System Controls
These commands are useful for media keys, compositor binds, scripts, and custom widgets.
Volume
Section titled “Volume”| Action | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Set output volume | volume-set 65 | Set output volume. Accepts 65, 65%, or normalized values such as 0.65. |
| Raise output volume | volume-up | Raise output volume by the default step. |
| Raise output by amount | volume-up 10 | Raise output volume by a custom step. |
| Lower output volume | volume-down | Lower output volume by the default step. |
| Mute output | volume-mute | Toggle output mute. |
Default step is 5% when not specified. Output volume is clamped to 100% unless [audio] enable_overdrive = true, which allows up to 150%.
Microphone
Section titled “Microphone”| Action | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Set mic volume | mic-volume-set 0.5 | Set microphone volume. Accepts normalized or percent values. |
| Raise mic volume | mic-volume-up | Raise microphone volume by the default step. |
| Raise mic by amount | mic-volume-up 5% | Raise microphone volume by a custom step. |
| Lower mic volume | mic-volume-down | Lower microphone volume by the default step. |
| Mute mic | mic-mute | Toggle microphone mute. |
Brightness
Section titled “Brightness”| Action | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Set current brightness | brightness-set 65 | Set brightness on the current monitor. |
| Set one monitor | brightness-set DP-1 0.65 | Set brightness for a specific monitor or monitor selector. |
| Set all monitors | brightness-set * 40% | Set brightness on every monitor. |
| Raise current brightness | brightness-up | Raise brightness by the default step. |
| Raise one monitor | brightness-up DP-1 10 | Raise brightness for one monitor. |
| Lower all monitors | brightness-down * 5% | Lower brightness on every monitor. |
| Show brightness OSD | brightness-osd 72 | Show the brightness OSD at the given value without changing brightness. Useful when an external script controls brightness. |
Targets can be current, all, *, a monitor connector name such as eDP-1 or DP-1, or a monitor selector token. Values accept normalized 0.0 to 1.0 or percentage form such as 65, 65%, and 5%.
brightness-osd takes a value only — unlike brightness-set, it has no monitor target. The OSD appears on whichever monitors are configured under [osd].monitors.
Night light
Section titled “Night light”| Action | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Enable schedule | nightlight-enable | Enable scheduled night light. |
| Disable schedule | nightlight-disable | Disable scheduled night light. |
| Toggle schedule | nightlight-toggle | Toggle scheduled night light. |
| Toggle forced mode | nightlight-force-toggle | Force night light on or return to schedule behavior. |
Wireless
Section titled “Wireless”| Action | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Wi-Fi | wifi-enable | Turn the Wi-Fi radio on. |
| Disable Wi-Fi | wifi-disable | Turn the Wi-Fi radio off. |
| Toggle Wi-Fi | wifi-toggle | Toggle the Wi-Fi radio. |
| Show Wi-Fi status | wifi-status | Print on or off. |
| Enable Bluetooth | bluetooth-enable | Turn the Bluetooth adapter on. |
| Disable Bluetooth | bluetooth-disable | Turn the Bluetooth adapter off. |
| Toggle Bluetooth | bluetooth-toggle | Toggle the Bluetooth adapter. |
| Show Bluetooth status | bluetooth-status | Print on or off. |
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth IPC commands show a short OSD when they change the state.
Caffeine
Section titled “Caffeine”| Action | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Enable caffeine | caffeine-enable | Prevent idle actions while enabled. |
| Disable caffeine | caffeine-disable | Allow idle actions again. |
| Toggle caffeine | caffeine-toggle | Switch caffeine on or off. |
Caffeine IPC commands show a short OSD when they change the state.
Power profile
Section titled “Power profile”Requires org.freedesktop.UPower.PowerProfiles (same as the Control Center home shortcut). Profile ids come from the compositor/session; common values are performance, balanced, and power-saver.
When another app or an IPC command changes the active profile, Noctalia shows a short OSD with the active mode’s icon and profile name. Profile changes made through Noctalia’s UI update the UI and fire hooks without showing extra OSD feedback.
| Action | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Set power profile | power-set balanced | Activate the named profile. If the service reports a profile list, the name must match one of those entries exactly. |
| Cycle power profile | power-cycle | Switch to the next profile in UPower’s ordered list (same order as the bar power widget and control center shortcut). Wraps from the last profile back to the first. Takes no arguments. |
Monitor power
Section titled “Monitor power”| Action | Command | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Turn monitors on | dpms-on | Turn monitors on. |
| Turn monitors off | dpms-off | Turn monitors off. |