Capacitor Volume Plugin

Capacitor plugin to control the volume and observe hardware volume button presses.

Features

• 🔊 Volume control: Get and set the volume level.
• 🎚️ Audio streams: Control individual audio streams (music, ring, alarm and more) on Android.
• 🔘 Volume buttons: Listen for hardware volume button presses.
• 🤫 Suppression: Keep the volume unchanged and hide the system volume indicator while watching.
• 👂 Change events: Listen for changes to the volume level.
• 📦 CocoaPods & SPM: Supports CocoaPods and Swift Package Manager for iOS.
• 🔁 Up-to-date: Always supports the latest Capacitor version.

Missing a feature? Just open an issue and we'll take a look!

Use Cases

The Volume plugin is typically used whenever an app needs to control the volume or react to the hardware volume buttons, for example:

• Media apps: Read and adjust the media volume from your own player UI.
• Camera apps: Use the hardware volume buttons as a shutter trigger while keeping the volume unchanged.
• Remote control apps: Map the volume buttons to custom actions, for example to control external devices.
• Audio guidance: Warn users when the volume is too low to hear important audio cues.

Compatibility

| Plugin Version | Capacitor Version | Status | | -------------- | ----------------- | -------------- | | 0.x.x | >=8.x.x | Active support |

Installation

You can use our AI-Assisted Setup to install the plugin. Add the Capawesome Skills to your AI tool using the following command:

npx skills add capawesome-team/skills --skill capacitor-plugins

Then use the following prompt:

 Use the `capacitor-plugins` skill from `capawesome-team/skills` to install the `@capawesome/capacitor-volume` plugin in my project.

If you prefer Manual Setup, install the plugin by running the following commands and follow the platform-specific instructions below:

npm install @capawesome/capacitor-volume
npx cap sync

This plugin is only available on Android and iOS. On the Web, all methods reject as unimplemented.

Configuration

No configuration required for this plugin.

Usage

The following examples show how to get and set the current volume, watch the hardware volume buttons, listen for volume button presses and volume changes, and remove all listeners.

Get the current volume

Read the current volume level as a value between 0 and 1. On Android, you can select the audio stream (for example the ring stream) with the stream option. On iOS, this always returns the media volume:

import { Volume, VolumeStream } from '@capawesome/capacitor-volume';

const getVolume = async () => {
  const { volume } = await Volume.getVolume();
  return volume;
};

const getRingVolume = async () => {
  const { volume } = await Volume.getVolume({ stream: VolumeStream.Ring });
  return volume;
};

Set the volume

Set the volume level as a value between 0 and 1. On Android, you can select the audio stream with the stream option. On iOS, this always sets the media volume:

import { Volume } from '@capawesome/capacitor-volume';

const setVolume = async () => {
  await Volume.setVolume({ volume: 0.5 });
};

Watch the hardware volume buttons

Start watching the hardware volume buttons to receive the volumeButtonPressed and volumeChange events. With the suppressVolumeChange option enabled, the volume level is kept unchanged and the system volume indicator is hidden while watching:

import { Volume } from '@capawesome/capacitor-volume';

const startWatching = async () => {
  await Volume.startWatching({ suppressVolumeChange: true });
};

const stopWatching = async () => {
  await Volume.stopWatching();
};

const isWatching = async () => {
  const { watching } = await Volume.isWatching();
  return watching;
};

Listen for volume button presses

Get notified when a hardware volume button is pressed. The event is only emitted while watching (see above):

import { Volume } from '@capawesome/capacitor-volume';

const addVolumeButtonPressedListener = async () => {
  await Volume.addListener('volumeButtonPressed', event => {
    console.log('Volume button pressed:', event.direction);
  });
};

Listen for volume changes

Get notified when the volume level changes. The event is only emitted while watching (see above):

import { Volume } from '@capawesome/capacitor-volume';

const addVolumeChangeListener = async () => {
  await Volume.addListener('volumeChange', event => {
    console.log('Volume changed:', event.volume);
  });
};

Remove all listeners

Remove all listeners for this plugin when they are no longer needed:

import { Volume } from '@capawesome/capacitor-volume';

const removeAllListeners = async () => {
  await Volume.removeAllListeners();
};

API

• getVolume(...)
• isWatching()
• setVolume(...)
• startWatching(...)
• stopWatching()
• addListener('volumeButtonPressed', ...)
• addListener('volumeChange', ...)
• removeAllListeners()
• Interfaces
• Type Aliases
• Enums

getVolume(...)

getVolume(options?: GetVolumeOptions | undefined) => Promise<GetVolumeResult>

Get the current volume level.

