Keybindings

Keybindings

Examples of setting up keybindings with different programs to use i3-volume with your volume keys.

Note: For complete installation instructions, see Installation. This page focuses specifically on keybinding configuration.

Table of Contents

• i3wm
• sxhkd
• Additional Keybindings
• See Also

i3wm

i3-volume uses PipeWire/WirePlumber for audio control. Review the lines below and append to ~/.config/i3/config:

# Path to volume control, without trailing slash
set $volumepath ~/i3-volume

# Command for the status line
#   ie: i3blocks, i3status
set $statuscmd i3blocks

# Signal used to update the status line
#   i3blocks uses SIGRTMIN+10 by default
#   i3status uses SIGUSR1 by default
set $statussig SIGRTMIN+10

# Volume control keybindings
#   Append "-s <sink_name>" to override default sink
bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id $volumepath/volume -n -t $statuscmd -u $statussig up 5
bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id $volumepath/volume -n -t $statuscmd -u $statussig down 5
bindsym XF86AudioMute        exec --no-startup-id $volumepath/volume -n -t $statuscmd -u $statussig mute

Additional keybinding examples:

Microphone control:

bindsym XF86AudioMicMute exec --no-startup-id $volumepath/volume -n -t $statuscmd -u $statussig mic mute

Sink switching:

bindsym $mod+F8 exec --no-startup-id $volumepath/volume -n -t $statuscmd -u $statussig next
bindsym $mod+Shift+F8 exec --no-startup-id $volumepath/volume -n -t $statuscmd -u $statussig prev

---

sxhkd

The commands below do not update your statusbar such as i3status or i3blocks. To do that you have to append -t i3status -u SIGUSR1 or -t i3blocks -u SIGRTMIN+10 to the command.

Review the lines below and append to your ~/.config/sxhkd/sxhkdrc:

XF86Audio{Mute,LowerVolume,RaiseVolume}
	~/i3-volume/volume -n {mute,down 5,up 5}

Additional examples:

Microphone control:

XF86AudioMicMute
	~/i3-volume/volume -n mic mute

Sink switching:

super + {F8,shift + F8}
	~/i3-volume/volume -n {next,prev}

Additional Keybindings

Advanced Volume Control

# Fine control (smaller steps)
bindsym $mod+Shift+XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n up 2
bindsym $mod+Shift+XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n down 2

# Fade volume changes
bindsym $mod+XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n -f 500 up 5
bindsym $mod+XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n -f 500 down 5

# Volume boost (temporary)
bindsym $mod+b exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n boost 20 30

Profile Management

# Quick profile switching
bindsym $mod+p exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n profile quiet
bindsym $mod+Shift+p exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n profile loud

Application Control

# Control specific applications
bindsym $mod+Control+XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n app firefox up 5
bindsym $mod+Control+XF86AudioLowerVolume exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n app firefox down 5

Balance Control

# Adjust stereo balance
bindsym $mod+Left exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n balance -10
bindsym $mod+Right exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n balance +10
bindsym $mod+Down exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume -n balance 0

Tips

Using Configuration File

Instead of specifying options in every keybinding, set them in your config file:

# ~/.config/i3-volume/config
DISPLAY_NOTIFICATIONS=true
NOTIFICATION_METHOD="dunst"
STATUSLINE="i3blocks"
SIGNAL="SIGRTMIN+10"

Then your keybindings can be simpler:

bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec --no-startup-id ~/i3-volume/volume up 5

Testing Keybindings

Test your keybindings work:

# Test directly
~/i3-volume/volume up 5

# Test with notification
~/i3-volume/volume -n up 5

# Test with status bar update
~/i3-volume/volume -t i3blocks -u SIGRTMIN+10 up 5

See Also

• Installation - Complete installation guide
• Configuration - Configuration options
• Examples - More keybinding examples
• Features - All available features
• Getting Started - Setup guide