Set system volume to 0 AppleScript

Question

Set system volume to 0 AppleScript

This used to work prior to Big Sur:

tell application "Finder" to set volume 0

Is there a change to set volume of system to 0 or mute?

Doesn't seem to work in Big Sur.

Thanks

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Jan 1, 2021 4:23 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

VikingOSX

Community+ 2024

Level 10

117,197 points

Jan 1, 2021 5:28 AM in response to mrokloricred37

This still works on Big Sur 11.1, as I just watched my sound volume drop to zero when running this:

tell application "Finder" to set volume 0

It inherently enables mute in the Sound Preferences panel. See other uses for set volume.

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Answer 2

Camelot

Level 9

55,413 points

Jan 1, 2021 11:00 AM in response to mrokloricred37

Despite working or not, asking the Finder to do this dates back to about 1995 and is not needed in favor of the standard command 'set volume' which works via Standard Additions (and not via any specific app).

Nowadays (by which I mean the last 15 years or so), leave the Finder to do file-related tasks, and let the OS handle the rest.

In addition, 'set volume' with a single digit is deprecated - it maps back to the early OS versions where volume was on a scale from 0 - 7.

Nowadays, the right way to do it is to use the extended options for set volume, which allows for a scale of 0-100 as well as separate controls for input volume, output volume, alert volume, and a mute toggle (so you don't have to recall what the volume was set to before you muted):

set volume output volume 100 -- lets hear you roar!
set volume output voume 5 -- or be quiet
set volume with output muted -- go silent
set volume without output muted -- revert to previous volume setting

set volume alert volume 100 -- I *really* want to hear alerts

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Answer 3

Jan 1, 2021 5:54 PM in response to mrokloricred37

Sorry, mistype there should be nothing after 30.......neglected to mention that the rest of the script runs when lid is closed.

tell application "Finder"

if exists disk "parks" then eject disk "parks"

end tell

set volume output volume 30

delay2

set volume output volume 5

delay 2

set volume with output muted

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Answer 4

Jan 1, 2021 9:40 AM in response to mrokloricred37

I can run this as many times as I feel like setting an arbitrary volume level and each time, it turns off the volume, and I do not need to restart the Mac (Big Sur 11.1) at all.

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Answer 5

Jan 1, 2021 12:28 PM in response to Camelot

Thanks for clarifying this, as I personally do not use this feature… though your stated syntax is in the AppleScript Language Guide at the link I provided above.

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Answer 6

Jan 2, 2021 6:37 PM in response to Camelot

Ah, finally! I believe there is a bug in the sound area. After running the following script:

set volume with output muted

The menu bar shows sound activity yet in sound preferences sound is muted. Indeed the sound is muted despite the menu bar showing activity. The menu bar sound icon should not show activity and the sound preferences show mute !!!

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Answer 7

Jan 1, 2021 2:33 PM in response to Camelot

I was doing a bunch of testing. Right now I have an AppleScript with set volume with output muted. I have the sound icon in the menu bar and it is scrolled about halfway to maximum.

When I run the script NOTHING happens to the volume on the sound icon. However,if I scroll the sound icon volume up and down and up (leaving the sound on), the script works.

So it seems to require scrolling up and down to reengage it.

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Answer 8

Jan 1, 2021 5:45 PM in response to Camelot

I've used this ti imitate toggling which works with lid open but not with lid closed

set volume output volume 30 ar!

delay2

set volume output volume 5

delay 2

set volume with output muted

I've also used Automator to mute, and it as well does not work with lid closed

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Answer 9

Jan 4, 2021 2:40 PM in response to Camelot

I am running 11.1 and Software Update doesn't offer a 11.2.

This happens on a 2014 MB Pro and a 2019 iMac, with pics. It doesn't always happen. I have toggled the volume with applescript:

using the old:

tell application "Finder" to set volume 50

tell application "Finder" to set volume 30

tell application "Finder" to set volume 0

using various combinations of the above as well as the new language and various combinations:

set volume output volume 100

set volume output voume 5

set volume with output muted

It will work most of the time, but I need it to work all of the time.

Was wondering if there is some shell script for no sound?

Thanks for RSVP

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Answer 10

Jan 1, 2021 7:56 AM in response to VikingOSX

works once and have to restart the mac (big sur) to get it to work again !!

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Answer 11

Jan 1, 2021 12:29 PM in response to Camelot

Hi,

I've narrowed it down somewhat, in that closing the lid and reopening makes either of these unresponsive! forcing a restart.

tell application "Finder" to set volume 0

set volume output volume 0

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Answer 12

Camelot

Level 9

55,413 points

Jan 1, 2021 12:44 PM in response to mrokloricred37

a) what do you mean by 'unresponsive'?

b) if you're trying to mute the volume, what happens if you do it the right way?

set volume with output muted

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Answer 13

Camelot

Level 9

55,413 points

Jan 4, 2021 12:49 PM in response to mrokloricred37

Interesting. What version of the OS are you running?

I checked here on my machine (11.2) and the menu bar does correctly reflect the output muted setting.

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Answer 14

Jan 4, 2021 2:42 PM in response to mrokloricred37

also posted it to apple.com/feedback not that that has ever helped me !!

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Set system volume to 0 AppleScript

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