Guides to Mac audio

Multiple Speakers Multi-room audio on a Mac: when you need Sonos, and when you don't Sonos speakers keep playing independently of any device. A Mac-based setup routes through the Mac. Here's how to tell which one you actually need. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Shortcuts Control your Mac's audio from Raycast Chorus adds a chorus:// URL that Raycast can trigger, so switching speakers, mics or a saved group happens without leaving the keyboard. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Shortcuts How to control your Mac's audio with a Stream Deck Chorus has a URL scheme built for automation, so a Stream Deck button can switch outputs, groups or per-app routing without a plugin or the keyboard. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Shortcuts How to automate your Mac's audio with the Shortcuts app Apple's Shortcuts app can trigger Chorus as one step in a bigger automation. How the two fit together, and why that is different from Chorus's own shortcuts. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Shortcuts Automate your audio setup for when you open your laptop Chorus can pick the right speakers and mic the moment you open your MacBook or plug into your dock. Here's the exact event that triggers it. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Shortcuts Instantly mute your Mac's output with a hotkey One keypress, from any app, silences everything your Mac is playing. How to bind a global mute hotkey to your speakers or active group in Chorus. 12 August 2026 · 4 min read Shortcuts Switch your whole audio setup with one keystroke One key for the speaker, one for the mic, one for the volume. Here is how to bundle all three into a single saved setup on a Mac. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Shortcuts Switch to headphones automatically when they connect Plug in headphones and Chorus moves your Mac's audio there automatically. Here's how to build the Auto-Switch rule, for wired or Bluetooth headphones. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Shortcuts Option-click the volume icon on your Mac to reveal a hidden menu Hold Option and click the volume icon in your Mac's menu bar to pick an output or input device instantly, no System Settings required. 12 August 2026 · 4 min read Explainers What is Core Audio on a Mac? Core Audio is the framework that runs all sound on a Mac. Here is what it actually does, and why Chorus and Audio MIDI Setup both build on it directly. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Explainers What is Drift Correction, and why do combined Mac speakers need it? Drift Correction is the macOS setting that keeps two combined speakers in sync. What it is, why every device needs it, and where it's enabled. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Explainers What is sample rate, and why does it matter for Mac audio? Sample rate is how many times per second your Mac digitizes sound, from 44.1kHz to 48kHz. What it means, and why mismatches cause audio glitches. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Explainers What is a virtual audio driver, and why isn't Chorus one? A virtual audio driver creates a fake device for app-to-app audio capture. Chorus groups your Mac's real speakers and mics instead, no driver needed. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Explainers How macOS decides which speaker or microphone is the default Every plug-in, pairing or wake-from-sleep changes macOS's device list, and a recency rule picks the new default. How that mechanism actually works. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Explainers What is Audio MIDI Setup, and what does it actually do? Audio MIDI Setup is the Mac utility for managing audio devices, not music production. What it shows you, what it builds, and where it runs out. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Explainers How does Bluetooth audio work on a Mac? Bluetooth sends audio through a codec like SBC, AAC or aptX, and each one trades sound quality against delay. How that actually works, in plain terms. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Explainers What does "per-app audio" actually mean? Per-app audio means one app's sound gets its own volume and output, independent of every other app. Here's what the term covers, and what it doesn't. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Explainers The Mac audio setup that works for remote work Speakers for solo work, headphones for calls, and a fast way to switch between them. A practical Mac audio setup for working from home. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Explainers Audio routing for Mac streamers: monitoring, alerts, and what Chorus covers How audio routing fits a Mac streaming setup: hearing your own mix without feedback, keeping alerts audible, and where virtual routing to OBS comes in. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Explainers How to set up your Mac's audio for recording a podcast A practical Mac audio setup for podcasting: choosing a mic, monitoring yourself while you record, keeping other apps quiet, and routing a co-host's call. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Explainers DJ audio routing on a Mac: cueing tracks in headphones without a mixer Real DJ cue/master splitting needs a multi-channel interface and your DJ software's own routing. Here's what a Mac menu bar app can and can't do. