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      • Custom Sounds

      This page covers the topic on how to customize and configure sound playback in GlobalQuake.

      Introduction

      GlobalQuake uses WAV format audio files for all alerts and notifications. Sound files are stored in a sounds/ folder inside the GlobalQuake home directory. Each sound can have its own volume level, and all volumes are persisted across sessions in a properties file.

      Info

      To quickly mute all sounds, press S while GlobalQuake is focused.

      Accessing the Sounds Folder

      The easiest way to find the sounds folder is through the GlobalQuake interface:

      1. Click Open > User Data Folder in the top bar.
      2. Inside the opened folder, navigate to the sounds/ subfolder.

      You can also navigate there manually:

      • Windows: %APPDATA%\GlobalQuake\sounds\
      • macOS / Linux: .data/sounds/ in the directory where GlobalQuake was launched.
      Warning

      If GlobalQuake is currently running, restart it after replacing sound files so they are loaded properly.

      Available Sound Types

      GlobalQuake ships with the following default sound files:

      FileDescription
      found.wavPlays when a new earthquake is first detected.
      update.wavPlays when an existing earthquake is updated with revised data.
      level_0.wavPlays when earthquake intensity reaches level 0.
      level_1.wavPlays when earthquake intensity reaches level 1.
      level_2.wavPlays when earthquake intensity reaches level 2.
      level_3.wavPlays when earthquake intensity reaches level 3.
      level_4.wavPlays when earthquake intensity reaches level 4.
      intensify.wavPlays when shaking intensifies at the user's location.
      felt.wavPlays when an earthquake is expected to be felt by the user.
      felt_strong.wavPlays when strong shaking is expected at the user's location.
      eew_warning.wavPlays as an early warning alert for an incoming earthquake.
      countdown.wavPlays a countdown to expected shaking arrival.

      Customizing Sounds

      To replace a sound, simply drop a new WAV file into the sounds/ folder with the exact same filename as the one you want to replace.

      Info

      Use a sample rate of 44100 Hz for best compatibility. Other common WAV formats should work, but 44100 Hz mono/stereo is recommended. If you are having issues, please consult the troubleshooting entry.

      Sound Settings Panel

      GlobalQuake provides a graphical panel for managing sounds. Open it via Options > Settings > Sounds in the top menu bar.

      The panel includes:

      • Master volume slider — controls the overall output volume for all sounds.
      • Per-sound volume sliders — individually adjust the volume of each available sound.
      • Test button — click to preview any sound at its current volume.
      • Reload button — reloads all sound files from disk without restarting GlobalQuake.
      • Open folder button — opens the sounds/ directory in your file explorer.

      Volume Configuration Files

      Sound volumes are persisted in a properties file located at:

      sounds/soundVolumes.properties

      Each sound has its own volume entry, stored as a numeric value. The master volume is controlled separately in ui.properties:

      • globalVolume100 — Master volume for all sounds (0–100).
      • enableSoundtrue — Master toggle for all sounds.
      • enableEarthquakeSoundstrue — Toggles earthquake-specific sounds (detection, revision, intensity changes).
      • earthquakeSoundsMinMagnitude0.0 — Minimum magnitude required for earthquake sounds to play.
      • earthquakeSoundsMaxDist30000.0 — Maximum distance (km) from the user for earthquake sounds to play.
      Warning

      Editing properties files directly is not recommended for most users. Use the Sound Settings panel in the GUI whenever possible.

      Keyboard Shortcut

      KeyAction
      SToggle all sounds on/off.