On iOS, this always returns the media volume.

Only available on Android and iOS.

| Param | Type | | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | GetVolumeOptions |

Returns: Promise<GetVolumeResult>

Since: 0.1.0

isWatching()

isWatching() => Promise<IsWatchingResult>

Check whether the hardware volume buttons are currently being watched.

Only available on Android and iOS.

Returns: Promise<IsWatchingResult>

Since: 0.1.0

setVolume(...)

setVolume(options: SetVolumeOptions) => Promise<void>

Set the volume level.

On iOS, this always sets the media volume.

Only available on Android and iOS.

| Param | Type | | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | SetVolumeOptions |

Since: 0.1.0

startWatching(...)

startWatching(options?: StartWatchingOptions | undefined) => Promise<void>

Start watching the hardware volume buttons.

The volumeButtonPressed and volumeChange events are only emitted while watching.

If the volume buttons are already being watched, this call has no effect. Call stopWatching() first to change the options.

Only available on Android and iOS.

| Param | Type | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | | options | StartWatchingOptions |

Since: 0.1.0

stopWatching()

stopWatching() => Promise<void>

Stop watching the hardware volume buttons.

On iOS, this also restores the volume level that was set when watching started if the suppressVolumeChange option was enabled.

Only available on Android and iOS.

Since: 0.1.0

addListener('volumeButtonPressed', ...)

addListener(eventName: 'volumeButtonPressed', listenerFunc: (event: VolumeButtonPressedEvent) => void) => Promise<PluginListenerHandle>

Called when a hardware volume button is pressed while watching.

Only available on Android and iOS.

| Param | Type | | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | eventName | 'volumeButtonPressed' | | listenerFunc | (event: VolumeButtonPressedEvent) => void |

Returns: Promise<PluginListenerHandle>

Since: 0.1.0

addListener('volumeChange', ...)

addListener(eventName: 'volumeChange', listenerFunc: (event: VolumeChangeEvent) => void) => Promise<PluginListenerHandle>

Called when the volume level changes while watching.

On Android, this is called for changes to the music stream. On iOS, this is called for changes to the media volume and is not called while the suppressVolumeChange option is enabled.

Only available on Android and iOS.

| Param | Type | | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | eventName | 'volumeChange' | | listenerFunc | (event: VolumeChangeEvent) => void |

Returns: Promise<PluginListenerHandle>

Since: 0.1.0

removeAllListeners()

removeAllListeners() => Promise<void>

Remove all listeners for this plugin.

Since: 0.1.0

Interfaces

GetVolumeResult

| Prop | Type | Description | Since | | ------------ | ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | | volume | number | The current volume level as a value between 0 and 1. | 0.1.0 |

GetVolumeOptions

| Prop | Type | Description | Default | Since | | ------------ | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------- | ----- | | stream | VolumeStream | The audio stream to get the volume for. Only available on Android. | VolumeStream.Music | 0.1.0 |

IsWatchingResult

| Prop | Type | Description | Since | | -------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ----- | | watching | boolean | Whether the hardware volume buttons are currently being watched. | 0.1.0 |

SetVolumeOptions

| Prop | Type | Description | Default | Since | | ------------ | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------- | ----- | | stream | VolumeStream | The audio stream to set the volume for. Only available on Android. | VolumeStream.Music | 0.1.0 | | volume | number | The volume level to set as a value between 0 and 1. | | 0.1.0 |

StartWatchingOptions

| Prop | Type | Description | Default | Since | | -------------------------- | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ | ----- | | suppressVolumeChange | boolean | Whether to keep the volume level unchanged when a hardware volume button is pressed while watching. On Android, the volume key events are consumed so that the system does not apply the volume change or display the volume panel. On iOS, the volume level is reset immediately after each button press and the system volume indicator is hidden. If the volume level is close to the minimum or maximum, it is nudged to a value from which both buttons can still be detected. The original volume level is restored when watching stops. | false | 0.1.0 |

PluginListenerHandle

| Prop | Type | | ------------ | ----------------------------------------- | | remove | () => Promise<void> |

VolumeButtonPressedEvent

| Prop | Type | Description | Since | | --------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ----- | | direction | Direction | The direction of the pressed hardware volume button. | 0.1.0 |

VolumeChangeEvent

| Prop | Type | Description | Since | | ------------ | ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ----- | | volume | number | The new volume level as a value between 0 and 1. | 0.1.0 |

Type Aliases

Direction

The direction of a hardware volume button.