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Explainers How to set up audio on a Mac that multiple people share One shared Mac, different people, different speakers. Here is why macOS keeps handing everyone the last person's audio, and how to stop it. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Explainers The best Mac audio setup for content creators Podcasting, streaming, or editing video on a Mac all need the same audio foundation first. Here is what's shared, and where each format splits off. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Explainers The Mac audio setup for teaching online A mic that holds steady for a full class, clips students can actually hear, and a mute that never drops your video. A Mac audio setup for teaching online. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Explainers A gaming audio setup that actually works on a Mac Headset or speakers, voice chat kept separate from game sound, and notifications that stay quiet. The full gaming audio setup for a Mac, in one place. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Explainers The Mac Studio audio setup for multiple displays and desk speakers A Mac Studio has no built-in speaker or display, so every sound on a multi-monitor desk is an output you chose. How to combine them. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Explainers A Mac audio setup for video editors: monitors, headphones, and client calls A practical Mac audio setup for video editors: switching monitors and headphones, keeping notifications out of a review, and clean audio on client calls. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Explainers The Mac audio setup that works in an open-plan office Headphones are mandatory in a shared office. Stop your Mac falling back to speakers by accident, and keep notification sounds to yourself. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Explainers The 60-second Mac checklist before a video call A fast pre-meeting checklist for Mac calls: right input and output, the mute reflex, silent notifications, and proving your audio actually works. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Per-App Audio How to send Spotify to a different speaker than everything else Spotify has its own speaker picker, and it can quietly override your Mac's own routing. Here is how Spotify Connect actually works, and where it falls short. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Per-App Audio How to mute one app without muting your whole Mac macOS has no per-app mute button. Here is the free browser-tab trick, why quitting an app is disruptive, and how to mute just one app in seconds. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Per-App Audio Zoom audio to headphones, everything else to speakers Zoom has its own audio settings, separate from macOS. Here is how the two interact, and how to send calls to headphones, everything else to speakers. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Per-App Audio How to stop one app from hogging your Mac's speakers One app taking over your Mac's audio usually means one of three things. Here is how to tell which, and the right fix for each. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Per-App Audio Discord to your headset, game audio to your speakers, on a Mac Discord has its own Output Device setting, but your game doesn't. Here is how to get Discord voice on a headset while the game stays on speakers. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Per-App Audio OBS audio routing to multiple outputs on a Mac: what actually works Splitting app audio into separate OBS tracks needs a virtual audio driver, not Chorus. Here's the difference, and where Chorus fits a Mac streaming setup. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Per-App Audio How to set a separate microphone for one app on a Mac macOS has one microphone setting for every app. How to check if an app has its own mic picker, and what to do when it doesn't. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Why does my Mac keep switching microphones? A Bluetooth headset, a new app, or a USB interface can all silently change your Mac's input. Here is what causes each and how to get your mic back. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Microphones AirPods microphone sounds bad? Use a different one for calls AirPods sound great for music but thin on calls. Here's why the mic quality drops, and how to keep AirPods for audio while switching the microphone on a Mac. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Microphones What is input gain, and how is it different from volume? Input gain sets how sensitive a microphone is to quiet sound. Volume sets how loud playback is. Two different jobs, one confusing macOS slider. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Per-App Audio How to route game audio and voice chat to separate outputs on a Mac Any voice chat app on one output, any game on another: here is the general pattern for splitting them on a Mac, whichever apps you actually use. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Per-App Audio Why can't a Mac set volume per app natively? macOS has no native per-app volume mixer like Windows does. Here's the real architectural reason, and how apps like Chorus work around it. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Per-App Audio How to send notification sounds to a different output than your music Slack pings and Mail dings blast through the same speaker as your music. Here is how to send notification sounds somewhere else, or nowhere at all. