Windows Audio Control CLI + GUI

audioctl.exe (pycaw/comtypes-based)

A Windows audio control utility with a scriptable CLI and an optional GUI. You can:

Automate common tasks: list devices, set default playback/recording endpoints, adjust volume, mute/unmute, toggle “Listen to this device,” and control Enhancements.
Learn vendor toggles: “Learn Enhancements” and “Learn FX” observe what Windows/drivers change in the registry for a specific device, then store those rules so audioctl can reproduce the same toggle later.
Control individual effects (FX): once learned, per-effect toggles (e.g., BassBoost, Loudness) can be enabled/disabled on demand, even when the driver does not provide a direct API.
Query state safely: fast, read-only commands return current volume, mute, listen, enhancements, and FX state for scripts, hotkeys, and status UIs.
Use the GUI when convenient: the GUI provides context-aware right-click actions and guided learn workflows, while still using the CLI underneath as the source of truth.

audioctl is designed to be CLI-first for repeatability and automation; the GUI is a helper layer on top.

Quick Start
Command Map (Full Tree)
List Devices
Set Default Endpoints
Adjust Volume / Mute
Listen To This Device
Audio Enhancements
Query Helpers (Read‑Only)
Diagnostic Discovery
Wait For A Device
General Exit Codes
Troubleshooting
GUI (Graphical User Interface)

Quick Start

Help:
```
audioctl.exe -h
```
No arguments (double‑click or run without args) launches the GUI:
```
audioctl.exe
```

Selectors (used by most commands)

--id "{endpoint-id}" (exact endpoint ID)
--name "substring" (case-insensitive substring match)
--regex (treat --name as a regex)
--flow Render|Capture (optional filter for playback/recording device)
--index N (Number-based index to disambiguate between multiple matches)
--playback-name "substring" (Render-only name selector; for set-default)
--recording-name "substring" (Capture-only name selector; for set-default)

When using the --name, --playback-name, or --recording-name options, commands accept partial matches against device names or descriptions. If the specified text uniquely identifies exactly one playback or recording device, that device will be targeted and an index value is not required.

Command map (full tree)

audioctl
 │ 
 ├─ list [--all] [--json]
 │ 
 ├─ set-default
 │  ├─ --playback-id/--playback-name [--playback-role console|multimedia|communications|all]
 │  └─ --recording-id/--recording-name [--recording-role console|multimedia|communications|all]
 │     [--index] [--regex]
 │ 
 ├─ set-volume
 │  └─ (--id | --name) [--flow Render|Capture] (--level 0..100 | --mute | --unmute)
 │     [--index] [--regex]
 │ 
 ├─ listen (Capture only)
 │  └─ (--id | --name) (--enable | --disable)
 │     [--playback-target-id [<RenderID>]] [--playback-target-name [<RenderName>]]
 │     [--index] [--regex]
 │ 
 ├─ enhancements
 │  ├─ Main switch:
 │  │  └─ (--id | --name) [--flow] (--enable | --disable | --learn)
 │  │     [--index] [--regex] [--prefer-hklm] [--vendor-ini PATH]
 │  │ 
 │  └─ FX operations:
 │     ├─ --list-fx [--json]
 │     ├─ --learn-fx "FX_NAME"
 │     ├─ --enable-fx "FX_NAME" | --disable-fx "FX_NAME"
 │     └─ --delete-fx "FX_NAME"
 │ 
 ├─ get-volume [--id|--name] [--flow] [--index] [--regex]
 │ 
 ├─ get-listen [--id|--name] [--index] [--regex]          (Capture)
 │ 
 ├─ get-enhancements [--id|--name] [--flow] [--index] [--regex]
 │ 
 ├─ get-device-state [--id|--name] [--flow] [--index] [--regex] [--vendor-ini PATH]
 │ 
 ├─ diag-sysfx [--id|--name] [--flow] [--index] [--regex]
 │ 
 ├─ diag-mmdevices [--id|--name] [--flow] [--index] [--regex]
 │ 
 ├─ discover-enhancements [--id|--name] [--flow] [--index] [--regex]
 │  └─ [--output-dir DIR] [--ini-snippet FILE]
 │ 
 └─ wait (--id|--name) [--flow] [--timeout] [--index] [--regex]

List Devices

Human-readable:
```
audioctl.exe list
```
Include disabled/disconnected:
```
audioctl.exe list --all
```
JSON output:
```
audioctl.exe list --json
```

Set Default Devices (CLI)

Use audioctl set-default to choose the system’s default playback (Render) and/or recording (Capture) endpoints. Targets must be active (DEVICE_STATE_ACTIVE). On some systems, you may need an elevated console (Run as Administrator).