• up: The volume up button.
• down: The volume down button.

'down' | 'up'

Enums

VolumeStream

| Members | Value | Description | Since | | ------------------ | --------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ----- | | Alarm | 'ALARM' | The audio stream for alarms. | 0.1.0 | | Music | 'MUSIC' | The audio stream for music and media playback. | 0.1.0 | | Notification | 'NOTIFICATION' | The audio stream for notifications. | 0.1.0 | | Ring | 'RING' | The audio stream for the phone ring. | 0.1.0 | | System | 'SYSTEM' | The audio stream for system sounds. | 0.1.0 | | VoiceCall | 'VOICE_CALL' | The audio stream for phone calls. | 0.1.0 |

Volume Control

Keep the following platform differences in mind when getting and setting the volume:

• Android: The volume can be read and set per audio stream (see the stream option). If Do Not Disturb is active, changing the volume of the ring, notification or system stream requires Do Not Disturb access. Without this access, the call is rejected with the DO_NOT_DISTURB_ACCESS_REQUIRED error code. You can direct the user to the corresponding settings screen using the ACTION_NOTIFICATION_POLICY_ACCESS_SETTINGS intent, for example with the App Launcher plugin.
• iOS: There is no public API to set the system volume directly. The plugin therefore uses a hidden system volume view to change the media volume, which is the only volume that can be read and set. The stream option is ignored.

Volume Button Watching

Keep the following platform differences in mind when watching the hardware volume buttons:

• Android: The volume key events are intercepted by the web view, so button presses are only detected while the app is in the foreground. With the suppressVolumeChange option enabled, the key events are consumed, which keeps the volume unchanged and prevents the system volume panel from appearing.
• iOS: Button presses are derived from changes to the media volume, so button presses are only detected while the app is in the foreground. Without the suppressVolumeChange option, presses can not be detected once the volume has reached its minimum or maximum. With the option enabled, the volume is reset immediately after each press (nudged away from the edges if needed), the system volume indicator is hidden, and the original volume is restored when watching stops. Note that volume changes from other sources (for example Control Center) are also reported while watching.

FAQ

How is this plugin different from other similar plugins?

It combines volume control and hardware button events in one unified API — a natural fit on iOS, where both rely on the same underlying system machinery. It adds per-stream control on Android and handles iOS volume-indicator suppression, all through a fully typed, actively maintained package, so a single dependency covers the whole volume story.

Which platforms are supported by this plugin?

The plugin is available on Android and iOS. On the Web, all methods reject as unimplemented.

Why is the stream option ignored on iOS?

On iOS, there is no public API to set the system volume directly. The plugin therefore uses a hidden system volume view to change the media volume, which is the only volume that can be read and set on iOS. The stream option is only supported on Android, see Volume Control for details.

Why is setVolume rejected with the DO_NOT_DISTURB_ACCESS_REQUIRED error code?

On Android, changing the volume of the ring, notification or system stream while Do Not Disturb is active requires Do Not Disturb access. You can direct the user to the corresponding settings screen using the ACTION_NOTIFICATION_POLICY_ACCESS_SETTINGS intent, for example with the App Launcher plugin, see Volume Control for details.

Why are volume button presses not detected?

The volumeButtonPressed event is only emitted while watching, so make sure you have called startWatching(...) first. On both platforms, button presses are only detected while the app is in the foreground. On iOS, presses can also not be detected once the volume has reached its minimum or maximum unless the suppressVolumeChange option is enabled, see Volume Button Watching for details.

What does the suppressVolumeChange option do?

With this option enabled, pressing a hardware volume button while watching does not change the volume and the system volume indicator stays hidden. On Android, the volume key events are consumed. On iOS, the volume level is reset immediately after each button press and the original volume level is restored when watching stops.

Can I use this plugin with Ionic, React, Vue or Angular?

Yes, the plugin is framework-agnostic. It works in any Capacitor app regardless of the web framework, including Ionic with Angular, React, or Vue, as well as plain JavaScript projects.

Related Plugins

• Media Session: Interact with media controllers, volume keys and media buttons.
• Silent Mode: Detect whether the device is in silent mode.
• Audio Session: Configure and observe the iOS audio session.

Newsletter

Stay up to date with the latest news and updates about the Capawesome, Capacitor, and Ionic ecosystem by subscribing to our Capawesome Newsletter.

Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md.

License

See LICENSE.