# Don't manage audio from the root account

This Pi (`adac`) is a PipeWire audio hub, but **the audio system does not run as
root.** It runs as the **`user`** account (uid 1000). PipeWire is a per-user
service, so `pactl`, `wpctl`, `bluetoothctl`, and `systemctl --user` only work
when you are logged in as `user` — run as root they talk to an empty session and
everything looks broken even when it's fine.

## Log in as `user` instead

```bash
ssh user@adac.local      # or: ssh user@10.12.10.110
```

Then read **`/home/user/README.md`** — that's the maintenance guide explaining how
the whole system is wired together and how to keep it running.

## If you are already stuck at a root shell

You can reach the audio session without logging out by prefixing commands:

```bash
sudo -u user XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000 pactl info
```

But prefer just logging in as `user`. Root is only needed for the handful of
system-level pieces (Bluetooth daemon, Avahi, firmware config in
`/boot/firmware/config.txt`); those are documented in `/home/user/README.md` too.