Roles you can set:

console - the default device most apps use.
multimedia - often resolved to the same device as console on most systems.
communications - used by calling/telephony apps.
all (applies to all three roles)

Defaults if a role is omitted:

Playback role defaults to all.
Recording role defaults to communications.

About Windows roles (console vs multimedia):

On most Windows systems, “console” and “multimedia” effectively point to the same default device. If you set either one, you will typically see both flags update in the next audioctl list output. The tool still lets you set them independently, or set all for completeness and for environments where they’re distinct.

Most users want a device to be the default for everything. Use:

--playback-role all for playback (Render)
--recording-role all for recording (Capture)

Get IDs first (optional but recommended):

audioctl list --json

Disambiguation when multiple name matches:

If your --playback-name or --recording-name matches more than one active device, the command will stop and print the matching candidates in GUI order with an index for each. Then rerun with --index N to choose the one you want.

Example of the prompt:

Multiple playback matches:
  [Render idx 0] Speakers (USB DAC)  id={...}  defaults=-
  [Render idx 1] Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio)  id={...}  defaults=multimedia,console
Use --index to disambiguate.

Notes about JSON output:

Successful commands print compact, single‑line JSON (no pretty‑printing). For pretty output, pipe to a formatter (e.g., | jq .).

Examples (only using “all”)

1) Playback (Render) - by name

audioctl set-default --playback-name "Speakers" --playback-role all --index 0

Sample output:

{"set":[{"flow":"Render","role":"all","id":"{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio)"}]}

2) Playback (Render) - by ID

audioctl set-default --playback-id "{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}" --playback-role all

Sample output:

{"set":[{"flow":"Render","role":"all","id":"{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Speakers (USB DAC)"}]}

3) Recording (Capture) - by name

audioctl set-default --recording-name "USB Microphone" --recording-role all --index 0

Sample output:

{"set":[{"flow":"Capture","role":"all","id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"USB Microphone"}]}

4) Recording (Capture) - by ID

audioctl set-default --recording-id "{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}" --recording-role all

Sample output:

{"set":[{"flow":"Capture","role":"all","id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Headset Mic"}]}

5) Playback + Recording - both “all” in one command

audioctl set-default \
  --playback-id "{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}"   --playback-role all \
  --recording-id "{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}" --recording-role all

Sample output:

{"set":[{"flow":"Render","role":"all","id":"{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio)"},{"flow":"Capture","role":"all","id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"USB Microphone"}]}

Additional notes:

If list output shows both console and multimedia toggled after setting only one, that is expected on most Windows builds, they commonly map to the same endpoint.
“device not found (active only)”: verify the device is connected/enabled and visible in audioctl list.
If multiple name matches occur, rerun with --index N using the indices printed in the disambiguation prompt.

Set Volume or Mute/Unmute (CLI)

Use audioctl set-volume to change an endpoint’s master volume (0–100%) or toggle its mute state. Targets must be active (DEVICE_STATE_ACTIVE). On name selection, prefer adding --flow to disambiguate between Render (playback) and Capture (recording). If multiple matches remain, add --index N (0‑based, GUI‑order within the flow).

Rules:

You must specify exactly one of: --level, --mute, or --unmute.
--level is an integer 0–100 (values outside this range are clamped by the tool).
Either --id or --name is required for selection (with optional --regex for pattern matching).

