Can You Delete Audio MIDI Setup from a Mac?

Before you start

Audio MIDI Setup is a built-in macOS utility, so there is no supported uninstall option that removes the application itself. The practical task is usually different: people want to remove an unused audio device from the list, delete a custom aggregate or multi-output device, or clear a misconfigured input or output configuration. All of these actions are performed locally in Audio MIDI Setup and do not require a separate service or account. Check your macOS version first: the controls are similar in recent releases, but some settings move between the main window and the Audio Devices section.

Step-by-step instructions

Open Audio MIDI Setup

• Open Finder.
• Choose Go, then Utilities.
• Double-click Audio MIDI Setup.
• If the main window does not show devices, choose Window, then Show Audio Devices.

The sidebar separates input devices, output devices, and any aggregate or multi-output configurations you have created. A device listed as an input device may also appear under output if macOS recognizes it for both directions.

Delete a custom aggregate or multi-output device

• Select the aggregate or multi-output device in the sidebar.
• Click the remove button below the device list. If no remove button is visible, check that the device is selected and is an item you created.
• Confirm the deletion when prompted.

MacOS prevents deletion of a built-in microphone, built-in speakers, or other hardware that the system recognizes as an available device. Those entries disappear only when the hardware is disconnected, disabled, or otherwise no longer visible to the system.

Remove an unneeded hardware device

For USB, Thunderbolt, or HDMI audio hardware, there is no permanent delete command in Audio MIDI Setup. Disconnect the device, turn it off, or remove it from the connected interface. A previously seen device should then stop appearing as an available input or output. If you need to avoid selecting a connected device without unplugging it, leave the device listed and choose another one as the active input or output in the sound settings.

Reset or replace a misconfigured setting

If the goal is to remove a bad configuration rather than a device, select the current input or output device and review its settings. For some interfaces you can change the input level, sample rate, or channel assignment directly in Audio MIDI Setup. Not every setting is available for every device; macOS often hides unsupported controls. After making a change, close Audio MIDI Setup and test the device in the app where it will be used.

Check the output

Verify the removal by reopening Audio MIDI Setup and confirming that the custom aggregate or multi-output device is no longer shown. For a disconnected hardware device, confirm that it does not appear as an available input or output after the connection is removed. If you adjusted an input level or sample rate, test with a short recording or call. Listen for obvious distortion or unexpected background noise, but keep in mind that a changed sample rate alone may be correct without producing a visible improvement in every app.

Common problems and next steps

• A removed USB microphone or speaker still appears: the device may still be connected through a dock or monitor, or macOS may need a moment to refresh the list.
• The remove button is unavailable: you are likely looking at a hardware device, not a custom aggregate or multi-output device.
• Sound goes through the wrong device after deletion: select the intended input or output again in the relevant app or in macOS sound settings.
• A USB audio interface keeps using an unexpected sample rate: set the rate that matches your app or recording project, then close and reopen the audio app so it picks up the new value.

Because Audio MIDI Setup is part of macOS, do not try to delete it by dragging it to the Trash or using a third-party removal tool. If the application itself is missing or damaged, the next step is to repair or reinstall macOS through Apple's supported recovery process, not to treat Audio MIDI Setup as a separate downloadable app.