OS Manuals

/usr/bin/arecord

ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) command-line utilities: aplay, arecord, amixer, alsamixer, alsactl, speaker-test and more

From alsa-utils 1.2.16-r3 (enterprise-packages), captured 2026-11-08 by running arecord --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: arecord [OPTION]... [FILE]...

-h, --help              help
    --version           print current version
-l, --list-devices      list all soundcards and digital audio devices
-L, --list-pcms         list device names
-D, --device=NAME       select PCM by name
-q, --quiet             quiet mode
-t, --file-type TYPE    file type (voc, wav, raw or au)
-c, --channels=#        channels
-f, --format=FORMAT     sample format (case insensitive)
    --subformat=SUBFORMAT  sample subformat (case insensitive)
-r, --rate=#            sample rate
-d, --duration=#        interrupt after # seconds
-s, --samples=#         interrupt after # samples per channel
-M, --mmap              mmap stream
-N, --nonblock          nonblocking mode
-F, --period-time=#     distance between interrupts is # microseconds
-B, --buffer-time=#     buffer duration is # microseconds
    --period-size=#     distance between interrupts is # frames
    --buffer-size=#     buffer duration is # frames
-A, --avail-min=#       min available space for wakeup is # microseconds
-R, --start-delay=#     delay for automatic PCM start is # microseconds
                        (relative to buffer size if <= 0)
-T, --stop-delay=#      delay for automatic PCM stop is # microseconds from xrun
-v, --verbose           show PCM structure and setup (accumulative)
-V, --vumeter=TYPE      enable VU meter (TYPE: mono or stereo)
-I, --separate-channels one file for each channel
-i, --interactive       allow interactive operation from stdin
-m, --chmap=ch1,ch2,..  Give the channel map to override or follow
    --disable-resample  disable automatic rate resample
    --disable-channels  disable automatic channel conversions
    --disable-format    disable automatic format conversions
    --disable-softvol   disable software volume control (softvol)
    --test-position     test ring buffer position
    --test-coef=#       test coefficient for ring buffer position (default 8)
                        expression for validation is: coef * (buffer_size / 2)
    --test-nowait       do not wait for ring buffer - eats whole CPU
    --max-file-time=#   start another output file when the old file has recorded
                        for this many seconds
    --process-id-file   write the process ID here
    --use-strftime      apply the strftime facility to the output file name
    --dump-hw-params    dump hw_params of the device
    --fatal-errors      treat all errors as fatal
Recognized sample formats are: S8 U8 S16_LE S16_BE U16_LE U16_BE S24_LE S24_BE U24_LE U24_BE S32_LE S32_BE U32_LE U32_BE FLOAT_LE FLOAT_BE FLOAT64_LE FLOAT64_BE IEC958_SUBFRAME_LE IEC958_SUBFRAME_BE MU_LAW A_LAW IMA_ADPCM MPEG GSM S20_LE S20_BE U20_LE U20_BE SPECIAL S24_3LE S24_3BE U24_3LE U24_3BE S20_3LE S20_3BE U20_3LE U20_3BE S18_3LE S18_3BE U18_3LE U18_3BE G723_24 G723_24_1B G723_40 G723_40_1B DSD_U8 DSD_U16_LE DSD_U32_LE DSD_U16_BE DSD_U32_BE
Some of these may not be available on selected hardware
The available format shortcuts are:
-f cd (16 bit little endian, 44100, stereo)
-f cdr (16 bit big endian, 44100, stereo)
-f dat (16 bit little endian, 48000, stereo)
Options (41)
OptionDescriptionSource
-h, --helpHelp: show syntax.help + man
--versionPrint current version.help + man
-l, --list-deviceslist all soundcards and digital audio deviceshelp + man
-L, --list-pcmsList all PCMs definedhelp + man
-D, --device NAMEselect PCM by namehelp + man
-q, --quiet --quietQuiet mode.help + man
-t, --file-type TYPEFile type (voc, wav, raw or au).help + man
-c, --channels #The number of channels.help + man
-f, --format FORMATSample format Recognized sample formats are: S8 U8 S16_LE S16_BE U16_LE U16_BE S24_LE S24_BE U24_LE U24_BE S32_LE S32_BE U32_LE U32_BE FLOAT_LE FLOAT_BE FLOAT64_LE FLOAT64_BE IEC958_SUBFRAME_LE…help + man
--subformat SUBFORMATsample subformat (case insensitive)help
-r, --rate #Sampling rate in Hertz.help + man
-d, --duration #Interrupt after # seconds.help + man
-s, --samples #Interrupt after transmission of # PCM frames.help + man
-M, --mmapUse memory-mapped (mmap) I/O mode for the audio stream.help + man
-N, --nonblockOpen the audio device in non-blocking mode.help + man
-F, --period-time #Distance between interrupts is # microseconds.help + man
-B, --buffer-time #Buffer duration is # microseconds If no buffer time and no buffer size is given then the maximal allowed buffer time but not more than 500ms is set.help + man
--period-size #Distance between interrupts is # frames If no period size and no period time is given then a quarter of the buffer size is set.help + man
--buffer-size #Buffer duration is # frames If no buffer time and no buffer size is given then the maximal allowed buffer time but not more than 500ms is set.help + man
-A, --avail-min #min available space for wakeup is # microsecondshelp + man
-R, --start-delay #delay for automatic PCM start is # microseconds (relative to buffer size if <= 0)help + man
-T, --stop-delay #delay for automatic PCM stop is # microseconds from xrunhelp + man
-v, --verboseshow PCM structure and setup (accumulative)help + man
-V, --vumeter TYPESpecifies the VU-meter type, either stereo or mono.help + man
-i, --interactiveallow interactive operation from stdinhelp + man
-m, --chmap ch1Give the channel map to override or follow.help + man
--disable-resampleDisable automatic rate resample.help + man
--disable-channelsDisable automatic channel conversions.help + man
--disable-formatDisable automatic format conversions.help + man
--disable-softvolDisable software volume control (softvol).help + man
--test-positionTest ring buffer position.help + man
--test-coef #test coefficient for ring buffer position (default 8) expression for validation is: coef * (buffer_size / 2)help + man
--test-nowaitDo not wait for the ring buffer ‐ eats the whole CPU.help + man
--max-file-time #While recording, when the output file has been accumulating sound for this long, close it and open a new output file.help + man
--process-id-file fileaplay writes its process ID here, so other programs can send signals to it.help + man
--use-strftimeWhen recording, interpret %-codes in the file name parameter using the strftime facility whenever the output file is opened.help + man
--dump-hw-paramsDump hw_params of the device preconfigured status to stderr.help + man
--fatal-errorsDisables recovery attempts when errors (e.g. xrun) are encountered;help + man
-I, --separate-channelsOne file for each channel. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-PPlayback. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
-CRecord. (in the manual page but not in --help)man
Examples (1) from the manual page, untested

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.