Command template:

audioctl set-volume
  (--id <ID> | --name <NAME>) [--flow <Render|Capture>]
  (--level <0..100> | --mute | --unmute)
  [--index <N>] [--regex]

Disambiguation behavior:

If name selection matches more than one active device and you don’t pass --index, the tool returns:
```
ERROR: multiple matches; specify --index
```
Rerun the command with --flow and/or --index N. Use audioctl list (or --json) to see devices in the same GUI order.

Notes about JSON output:

Successful commands print compact, single‑line JSON. Pipe to a formatter (e.g., | jq .) if you want pretty output.

Examples

1) Set playback volume by name (Render, 30%)

audioctl set-volume --name "Speakers" --flow Render --level 30

Sample output:

{"volumeSet":{"id":"{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio)","level":30}}

2) Set recording volume by ID (Capture, 70%)

audioctl set-volume --id "{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}" --level 70

Sample output:

{"volumeSet":{"id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"USB Microphone","level":70}}

3) Mute a playback device by name (Render) with index disambiguation

If multiple “Speakers” exist, specify which one using --index (0‑based, GUI‑order for Render).

audioctl set-volume --name "Speakers" --flow Render --mute --index 0

Sample output:

{"muteSet":{"id":"{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Speakers (USB DAC)","muted":true}}

4) Unmute a recording device by ID (Capture)

audioctl set-volume --id "{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}" --unmute

Sample output:

{"muteSet":{"id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"USB Microphone","muted":false}}

5) Use regex name matching (Render)

audioctl set-volume --name "^Speakers .* Realtek\\(R\\) Audio$" --regex --flow Render --level 15

Sample output:

{"volumeSet":{"id":"{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio)","level":15}}

6) Name match without `--flow` and multiple results

If both Render and Capture have a device matching “USB”, you’ll see:

ERROR: multiple matches; specify --index

Disambiguate by flow and/or index:

audioctl set-volume --name "USB" --flow Capture --unmute --index 0

Sample output:

{"muteSet":{"id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"USB Microphone","muted":false}}

7) Error safeguard: `--level` cannot be combined with `--mute/--unmute`

Invalid example (will return an error):

audioctl set-volume --name "Speakers" --flow Render --level 20 --mute

Error:

ERROR: Cannot specify both --level and --mute/--unmute

Tips:

Prefer --id for exact targeting (no disambiguation needed).
If you get “device not found (active only)”, verify the endpoint is connected/enabled and visible in audioctl list.
The command controls the endpoint’s master scalar level and mute state (not per‑app volumes).

“Listen to this device” (Capture Only, CLI)

Use audioctl listen to enable or disable “Listen to this device” on a capture (recording) endpoint. The target must be active (DEVICE_STATE_ACTIVE). This command only operates on Capture devices; Render devices are not eligible.

You must specify exactly one of:

--enable
--disable

Optional playback routing:

--playback-target-id "{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}" routes the monitored audio to a specific playback (Render) endpoint.
--playback-target-id "" routes to the Windows “Default Playback Device.”
--playback-target-name mirrors the above using a name match; passing the flag without a value selects “Default Playback Device.”
If the target flag is omitted, the current routing is preserved.

Command template:

audioctl listen
  (--id <CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID> | --name <NAME>)
  (--enable | --disable)
  [--playback-target-id [<RenderEndpointID>]]
  [--playback-target-name [<RenderEndpointName>]]
  [--index <N>] [--regex]

Disambiguation behavior:

If name selection matches more than one active capture device and you don’t pass --index, the command prints the matching candidates in GUI order (with indices) and exits with:
```
ERROR: multiple matches; specify --index
```
Rerun with --index N (0‑based, GUI‑order for the Capture flow). Use audioctl list (or --json) to see the same order.

Notes about JSON output:

Success prints compact, single‑line JSON.
When a retry/verification path is used, the JSON may include a verifiedBy field ("com" or "registry").

Examples

1) Enable Listen for a microphone by name (preserve current playback target)

audioctl listen --name "Microphone" --enable

Sample output:

{"listenSet":{"id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Microphone","enabled":true}}

2) Enable Listen and route to the Default Playback Device

audioctl listen --name "Microphone" --enable --playback-target-id

Sample output:

{"listenSet":{"id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Microphone","enabled":true}}

3) Enable Listen and route to a specific playback endpoint by ID

audioctl listen --name "Microphone" --enable --playback-target-id "{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}"

Sample output:

{"listenSet":{"id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Microphone","enabled":true}}

4) Disable Listen by exact ID

audioctl listen --id "{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}" --disable

Sample output:

{"listenSet":{"id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"USB Microphone","enabled":false}}

5) Use regex name matching with index disambiguation (Capture)

audioctl listen --name "Mic" --regex --enable --index 0

Sample output:

{"listenSet":{"id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Studio Mic","enabled":true}}

6) Example with verification source included

{"listenSet":{"id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Microphone","enabled":true,"verifiedBy":"com"}}

or:

{"listenSet":{"id":"{CAPTURE-ENDPOINT-ID}","name":"Microphone","enabled":true,"verifiedBy":"registry"}}

Tips:

This command only targets Capture devices. If you try a Render device, it won’t match.
Use audioctl list --json to get both Capture (for --id) and Render endpoints (for routing).
If the name matches multiple capture devices, rerun with --index N.

Audio Enhancements (SysFX) – Vendor Toggles (CLI)

Use audioctl enhancements to enable or disable “Audio Enhancements” (SysFX) on an endpoint using a vendor‑first method. Many drivers (e.g., Realtek/Waves) expose Enhancements via device‑specific registry DWORDs under MMDevices; this tool writes those DWORDs (when known) and verifies the change.

Key points:

Control is vendor‑only at runtime: if no vendor toggle is known for the target endpoint, the command fails and asks you to use --learn first.
Windows’ Disable_SysFx is still read for diagnostics, not used to control state here.
HKLM writes require Administrator privileges; use --prefer-hklm if your driver only honors HKLM.

You must specify exactly one of:

--enable (turn Enhancements ON)
--disable (turn Enhancements OFF)
--learn (guided manual learning to append a vendor entry to INI)

Command template:

# Toggle using vendor DWORDs (if known)
audioctl enhancements
  (--id <ENDPOINT-ID> | --name <NAME>) [--flow <Render|Capture>]
  (--enable | --disable)
  [--index <N>] [--regex]
  [--prefer-hklm]
  [--vendor-ini <PATH>]

# Learn a vendor DWORD (you toggle the Windows UI; the tool captures A/B and appends to INI)
audioctl enhancements
  (--id <ENDPOINT-ID> | --name <NAME>) [--flow <Render|Capture>]
  --learn
  [--index <N>] [--regex]
  [--vendor-ini <PATH>]

Enhancement Effects (FX)

Beyond the main switch, you can manage individual effects (per-device) after learning them.

List learned effects for a device:

audioctl enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --list-fx
audioctl enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --list-fx --json

Learn a specific effect (guided, two-pass A/B):

audioctl enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --flow Render --learn-fx "BassBoost"

Toggle an effect:

audioctl enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --flow Capture --enable-fx "Loudness"
audioctl enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --flow Capture --disable-fx "Loudness"

Delete a learned effect association for this device:

audioctl enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --delete-fx "BassBoost"

Notes about JSON output:

Success prints compact, single‑line JSON, e.g.:

{"enhancementsSet":{"id":"{...}","name":"Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio)","enabled":true,"verifiedBy":"vendor:realtek_waves_primary"}}

FX toggles:

{"fxSet":{"id":"{...}","name":"Speakers","fx_name":"BassBoost","enabled":true,"verifiedBy":"vendor-fx:multi:BassBoost"}}

Query helpers (read‑only)

Fast, side‑effect‑free commands perfect for status bars, hotkeys, and scripts.

