MediaDevices: selectAudioOutput() method

Experimental: This is an experimental technology
Check the Browser compatibility table carefully before using this in production.

The MediaDevices method selectAudioOutput() prompts the user to select a specific audio output device, for example a speaker or headset. On success, the returned Promise is resolved with a MediaDeviceInfo describing the selected device.

Syntax

js

selectAudioOutput()
selectAudioOutput(options)

Parameters

options Optional

An object that configures what device(s) may be offered in the user prompt.

deviceId Optional

A string representing the id of the (only) device to display in the prompt (with default value: "").

Note: A user agent may choose to skip prompting the user if a specified non-null id was previously exposed to the user by selectAudioOutput() in an earlier session. In this case the user agent may simply resolve with this device id, or a new id for the same device if it has changed.

This is intended for applications that want to use persisted device ids. The ids must be passed through selectAudioOutput() successfully before they will work with setSinkId().

Return value

A Promise that receives a MediaDeviceInfo object when the promise is fulfilled. The object describes the user-selected audio output device.

Exceptions

NotAllowedError DOMException

Returned if a speaker-selection Permissions Policy is used to block use of audio outputs (in addition the popup for selecting an audio output won't be displayed), or the user closed the selection prompt without choosing a device.

NotFoundError DOMException

Returned if there are no available audio output devices.

InvalidStateError DOMException

Returned if there hasn't been a transient activation (you must trigger it from some kind of UI event).

Security requirements

Access to the API is subject to the following constraints:

  • The method must be called in a secure context.
  • Transient user activation is required. The user has to interact with the page or a UI element for this feature to work.
  • Access may be gated by the speaker-selection HTTP Permission Policy.
  • The user must explicitly grant permission to use the audio output device through a user-agent specific mechanism, or have previously granted permission. Note that if access is denied by a permission policy it cannot be granted by a user permission.

The permission status can be queried using the Permissions API method navigator.permissions.query(), passing a permission descriptor with the speaker-selection permission.

Examples

Here's an example of using selectAudioOutput(), within a function that is triggered by a button click. It outputs the selected device IDs and labels (if available) or an error message.

js

document.querySelector("#myButton").addEventListener("click", () => {
  if (!navigator.mediaDevices.selectAudioOutput) {
    console.log("selectAudioOutput() not supported.");
    return;
  }

  // Display prompt and log selected device or error
  navigator.mediaDevices
    .selectAudioOutput()
    .then((device) => {
      console.log(`${device.kind}: ${device.label} id = ${device.deviceId}`);
    })
    .catch((err) => {
      console.error(`${err.name}: ${err.message}`);
    });
});

On selection of an output this might produce:

bash

audiooutput: Realtek Digital Output (Realtek(R) Audio) id = 0wE6fURSZ20H0N2NbxqgowQJLWbwo+5ablCVVJwRM3k=

Specifications

Specification
Audio Output Devices API
# dom-mediadevices-selectaudiooutput

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also

  • WebRTC - the introductory page to the API