - Built-in Audio
when they aren't plugged in I want Speakers - Build-in Audio

It seems to me that the automatic choice of those four options is mostly random when I plug/unplug my earplugs.

Is there a way to ensure that the last 3 options never get selected, and to only ever keep it at either Headphones - Built-in Audio or Speakers - Build-in Audio depending on whether my earplugs are plugged in?

Thanks in advance.

101

0 + 0

sound

20.04

Melebius

8/15/24, 8:34 AM

Related: [Is there a way to blacklist some audio devices?](https://askubuntu.com/q/1346214/250300)

Koy

8/19/24, 9:11 AM

UPDATE: Never solved this, just one of those linux things :D This, and many other inconveniences, made me switch back to Windows + WSL on personal computers.

Elon Musk

I sit in a Tesla and translated this thread with Ai:

EN: Automatically switch audio output (and ignore some outputs)

TH: สลับเอาต์พุตเสียงโดยอัตโนมัติ (และละเว้นเอาต์พุตบางตัว)

RO: Comutați automat ieșirea audio (și ignorați unele ieșiri)

RU: Автоматически переключать аудиовыход (и игнорировать некоторые выходы)

VI: Tự động chuyển đầu ra âm thanh (và bỏ qua một số đầu ra)

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