Introduction

The Agora RTC SDK enables you to manage the volume of the recorded audio or of the audio playback according to your actual scenario. For example, to mute a remote user in a one-to-one call, you can set the audio playback volume as 0.

This article provides the APIs and additional information relating to audio recording, audio mixing, and audio playback volume settings.

Implementation

Before adjusting the audio volume, ensure that you have implemented the basic real-time communication functions in your project. For details, see Start a Call or Start Live Interactive Streaming.

Adjust the recording volume

Recording is the process of sampling audio by a recording device and transmitting the recorded signal to the sender. To adjust the recording volume, you can set the volume of the recording device or set the volume of the recorded signal. We recommend using audio device-related APIs to adjust the recording volume.

Set the volume of the recording device

Call setDeviceVolume to set the volume of your recording device.

This method sets the global volume of your recording device.

The volume parameter represents the audio level of your recording device, ranging between 0 and 255:

  • 0: Mute.
  • 255: The maximum volume of the device.

As the following screenshot shows, the volume value corresponds to the audio level for your audio recording device.

Sample code

// swift
// Sets the volume of your recording device as 50.
agoraKit.setDeviceVolume(.audioRecording, volume: 50)
// objective-c
//  Sets the volume of your recording device as 50.
[agoraKit setDeviceVolume: AgoraMediaDeviceTypeAudioRecording volume: 50];

Set the volume of the recorded signal

If setDeviceVolume does not suffice, you can call adjustRecordingSignalVolume to set the volume of the recorded signal.

The volume parameter represents the audio level of the recorded signal, ranging between 0 and 400:

  • 0: Mute.
  • 100: (Default) The original volume.
  • 400: Four times the original volume (amplifying the audio signals by four times).

Sample code

// swift
// Sets the volume of the recorded signal as 50% of the original volume.
agoraKit.adjustRecordingSignalVolume(50)
// objective-c
// Sets the volume of the recorded signal as 50% of the original volume.
[agoraKit adjustRecordingSignalVolume: 50];

API reference

Adjust the playback volume

Playback is the process of playing the received audio signal on the local playback device. To adjust the playback volume, you can set the volume of the playback device, or set the volume of the audio signal.

Set the volume of the playback device

To set the volume on the playback device directly, call setDeviceVolume.

This method sets the global volume of your corresponding device.

The volume parameter represents the audio level of your playback device, ranging between 0 and 255:

  • 0: Mute.
  • 255: The maximum volume of the device.

As the following screenshot shows, the volume value corresponds to the audio level for your audio playback device.

Sample code

// swift
// Sets the volume of the playback device as 50.
agoraKit.setDeviceVolume(.audioPlayout, volume: 50)
// objective-c
// Sets the volume of the playback device as 50.
[agoraKit setDeviceVolume: AgoraMediaDeviceTypeAudioPlayout volume: 50];

Set the volume of the playback signal

If setDeviceVolume does not suffice, you can use adjustPlaybackSignalVolume or adjustUserPlaybackSignalVolume to set the volume of the audio signal.

  • adjustPlaybackSignalVolume：
    • Universally sets the playback audio level of all remote users after audio mixing.
    • The volume parameter represents the playback audio level, ranging between 0 and 400.
  • adjustUserPlaybackSignalVolume：
    • Adjusts the playback audio level of a specified remote user after audio mixing. Call this method as many times as necessary to adjust the playback volume of different remote users, or to repeatedly adjust the playback volume of the same remote user.
    • The volume parameter represents the playback audio level, ranging between 0 and 100.
  • As of v2.3.2, to mute the local audio playback, you must call both adjustPlaybackSignalVolume and adjustAudioMixingPlayoutVolume, and set the volume parameter as 0.
  • Call adjustUserPlaybackSignalVolume after joining a channel.

    • Sample code

    // swift
// Sets the volume of the local playback of all remote users as 50% of the original volume.
agoraKit.adjustPlaybackSignalVolume(50)
// Sets the volume of the local playback of a specified remote user as 50% of the original volume.
agoraKit.adjustUserPlaybackSignalVolume(uid, volume: 50)
    // objective-c
// Sets the volume of the local playback of all remote users as 50% of the original volume.
[agoraKit adjustPlaybackSignalVolume: 50];
// Sets the volume of the local playback of a specified remote user as 50% of the original volume.
[agoraKit adjustUserPlaybackSignalVolume: uid, volume: 50];

    API reference

    Adjust the audio mixing volume

    Audio mixing is the process of combining local or online music files with the local stream so that all the remote users in the channel can hear the host and the music at the same time. See Audio Effects/Mixing for more information about enabling this function.

    The adjustAudioMixingVolume method adjusts the volume of the music file for both the local user and the remote users.

    The volume parameter represents the audio level of the music file, ranging between 0 and 100.

    • 0: Mute.
    • 100: (Default) The original volume.

