How to adjust the volume on FreeBSD after installing XFCE?

Cheems1102 · 2026-04-21T13:24:56+0100

Hello, I'm new to FreeBSD. After installing FreeBSD along with XFCE, I then installed Firefox to watch videos and listen to music on YouTube. However, when I watch videos or listen to music on YouTube, the volume is quite low, and I don't know how to adjust the volume to my liking.

I would appreciate any help or advice from everyone. Thank you!

mer · 2026-04-21T15:18:29+0100

Doesn't xfce have a control widget somewhere to control volume? Sound settings, Pulsaudio mixer?

Cheems1102 · 2026-04-21T15:21:21+0100

mer said:
Doesn't xfce have a control widget somewhere to control volume? Sound settings, Pulsaudio mixer?

Perhaps I actually went into the XFCE settings and didn't see the volume control button from 0% to 100%. I wonder if I've missed installing a package for XFCE, or if there's another way to adjust the sound?

bda65 · 2026-04-21T15:32:44+0100

In a terminal, type
mixer vol=1

Maturin · 2026-04-21T15:37:46+0100

mixer(8) is the standard for X to be used in shell.
in ~/.xinit I have

sh:

mixer vol 100:100
mixer speaker 100:100
mixer mix 100:100

to set all audio output to 100% by default.
You can use mixer to have control over your whole audio I/O channels, but to do it all in the shell is not very comfortable.
For individual volume adjusting in usage I use the according software's regulator (VLC, mpv), or use the physical rotary knob for master volume of my speaker system.

mer · 2026-04-21T15:38:21+0100

Cheems1102 said:
Perhaps I actually went into the XFCE settings and didn't see the volume control button from 0% to 100%. I wonder if I've missed installing a package for XFCE, or if there's another way to adjust the sound?

I don't know about a missing package, it's been a long time since I've used xfce.
But bda65 has the standard solution on FreeBSD. You may need to run it as root.

Criosphinx · 2026-04-21T15:40:01+0100

I think the xfce meta-port doesn't install a volume control app, you can manually install audio/xfce4-mixer or audio/volumeicon and add it to Settings -> Session and Startup -> Application Autostart

Maturin · 2026-04-21T15:45:08+0100

mer said:
You may need to run it as root.

No. I can use it as the user using the X server, and I'm quite sure I did not changed some rights for it.

mer · 2026-04-21T17:31:13+0100

Maturin said:
No. I can use it as the user using the X server, and I'm quite sure I did not changed some rights for it.

Thanks, thats why I said "may"

tingo · 2026-04-21T19:04:33+0100

If you run a standard FreeBSD Xfce4 install, you want to install xfce4-pulseaudio-plugin. Then it just as simple as right-clicking on your panel of choice, do "Panel". "Add New Item" and the choose the PulseAudio plugin.

Espionage724 · 2026-04-21T19:28:35+0100

I bound mixer to Volume keys:

Code:

xfconf-query --channel 'xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts' --property '/commands/custom/AudioRaiseVolume' --type 'string' --set "'/usr/sbin/mixer' 'vol'='+5%'" --create

Code:

xfconf-query --channel 'xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts' --property '/commands/custom/AudioLowerVolume' --type 'string' --set "'/usr/sbin/mixer' 'vol'='-5%'" --create

Code:

xfconf-query --channel 'xfce4-keyboard-shortcuts' --property '/commands/custom/AudioMute' --type 'string' --set "'/usr/sbin/mixer' 'vol'.'mute'='toggle'" --create

Works with USB keyboard knob and laptop Fn keys. Xfce doesn't show a notification for volume changes when done like that