AppleScript for System Volume

Scripts for getting and setting the system volume in MacOS.

Open “Script Editor” which you can find in the Applications ➜ Utilities folder. Create a new document.

Enter and run a script:

1. Type a script into the upper panel. e.g “get volume settings”
2. Click the Run/Play button
3. Get the result in the lower panel

Get the current System Volume settings

Script: get volume settings

Result: output volume:58, input volume:100, alert volume:100, output muted:false

Set the current System Output Volume

Script: set volume output volume 68

Result: empty but the volume will change

Creating convenient volume scripts

I found it very convenient to create a menu in my system menu bar with all my calibrated volumes.

First, enable Apple Scripts in the desktop’s menu bar.

1. Open Utilities ➞ “Script Editor”
2. In the app preferences, enable “Show Script menu in menu bar”

Now we create a script for each SPL. The default location for user scripts is Library/Scripts in your home directory. Conveniently, the Script Editor menu bar has an option to “Open Scripts Folder” for “User Scripts”.

Now…

1. Write your volume script. My calibrated 60dB system volume is 71 so set volume output volume 71
2. File ➜ Save and create Volume 60dB.scpt
3. Place the saved script into directory <home>/Library/Scripts
4. This volume script should now appear conveniently in your menu bar

Repeat for other volumes.