Pause Media When Headphones Disconnect

When using wireless headphones on Linux, it's common for media playback to continue playing through the speakers without any warning when the headphones die or disconnect. On mobile devices, however, media typically pauses automatically.

This simple systemd service brings that expected behavior to Linux: it pauses media playback when your Bluetooth headphones disconnect, providing a more intuitive experience.

Step 0: Ensure Playerctl Is Installed

To check if Playerctl is installed, run the following command:

playerctl --version

If the output does not display a version number, such as v2.4.1, you’ll need to install Playerctl. You can do so using your distro's package manager.

Step 1: Save the Files

Copy these two files into the following directory:

cp playerctl-pause.path ~/.config/systemd/user/playerctl-pause.path

cp playerctl-pause.service ~/.config/systemd/user/playerctl-pause.service

Step 2: Reload the Systemd Daemon

Run the following command to reload the systemd configuration:

systemctl --user daemon-reload

Step 3: Enable and Start the Service

Enable and start the playerctl-pause.path service immediately:

systemctl --user enable --now playerctl-pause.path