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Microphones The best microphone settings for video calls on a Mac A checklist for clear audio on Mac video calls: pick the right microphone, set input gain, turn on Voice Isolation, and check your call app's settings. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Microphones How to use two microphones at the same time on a Mac Two people, two mics, one call. macOS won't do this on its own, but an Aggregate Device will get both mics seen. Here's the setup, and its real limit. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Per-App Audio Does Chorus do per-app EQ? No, Chorus has no per-app equaliser. Here's what it does instead (per-app output and volume), and where to go if EQ is what you actually need. 12 August 2026 · 4 min read Multiple Speakers Can a Mac fill every room in your house with music? Yes, a Mac can send one audio stream to speakers in every room at once. Here's how that works, what it can't do, and the free way to try it. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers How to connect two different sets of speakers to one Mac Different brands do not matter on a Mac. Connection type and volume do. What to actually check when combining two mismatched sets of speakers. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers How to play audio through two Bluetooth speakers at once on a Mac Yes, a Mac can run two Bluetooth speakers as one group. Here's how to set it up, and the syncing trade-off worth knowing before you do. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers True left/right stereo from two Studio Displays By default, two Studio Displays both play the full stereo mix. A real left/right split needs channel mapping in Audio MIDI Setup. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Multiple Speakers Play audio through your TV and speakers at the same time on a Mac Yes, a Mac can send sound to a TV and separate speakers together. How to set it up, and the delay problem worth testing for first. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers How to use two monitors' speakers at once on a Mac Both monitors' speakers already showing as outputs? You can combine them into one with matched volume, and here's whether it's worth doing. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers Can you connect a Bluetooth speaker and a wired speaker at the same time on a Mac? Yes, pair the Bluetooth speaker first, then group it with a wired one in Audio MIDI Setup. Setup steps and the free route's real limit. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers Why can my Mac only play through one speaker at a time? macOS defaults to a single speaker on purpose. Here's why, and how Audio MIDI Setup's Multi-Output Device lets you combine several on purpose. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Multiple Speakers How many speakers can a Mac play through at once? Apple doesn't publish an official maximum for Multi-Output Devices. Here's what actually limits how many speakers a Mac can reliably combine. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers Can you combine a HomePod with other speakers on a Mac? A HomePod appears as a Mac AirPlay output and can join a Multi-Output Device with wired speakers. Here's how, and the catch. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers Can you use an iMac's built-in speakers and external speakers at the same time? Yes, an iMac's built-in speakers can play alongside an external speaker as one group. Here's how to set it up, and when it's actually worth doing. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers How to set up multiple speakers with a Mac mini on your desk A Mac mini has no built-in speakers, so every output is external. How to combine them into one desk setup and keep it a press away. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Multiple Speakers Can you play HDMI audio and a separate speaker together on a Mac? Yes, once HDMI already works as an output. How to group it with a speaker, and the echo-causing delay worth testing for first. 12 August 2026 · 5 min read Multiple Speakers Why do grouped speakers slowly drift out of sync on a Mac? Two speakers in sync at first, then slowly drifting apart, isn't stuttering or lag. What causes it, and how Drift Correction fixes it. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers The best way to set up multiple speakers on a Mac One mechanism, many combinations. A decision guide to the right setup: wired, Bluetooth, Studio Display or multi-room. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Mac has no sound at all? The complete troubleshooting guide Mute, the wrong output device, a Bluetooth pairing that never carried sound, an app muted on its own: the checklist to run before touching coreaudiod or rebooting. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems How to fix crackling or popping sound on a Mac's speakers Crackle can come from a sample rate mismatch, Bluetooth interference, a stuck Core Audio process, USB power sleep, or a bad cable. Here is how to tell which one it is. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Fixing Problems Why your Mac's volume keys have stopped working F11 and F12 doing nothing? It's usually a Multi-Output Device, a remapping tool, a dropped Bluetooth link, the Fn toggle, or another app stealing the key. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Fixing Problems Why your Bluetooth speaker keeps disconnecting from your Mac A dropping Bluetooth speaker usually isn't random or faulty. Five real causes, from Wi-Fi interference to a stuck pairing cache, and the fix for each one. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Why your Mac's audio lags behind video, and how to fix it SBC, aptX and AAC each carry different Bluetooth delay, HDMI adds its own, and grouping outputs can stack them. Here is where the lag actually comes from. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Why sound from a Studio Display cuts out after a few seconds Audio plays a few seconds through a Studio Display, then cuts out, worse when two are combined. Why it happens, and what people report actually helps. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Fixing Problems Why your external monitor's speakers aren't showing up on your Mac Speakers not listed as an output at all? It's almost always the cable dropping the audio channel, not the monitor being faulty. Here's how to check. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Why your Mac keeps switching audio output on its own macOS has a real off switch for this. It just does not cover call apps grabbing the output, or a Bluetooth speaker reclaiming it the moment it reconnects. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Why there's no sound over HDMI even though the picture works on your Mac Picture perfect, silent TV. The five real reasons HDMI drops audio while video keeps working, from the wrong output selected to a broken handshake after sleep. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Why does my Mac keep defaulting to the wrong speaker? macOS has no "always use this speaker" setting. It just keeps whatever was picked last, and rarely switches itself back. Here is why, and the real fix. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Why your Mac's volume slider does nothing to a USB DAC Many DACs are built with a fixed output on purpose, controlled by a hardware knob, not macOS. Here's how to tell if that's what's happening, and when it's actually fixable. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Why does audio stutter on a Multi-Output Device on Mac? A synced group of speakers has to share one clock. When sample rates or Bluetooth timing don't line up, macOS corrects for it, and that correction is the stutter. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Why your Mac's microphone isn't picking up any sound A mic that shows as connected but stays silent is rarely broken. The real culprit is usually a blocked permission, the wrong input, a mute switch, or a level turned down. 12 August 2026 · 7 min read Fixing Problems How to restart Core Audio on a Mac without rebooting Core Audio can get stuck without anything looking broken. One Terminal command restarts it in seconds, no reboot, and here's exactly when it does and doesn't help. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems One speaker louder than the other on a Mac: two different problems One side sounds quieter, but that's two unrelated problems. A stereo device needs the Balance slider; two grouped speakers need something macOS doesn't offer at all. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Fixing Problems Why does AirPlay audio from my Mac keep cutting out? A HomePod that stutters isn't a Bluetooth problem. AirPlay runs over your Wi-Fi network, so congestion, power saving and blocked Bonjour are the real culprits. 12 August 2026 · 6 min read Multiple Speakers How to play audio through two speakers at once on a Mac macOS can send the same sound to several outputs, but the built-in way to do it hides the volume control and drops devices without warning. Here is the whole picture, and the tidier route. 6 August 2026 · 7 min read Fixing Problems Why your Mac's volume slider greys out on a multi-output device Build a Multi-Output Device in Audio MIDI Setup and the menu bar slider stops working. It is not a fault. Here is what macOS is actually doing, and how to get a real volume back. 4 August 2026 · 6 min read Per-App Audio How to send one app's sound to a different output Music to the kitchen speaker, calls to the headset, everything else to the desk. macOS has no setting for this, so here is how per-app routing works and what it needs from you. 30 July 2026 · 7 min read Multiple Speakers Using two Studio Displays as one audio output Two displays, two sets of speakers, and macOS will only talk to one of them at a time. A walkthrough of pairing them into a single output, with the balance set so the desk sounds even. 24 July 2026 · 6 min read Per-App Audio How to set a separate volume for each app on a Mac One system slider for everything means a loud game and a quiet call share the same setting. Here is how per-app volume works on macOS, and what it can and cannot reach. 17 July 2026 · 5 min read Shortcuts Keyboard shortcuts for switching audio devices on a Mac Option-clicking the volume icon works, but it is still three moves. How to put your speakers, your headphones and your microphone on keys you can actually reach. 10 July 2026 · 5 min read Microphones How to choose which microphone your Mac uses Your Mac picks an input for you, and it often picks badly. How to see every microphone attached to the machine, choose the right one, and stop apps quietly overriding it. 3 July 2026 · 5 min read Explainers What is an aggregate device, and how is it different from a multi-output device? Audio MIDI Setup offers both, names them almost identically, and explains neither. What each one is really for, when you want which, and the drift problem behind both. 26 June 2026 · 8 min read