Audio features
Adaptive audio
With adaptive audio, you don’t need to manually configure the audio quality policies on the VDA. Adaptive audio optimizes settings for your environment and replaces obsolete audio compression formats to provide an excellent user experience.
Adaptive audio is enabled by default. It supports the following Citrix Workspace™ app clients:
- Citrix Workspace app for Windows – 2109 and later versions
- Citrix Workspace app for Linux – 2109 and later versions
- Citrix Workspace app for Mac – 2109 and later versions
Adaptive audio falls back to legacy audio when you use a client not included on the list.
Audio service considerations
The Linux VDA uses PipeWire as the default audio service in the following cases:
- VDA version 2407 or later installed on Debian 12.x, RHEL 9.x/10.x, or Rocky Linux 9.x/10.x.
- VDA version 2411 or later installed on Ubuntu 24.04.
- VDA version 2607 or later installed on Debian 13.x or Ubuntu 26.04.
For all other distributions, the Linux VDA continues to use PulseAudio. Use PulseAudio 13.99 or later on RHEL 8.x and Rocky Linux 8.x.
The following table summarizes the audio backend used on each supported distribution:
| Distribution | Audio backend | Supported from VDA version |
|---|---|---|
| Debian 12.x | PipeWire | 2407 |
| Debian 13.x | PipeWire | 2607 |
| RHEL 9.x/10 | PipeWire | 2407 |
| Rocky Linux 9.x/10 | PipeWire | 2407 |
| Ubuntu 24.04 | PipeWire | 2411 |
| Ubuntu 26.04 | PipeWire | 2607 |
| RHEL 8.x, Rocky Linux 8.x | PulseAudio (13.99 or later) | — |
| Other distributions (including SUSE Linux Enterprise 15.x) | PulseAudio | — |
Switching from PulseAudio to PipeWire
If you have a version of the Linux VDA earlier than 2407 installed on RHEL 9.x/10 or Rocky Linux 9.x/10, you are using PulseAudio. To continue using PulseAudio, do nothing. To switch to PipeWire, complete the following steps:
-
Replace PulseAudio with PipeWire:
dnf swap --allowerasing pulseaudio pipewire-pulseaudio <!--NeedCopy--> -
Enable the PipeWire services globally:
systemctl --global --now enable pipewire pipewire-pulse pipewire-pulse.socket wireplumber <!--NeedCopy--> -
Restart the Linux VDA.
Using PipeWire with a non-English system language
If the system language is not English and PipeWire is in use, edit /etc/xdg/autostart/ctxaudio.desktop, find the following line:
Exec=/opt/Citrix/VDA/bin/ctxaudio
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Replace it with the following line to force the C locale, ensuring compatibility with PipeWire in non-English environments:
Exec=env LC_ALL=C /opt/Citrix/VDA/bin/ctxaudio
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Loss tolerant mode for audio
The loss tolerant mode supports audio. This feature increases the user experience for real-time streaming and improves audio quality over EDT when users are connecting through networks with high latency and packet loss.
For more information about the loss tolerant mode and EDT, see Additional information in the Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops documentation.
Enable the loss tolerant mode for audio feature
Loss tolerant mode for audio is enabled by default. If it is disabled, complete the following steps to re-enable it:
- Enable adaptive transport by setting the HDX adaptive transport policy. Adaptive transport is enabled by default.
- Enable adaptive audio by setting the Adaptive audio policy. Adaptive audio is enabled by default.
- Enable the loss tolerant mode (EDT unreliable transport) by setting the Loss tolerant mode for audio policy.
- For direct connections, enable DTLS on VDAs is required.
- For remote connections, EDT loss tolerant mode must also be supported on the Citrix Gateway Service or NetScaler Gateway.
Client requirements and settings
To use loss tolerant mode for audio, ensure that your Citrix Workspace app supports and is configured to enable this feature; otherwise, audio defaults to EDT Reliable transport.
The following are the minimum Citrix Workspace app versions that support loss tolerant mode:
- Citrix Workspace app for Windows minimum version 2309
- Citrix Workspace app for Linux minimum version 2311
- Citrix Workspace app for Mac minimum version 2311
Audio Diagnostic Command Line Tool
The audio diagnostic command line tool on the VDA can be used to query session data related to audio policies, configuration, and data transport.
Usage
Open a command prompt and run ctxaudiosession from the /opt/Citrix/VDA/bin folder.
Running the tool will display all active ICA® session(s) audio information and device redirection status for the current user.
Output
The tool outputs various configuration settings that can help diagnose audio-related issues within a session.
| Section | Description |
|---|---|
| Warning | Audio service warning messages for device statuses, transport type, audio codec, etc. |
| State Information | Audio state, version, codecs, transport applied to the current session(s), etc. |
| Policy Settings | Audio policies applied to the current session(s). |
| Local Settings | Audio-related configuration stored in the registry or local settings. |
| Capabilities | Audio capabilities results between the CWA and VDA. |
| Sound Devices | Device names, their roles, and their running statuses in the session(s). |
Audio Quality Enhancer for EDT loss tolerant mode
Starting with the 2507 version, audio quality enhancer is enabled by default for adaptive audio over EDT loss tolerant mode for audio.
Audio quality enhancer maintains clear audio during brief network disruptions. This feature adapts to the network conditions to ensure consistent audio performance during playback and recording.
Note:
Adaptive audio must be enabled for this feature to work.
Audio Quality Enhancer for reliable transport (preview)
Starting with 2511 in Tech Preview, audio quality enhancer is also available for connections over reliable transport (i.e. TCP and EDT-Reliable). Under poor network conditions, both audio playback and recording will have a smoother experience with reduced latency.
To enable the feature, complete the following steps:
-
Enable the feature on the Linux VDA.
Run the following command in the terminal:
sudo /opt/Citrix/VDA/bin/ctxreg create -k "HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Citrix\VirtualChannels\Audio" -v "fAlwaysUseSpeexJitterBuffer" -t REG_DWORD -d 0 –force <!--NeedCopy--> -
Enable the feature on Citrix Workspace app for Linux.
-
Navigate to the
<ICAROOT>/configfolder and open themodule.inifile. -
Go to the [ClientAudio] section and add the following entry:
AlwaysUseSpeexJitterBuffer=FALSE -
To disable the feature, complete the following steps:
-
Disable the feature on the Linux VDA.
Run the following command in the terminal:
sudo /opt/Citrix/VDA/bin/ctxreg update -k "HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Citrix\VirtualChannels\Audio" -v "fAlwaysUseSpeexJitterBuffer" -t REG_DWORD -d 1 -
Disable the feature on Citrix Workspace app for Linux.
-
Navigate to the
<ICAROOT>/configfolder and open themodule.inifile. -
Go to the [ClientAudio] section and add the following entry:
AlwaysUseSpeexJitterBuffer=TRUE -
Note:
Adaptive audio must be enabled for this feature to work.
This feature is disabled by default in Tech Preview (over reliable transport).
This feature must be enabled on both VDA and CWA.
This feature is supported with Citrix Workspace app for Linux version 2511 and later, and Citrix Workspace app for Mac version 2508 and later.
Support for multiple audio devices
Starting with Version 2311, the Linux VDA supports redirecting multiple client audio devices into a session. The redirected devices appear in the session by their real device names instead of CitrixAudioSink and CitrixAudioSource, and the device list updates dynamically as devices are plugged in or removed.
Known issues
On Ubuntu 22.04, a PulseAudio bug might cause audio device switching to fail. To work around this issue, remove the user’s PulseAudio configuration and then reopen the session:
rm -r ~/.config/pulse
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Support for Audio volume synchronization
Starting from release 2607 LTSR, Linux VDA now supports synchronization of audio volume between the VDA and your audio devices. You can now adjust the volume using the VDA audio volume slider and have the same volume on your device and this also applies to the other way around. This feature is enabled by default.