    Sample code

    // swift
// Sets the audio mixing volume of the music for the local user and remote users as 50% of the original volume.
agoraKit.adjustAudioMixingVolume(50)
    // objective-c
// Sets the audio mixing volume of the music for the local user and remote users as 50% of the original volume.
[agoraKit adjustAudioMixingVolume: 50];

    You can also call adjustAudioMixingPlayoutVolume and adjustAudioMixingPublishVolume respectively to adjust the audio mixing volume.

    • adjustAudioMixingPlayoutVolume:
      • Adjusts the audio mixing volume for the local user.
      • The volume parameter represents the audio mixing volume for the local user, ranging between 0 and 100.
    • adjustAudioMixingPublishVolume：
      • Adjusts the audio mixing volume for the remote users.
      • The volume parameter represents the audio mixing volume for the remote users, ranging between 0 and 100.
    Call adjustAudioMixingPlayoutVolume and adjustAudioMixingPublishVolume after joining a channel.

    Sample code

    // swift
// Sets the audio mixing volume of the music for the remote users as 50% of the original volume.
agoraKit.adjustAudioMixingPublishVolume(50)
// Sets the audio mixing volume of the music for the local user as 50% of the original volume.
agoraKit.adjustAudioMixingPlayoutVolume(50)
    // objective-c
// Sets the audio mixing volume of the music for the remote users as 50% of the original volume.
[agoraKit adjustAudioMixingPublishVolume: 50]；
// Sets the audio mixing volume of the music for the local user as 50% of the original volume.
[agoraKit adjustAudioMixingPlayoutVolume: 50];

    API reference

    Adjust the audio effects volume

    An audio effects here refers to a sound clip which plays a brief sound effect such as clapping or gunshots. See Audio Effects/Mixing for more information on how to enable this function.

    You can call setEffectsVolume or setVolumeOfEffect to set the audio effects volume.

    • setEffectsVolume：
      • Sets the volume of all audio effects.
      • The volume parameter represents the volume of the audio effects, ranging between 0 and 100.
    • setVolumeOfEffect：
      • Sets the volume of a specified audio effect.
      • The volume parameter represents the volume of a specified audio effect, ranging between 0 and 100.

    Sample code

    // swift
// Sets the volume of all audio effects as 50% of the original volume.
agoraKit.setEffectsVolume(50.0)
// Sets the volume of a specified audio effect as 50% of the original volume.
// @param soundId is ID of the audio effect when you call playEffect.
agoraKit.setVolumeOfEffect(soundId:"1", 50.0)
    // objective-c
// Sets the volume of all audio effect as 50% of the original volume.
[agoraKit setEffectsVolume: 50.0];
// Sets the volume of a specified audio effect as 50% of the original volume.
// @param soundId is ID of the audio effect when you call playEffect.
[agoraKit setVolumeOfEffect: soundId:@"1" volume:50.0];

    API reference

    Get the data of the loudest speaker (callback)

    When recording, mixing, or playing audio, you can use the following methods to get the data of the loudest speaker in the channel.

    • Reports users with the highest peak volumes. The reportAudioVolumeIndicationOfSpeakers reports the user IDs the corresponding volumes of the currently loudest speakers in the channel.

      You must call enableAudioVolumeIndication to be able to receive this callback.

    Sample code

    // swift
// Gets the user IDs of the users with the highest peak volume, the corresponding volumes, as well as whether the local user is speaking.
// @param speakers is an array containing the user IDs and volumes of the local and the remote users. The volume parameter ranges between 0 and 255.
// @param totalVolume refers to the total volume after audio mixing, ranging between 0 and 255.
func rtcEngine(_ engine: AgoraRtcEngineKit, reportAudioVolumeIndicationOfSpeakers speakers:
[AgoraRtcAudioVolumeInfo], totalVolume: Int) {
}
    // objective-c
// Gets the user IDs of the users with the highest peak volume, the corresponding volumes, as well as whether the local user is speaking.
// @param speakers is an array containing the user IDs and volumes of the local and the remote users. The volume parameter ranges between 0 and 255.
// @param totalVolume refers to the total volume after audio mixing, ranging between 0 and 255.
- (void)rtcEngine:(AgoraRtcEngineKit *_Nonnull)engine reportAudioVolumeIndicationOfSpeakers:(NSArray<AgoraRtcAudioVolumeInfo*> *_Nonnull)speakers totalVolume:(NSInteger)totalVolume {
}

    • Reports the user with the highest average volume. The activeSpeaker callback reports the user ID with the highest average volume during a certain period of time.

      You must call enableAudioVolumeIndication to be able to receive this callback.

    Sample code

    // swift
// Gets the user ID of the user with the highest average volume during a certain period of time. A uid of 0 indicates the local user.
func rtcEngine(_ engine: AgoraRtcEngineKit, activeSpeaker speakerUid: UInt) {
}
    // objective-c
// Gets the user ID of the user with the highest average volume during a certain period of time. A uid of 0 indicates the local user.
- (void)rtcEngine:(AgoraRtcEngineKit *_Nonnull)engine activeSpeaker:(NSUInteger)speakerUid {
}

    API reference

    Considerations

    Setting the audio level too high may cause audio distortion on some devices.

    Reference

    When adjusting the audio volume, you can also refer to the following articles: