diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2411.section.md b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2411.section.md
index fe86ca2c2f3a..59e0a65152d5 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2411.section.md
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2411.section.md
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@
   Users can use it by `services.displayManager.ly.enable` and config it by
   `services.displayManager.ly.settings` to generate `/etc/ly/config.ini`
 
+- The default sound server for most graphical sessions has been switched from PulseAudio to PipeWire.
+  Users that want to keep PulseAudio will want to set `services.pipewire.enable = false;` and `hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true;`.
+  There is currently no plan to fully deprecate and remove PulseAudio, however, PipeWire should generally be preferred for new installs.
+
 ## New Modules {#sec-release-24.11-new-modules}
 
 - [TaskChampion Sync-Server](https://github.com/GothenburgBitFactory/taskchampion-sync-server), a [Taskwariror 3](https://taskwarrior.org/docs/upgrade-3/) sync server, replacing Taskwarrior 2's sync server named [`taskserver`](https://github.com/GothenburgBitFactory/taskserver).
diff --git a/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-base.nix b/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-base.nix
index 60df3987b4c0..7f7ab9ede47e 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-base.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-base.nix
@@ -32,9 +32,6 @@ with lib;
   # there is no power management backend such as upower).
   powerManagement.enable = true;
 
-  # Enable sound in graphical iso's.
-  hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true;
-
   # VM guest additions to improve host-guest interaction
   services.spice-vdagentd.enable = true;
   services.qemuGuest.enable = true;
diff --git a/nixos/modules/profiles/graphical.nix b/nixos/modules/profiles/graphical.nix
index ae8b0895a5ac..f96b11b35367 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/profiles/graphical.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/profiles/graphical.nix
@@ -14,8 +14,5 @@
     libinput.enable = true; # for touchpad support on many laptops
   };
 
-  # Enable sound in virtualbox appliances.
-  hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true;
-
   environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.mesa-demos pkgs.firefox ];
 }
diff --git a/nixos/modules/programs/steam.nix b/nixos/modules/programs/steam.nix
index 2ee464dc22d3..92e6f4ccaeb1 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/programs/steam.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/programs/steam.nix
@@ -196,8 +196,9 @@ in {
     programs.gamescope.enable = lib.mkDefault cfg.gamescopeSession.enable;
     services.displayManager.sessionPackages = lib.mkIf cfg.gamescopeSession.enable [ gamescopeSessionFile ];
 
-    # optionally enable 32bit pulseaudio support if pulseaudio is enabled
+    # enable 32bit pulseaudio/pipewire support if needed
     hardware.pulseaudio.support32Bit = config.hardware.pulseaudio.enable;
+    services.pipewire.alsa.support32Bit = config.services.pipewire.alsa.enable;
 
     hardware.steam-hardware.enable = true;
 
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/desktop-managers/lomiri.nix b/nixos/modules/services/desktop-managers/lomiri.nix
index b486dd6b30b4..151bdc42c725 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/desktop-managers/lomiri.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/desktop-managers/lomiri.nix
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ in {
       };
     };
 
-    hardware.pulseaudio.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
     networking.networkmanager.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
 
     systemd.packages = with pkgs.lomiri; [
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/misc/graphical-desktop.nix b/nixos/modules/services/misc/graphical-desktop.nix
index 0b5ef033e38b..7f1e9b39210c 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/misc/graphical-desktop.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/misc/graphical-desktop.nix
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ in
 
     services.speechd.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
 
+    services.pipewire = {
+      enable = lib.mkDefault true;
+      pulse.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
+      alsa.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
+    };
+
     systemd.defaultUnit = lib.mkIf (xcfg.autorun || dmcfg.enable) "graphical.target";
 
     xdg = {
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/budgie.nix b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/budgie.nix
index 8e36b8cc3947..42a828bcbcbc 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/budgie.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/budgie.nix
@@ -204,7 +204,6 @@ in {
     programs.nm-applet.indicator = true; # Budgie uses AppIndicators.
 
     hardware.bluetooth.enable = mkDefault true; # for Budgie's Status Indicator and BCC's Bluetooth panel.
-    hardware.pulseaudio.enable = mkDefault true; # for Budgie's Status Indicator and BCC's Sound panel.
 
     xdg.portal.enable = mkDefault true; # for BCC's Applications panel.
     xdg.portal.extraPortals = with pkgs; [
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/cinnamon.nix b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/cinnamon.nix
index 70fa4f0f3a5a..33373c18a4e9 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/cinnamon.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/cinnamon.nix
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@ in
       # Default services
       services.blueman.enable = mkDefault (notExcluded pkgs.blueman);
       hardware.bluetooth.enable = mkDefault true;
-      hardware.pulseaudio.enable = mkDefault true;
       security.polkit.enable = true;
       services.accounts-daemon.enable = true;
       services.system-config-printer.enable = (mkIf config.services.printing.enable (mkDefault true));
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/deepin.nix b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/deepin.nix
index 1151178a8824..a202e153231b 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/deepin.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/deepin.nix
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ in
       '';
 
       hardware.bluetooth.enable = mkDefault true;
-      hardware.pulseaudio.enable = mkDefault true;
       security.polkit.enable = true;
 
       services.deepin.dde-daemon.enable = mkForce true;
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome.nix b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome.nix
index e07700469dfb..bbd47a382e18 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome.nix
@@ -255,7 +255,6 @@ in
 
     (lib.mkIf serviceCfg.core-os-services.enable {
       hardware.bluetooth.enable = mkDefault true;
-      hardware.pulseaudio.enable = mkDefault true;
       programs.dconf.enable = true;
       security.polkit.enable = true;
       services.accounts-daemon.enable = true;
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/pantheon.nix b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/pantheon.nix
index 55d5c2cb292d..fc5fb4d0b53d 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/pantheon.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/pantheon.nix
@@ -130,7 +130,6 @@ in
 
       # Default services
       hardware.bluetooth.enable = mkDefault true;
-      hardware.pulseaudio.enable = mkDefault true;
       security.polkit.enable = true;
       services.accounts-daemon.enable = true;
       services.bamf.enable = true;
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/plasma5.nix b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/plasma5.nix
index 0092a1f3693b..1893eb5d7f9a 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/plasma5.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/plasma5.nix
@@ -380,7 +380,6 @@ in
       xdg.portal.extraPortals = [ pkgs.plasma5Packages.xdg-desktop-portal-kde ];
       xdg.portal.configPackages = mkDefault [ pkgs.plasma5Packages.xdg-desktop-portal-kde ];
       # xdg-desktop-portal-kde expects PipeWire to be running.
-      # This does not, by default, replace PulseAudio.
       services.pipewire.enable = mkDefault true;
 
       # Update the start menu for each user that is currently logged in
@@ -476,7 +475,7 @@ in
         {
           # The user interface breaks without pulse
           assertion = config.hardware.pulseaudio.enable || (config.services.pipewire.enable && config.services.pipewire.pulse.enable);
-          message = "Plasma Mobile requires pulseaudio.";
+          message = "Plasma Mobile requires a Pulseaudio compatible sound server.";
         }
       ];
 
@@ -512,7 +511,6 @@ in
 
       # The following services are needed or the UI is broken.
       hardware.bluetooth.enable = true;
-      hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true;
       networking.networkmanager.enable = true;
       # Required for autorotate
       hardware.sensor.iio.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
diff --git a/nixos/tests/ayatana-indicators.nix b/nixos/tests/ayatana-indicators.nix
index 2d2a9f7167a7..72d172d3885d 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/ayatana-indicators.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/ayatana-indicators.nix
@@ -50,8 +50,6 @@ in
 
       services.accounts-daemon.enable = true; # messages
 
-      hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true; # sound
-
       # Lomiri-ish setup for Lomiri indicators
       # TODO move into a Lomiri module, once the package set is far enough for the DE to start
 
diff --git a/nixos/tests/enlightenment.nix b/nixos/tests/enlightenment.nix
index b82f09a07ed8..ba917e18c09f 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/enlightenment.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/enlightenment.nix
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, ...} :
         user = "alice";
       };
     };
-    hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true; # needed for the factl test, /dev/snd/* exists without them but udev doesn't care then
     environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.xdotool ];
     services.acpid.enable = true;
     services.connman.enable = true;
diff --git a/nixos/tests/mate.nix b/nixos/tests/mate.nix
index 1252ec43cf3d..0cadd6d0d5bf 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/mate.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/mate.nix
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, lib, ... }: {
     };
 
     services.xserver.desktopManager.mate.enable = true;
-
-    # Silence log spam due to no sound drivers loaded:
-    # ALSA lib confmisc.c:855:(parse_card) cannot find card '0'
-    hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true;
   };
 
   enableOCR = true;
diff --git a/nixos/tests/plasma5.nix b/nixos/tests/plasma5.nix
index 1bff37981da3..b4e10581219c 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/plasma5.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/plasma5.nix
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, ...} :
       enable = true;
       user = "alice";
     };
-    hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true; # needed for the factl test, /dev/snd/* exists without them but udev doesn't care then
   };
 
   testScript = { nodes, ... }: let
diff --git a/nixos/tests/xfce.nix b/nixos/tests/xfce.nix
index d97f07d75271..1cef8daf3d49 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/xfce.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/xfce.nix
@@ -19,9 +19,6 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, ...} : {
 
       services.xserver.desktopManager.xfce.enable = true;
       environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.xfce.xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin ];
-
-      hardware.pulseaudio.enable = true; # needed for the factl test, /dev/snd/* exists without them but udev doesn't care then
-
     };
 
   enableOCR = true;