Current volume/mute:

audioctl get-volume [--id <ID> | --name <NAME>] [--flow Render|Capture] [--index <N>] [--regex]

Returns:

{"id":"{...}","name":"...","flow":"Render","volume":78,"muted":false}

Current “Listen” state (Capture):

audioctl get-listen [--id <ID> | --name <NAME>] [--index <N>] [--regex]

Returns:

{"id":"{...}","name":"...","flow":"Capture","listenEnabled":true}

Current Enhancements state (vendor‑only):

audioctl get-enhancements [--id <ID> | --name <NAME>] [--flow Render|Capture] [--index <N>] [--regex]

Returns:

{"id":"{...}","name":"...","flow":"Render","enhancementsEnabled":true}

Aggregated device state (for GUI/scripts):

audioctl get-device-state [--id <ID> | --name <NAME>] [--flow Render|Capture] [--index <N>] [--regex] [--vendor-ini PATH]

Returns:

{
  "id":"{...}",
  "name":"...",
  "flow":"Render",
  "volume":78,
  "muted":false,
  "listenEnabled":null,
  "enhancementsEnabled":true,
  "availableFX":[{"fx_name":"BassBoost","state":true,"source":"ini"}]
}

Diagnostics & Discovery (Optional, Read‑Only)

View live Enhancements status and vendor state:

audioctl diag-sysfx --name "Speakers" --flow Render

Dump all MMDevices values for an endpoint (HKCU/HKLM; FxProperties/Properties):
```
audioctl diag-mmdevices --id "{RENDER-ENDPOINT-ID}" --flow Render
```

Interactive discovery with reports (TXT/JSON) and optional INI snippet:

audioctl discover-enhancements --name "Speakers" --flow Render --output-dir "." --ini-snippet ".\vendor_snippets.ini"

Wait for a Device to Appear (CLI)

Use audioctl wait to block until a device becomes active (appears) or until a timeout expires. Matching is against active endpoints only (DEVICE_STATE_ACTIVE). When a match is found, the command prints a compact, single‑line JSON object and exits with code 0.

Template:

audioctl wait
  (--id <ENDPOINT-ID> | --name <NAME>) [--flow <Render|Capture>]
  [--timeout <seconds>] [--index <N>] [--regex]

Exit codes:
- 0: found a matching active device
- 3: timeout
- 4: multiple matches (rerun with --index)
Tips:
- Prefer --id when you know it.
- Add --flow when the name appears in both flows.

General Exit Codes

0 – success
1 – runtime failure or invalid option combo
3 – device not found or wait timeout
4 – multiple matches; provide --index
130 – Ctrl‑C interrupted

Troubleshooting

Set-default fails:
- Try running in an elevated PowerShell / Command Prompt (Run as Administrator).
comtypes/automation errors in the EXE:
- The build already includes a compatibility shim at the top of audioctl/compat.py.
- Rebuild with the provided PyInstaller command if you change Python or comtypes versions.
“Listen” seems unchanged:
- Use explicit default routing: --playback-target-id "" (Default Playback Device).
- Check JSON output: look at enabled and verifiedBy ("com" or "registry").
Enhancements don’t toggle:
- First try the toggle directly:
```
audioctl enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --flow Render --enable
```
  If you get:
```
ERROR: No vendor toggle available for this device. Use --learn to teach a vendor method.
```
  then proceed to learn.
- Learn the vendor toggle (manual A/B):
```
audioctl enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --flow Render --learn
```
  After a successful learn, re-run the toggle:
```
audioctl enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --flow Render --disable
```
- If learn fails or the result can’t be verified:
  - Inspect live state vs vendor with:
```
audioctl diag-sysfx --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --flow Render
```
  - Capture ON/OFF snapshots and generate a report/snippet:
```
audioctl discover-enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --flow Render --output-dir "." --ini-snippet ".\vendor_snippets.ini"
```
    Use the suggested INI snippet or share the TXT/JSON for analysis.
- Permissions and hive preference:
  - Some drivers only honor HKLM. Re-run the toggle with:
```
audioctl enhancements --id "{ENDPOINT-ID}" --flow Render --enable --prefer-hklm
```
    (Run an elevated console if HKLM writes are required.)
- Confirm selection and INI placement:
  - Make sure you’re targeting the correct endpoint/flow (use --flow and --index if needed).
  - Verify vendor_toggles.ini is at the expected path (exe directory if writable, otherwise %LOCALAPPDATA%\audioctl\vendor_toggles.ini) and that your endpoint GUID is listed under devices = in the learned section.

