Chromium 120.0.6099.129 (Official Build) Audio Stopped Working on Linux Mint (64-bit) - Fix

Chromium 120.0.6099.129 (Official Build) Audio Stopped Working on Linux Mint (64-bit) - Fix

If you're a Linux Mint user who has recently updated their Chromium browser to version 120.0.6099.129 (Official Build) and you're experiencing issues with audio playback, this article will help you troubleshoot and fix the problem. With detailed context, subtitles, and proper code formatting, you'll be able to restore audio functionality in no time.

Context and Key Concepts

The Chromium browser is an open-source web browser project developed by the Chromium Project. Linux Mint users might prefer Chromium over Google Chrome for its adherence to open-source principles and the absence of proprietary software. This article will cover the following topics:

• Identifying the issue
• Disabling hardware acceleration
• Reinstalling Chromium
• Verifying PulseAudio and ALSA Configuration
• Additional resources and troubleshooting

Identifying the Issue

First, make sure that the audio problem is specific to Chromium and not your operating system, sound settings, or other applications. Here are some steps to confirm Chromium as the source of your audio issues:

1. Check that other applications can play audio.
2. Try playing media in other browsers like Firefox or Google Chrome.
3. Restart Chromium and attempt to play media.

If audio isn't working in Chromium but functions in other applications or browsers, continue with the troubleshooting steps below.

Disabling Hardware Acceleration

Hardware acceleration can sometimes lead to audio issues in Chromium. To fix this, try disabling hardware acceleration with the following steps:

1. Open Chromium.
2. Type "chrome://settings" in the address bar and press Enter.
3. Scroll down to "Advanced" and click on it.
4. Under "System", toggle off "Use hardware acceleration when available".
5. Restart Chromium and test audio functionality.

Reinstalling Chromium

Reinstalling Chromium might help resolve the audio issue. To do this:

1. Open a terminal and execute "sudo apt-get remove chromium" to completely remove Chromium.
2. Update the package lists using "sudo apt-get update".
3. Install Chromium again using "sudo apt-get install chromium".
4. Launch Chromium and test audio functionality.

Verifying PulseAudio and ALSA Configuration

Your Linux Mint system may rely on PulseAudio and ALSA for audio processing. Verify these configurations by:

1. Checking that PulseAudio is running with "pulseaudio --check" (you should see "Daemon startup successful." if it is).
2. Inspecting the "/etc/pulse/default.pa" file for correct settings.
3. Checking the "~/.asoundrc" and "/etc/asound.conf" files for proper audio configuration.
4. Using "aplay -l" and "pacmd list-sinks" to verify that audio devices are recognized and properly configured.

Additional Resources and Troubleshooting

If the above steps don't work, try the following resources:

• Linux Mint Forums
• Chromium for Testers

This article provided troubleshooting tips for fixing Chromium's audio issues on Linux Mint (64-bit). Topics covered included:

• Identifying the problem
• Disabling hardware acceleration
• Reinstalling Chromium
• Verifying PulseAudio and ALSA Configuration

Additional resources for further troubleshooting were also provided.