GUI (Graphical User Interface)

Launch the GUI:
- Double-click audioctl.exe (no arguments), or run it without command-line options.

Features

Visual list of playback (Render) and recording (Capture) devices, grouped and sorted.
“Show disabled/disconnected” toggle.
Right-click or double-click a device for actions:
- “Set as Default (all roles)”
- “Set Volume…”
- “Mute” / “Unmute”
- “Toggle Listen (capture only)”
- “Enable/Disable Enhancements” (when a vendor toggle is known)
- “Enhancement Effects” (per‑effect toggles learned from your INI)
- “Learn Enhancements” (discover a vendor DWORD and/or effects for that device)

Print CLI Commands

Enable “Print CLI commands” in the top bar.
Every GUI action will print the equivalent audioctl.exe command to stdout (useful for learning the CLI and scripting).

Refresh Devices

Click “Refresh” or press F5.

Notes

Setting default devices via the GUI may require Administrator privileges; the GUI will warn when recommended.
Group header rows (e.g., “Playback (Render)”) are not selectable and have no actions; right-click the actual device entries.

Credits

This project uses:

pycaw - https://github.com/AndreMiras/pycaw
comtypes - https://github.com/enthought/comtypes

Windows GUIDs and PROPERTYKEY constants are Microsoft API identifiers and do not require attribution.

Third‑Party License Texts

pycaw - MIT License

Copyright (c) Andre Miras and contributors
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
...
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
...

Source: https://github.com/AndreMiras/pycaw

comtypes - MIT License

Copyright (c) Thomas Heller, Enthought, Inc., and contributors
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
...
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
...

Source: https://github.com/enthought/comtypes

PyInstaller License Notice (for binary distributions)

If you distribute a PyInstaller-built executable of this project, PyInstaller is licensed under the GNU General Public License v2 (GPL-2.0) with a special exception that permits using PyInstaller to build and distribute executables, regardless of your program’s license. Full text: https://github.com/pyinstaller/pyinstaller/blob/develop/COPYING.txt
Project page: https://www.pyinstaller.org/

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
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audioctl		audioctl
docs		docs
audio.ico		audio.ico
audioctl.py		audioctl.py
audioctl.spec		audioctl.spec
requirements.txt		requirements.txt
version.txt		version.txt

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Windows Audio Control CLI + GUI

audioctl.exe (pycaw/comtypes-based)

Quick Start

Selectors (used by most commands)

Command map (full tree)

List Devices

Set Default Devices (CLI)

Examples (only using “all”)

1) Playback (Render) - by name

2) Playback (Render) - by ID

3) Recording (Capture) - by name

4) Recording (Capture) - by ID

5) Playback + Recording - both “all” in one command

Set Volume or Mute/Unmute (CLI)

Examples

1) Set playback volume by name (Render, 30%)

2) Set recording volume by ID (Capture, 70%)

3) Mute a playback device by name (Render) with index disambiguation

4) Unmute a recording device by ID (Capture)

5) Use regex name matching (Render)

6) Name match without --flow and multiple results

7) Error safeguard: --level cannot be combined with --mute/--unmute

“Listen to this device” (Capture Only, CLI)

Examples

1) Enable Listen for a microphone by name (preserve current playback target)

2) Enable Listen and route to the Default Playback Device

3) Enable Listen and route to a specific playback endpoint by ID

4) Disable Listen by exact ID

5) Use regex name matching with index disambiguation (Capture)

6) Example with verification source included

Audio Enhancements (SysFX) – Vendor Toggles (CLI)

Enhancement Effects (FX)

Query helpers (read‑only)

Diagnostics & Discovery (Optional, Read‑Only)

Wait for a Device to Appear (CLI)

General Exit Codes

Troubleshooting

GUI (Graphical User Interface)

Features

Print CLI Commands

Refresh Devices

Notes

Credits

Third‑Party License Texts

pycaw - MIT License

comtypes - MIT License

PyInstaller License Notice (for binary distributions)

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6) Name match without `--flow` and multiple results

7) Error safeguard: `--level` cannot be combined with `--mute/--unmute`

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