Mac Audio MIDI Setup at 96 kHz: How to Set It and When It Matters

The short answer

You can set a 96 kHz sample rate in Audio MIDI Setup, the utility built into macOS, but only if the selected audio device supports that rate. Select the device, open the Format menu, and choose a 96 kHz option. If 96 kHz isn't listed, the device or its driver doesn't offer it, and macOS can't add it.

The sample rate is how many times per second the audio signal is measured. 96 kHz means 96,000 measurements per second. Common alternatives are 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz.

What you're trying to do changes the answer. For music recording or production with an audio interface that supports 96 kHz, setting it here is a normal step. For video calls, 96 kHz is generally unnecessary. Calling apps process and compress voice for transmission, so a higher rate on your Mac doesn't make you clearer to the other people on the call.

How to set 96 kHz in Audio MIDI Setup

• 1. Open Audio MIDI Setup. It's in the Utilities folder inside Applications, or you can search for it with Spotlight.
• 2. In the sidebar, select your microphone, audio interface or output device.
• 3. Choose the Input or Output tab, depending on which side you want to change.
• 4. Open the Format pop-up menu and pick an entry showing 96.0 kHz, if one is available.
• 5. Check the other tab too. Some devices keep input and output at the same rate, and others let you set them separately.

If 96 kHz is missing or won't stay set

• Unsupported device: The Format menu lists only the rates the device reports. Built-in microphones, many USB headsets and Bluetooth headsets often don't offer 96 kHz.
• Bluetooth limits: Wireless headsets usually run at fixed, lower rates, especially when the microphone is active during a call.
• Another app changed it: Recording software and some other apps can switch the device's sample rate when they open. If your setting keeps reverting, close those apps and check again.
• Device-level settings: Some audio interfaces have their own control software or hardware clock setting. Make sure it agrees with what you chose in Audio MIDI Setup.
• Aggregate devices: If you've combined several devices into an aggregate device, its rate depends on what all of its member devices support.

No device-specific evidence was supplied for this guide, so it can't confirm which Mac models, microphones or interfaces support 96 kHz. Check the specifications from your device's manufacturer for that.

Confirming the microphone actually works afterward

Changing the sample rate is separate from whether the microphone works in a given app. Three checks tell you different things:

• Detection: Audio MIDI Setup or Sound settings lists the device. This only means macOS sees it.
• Input activity: The input level meter in System Settings under Sound moves when you speak. This shows a signal is arriving.
• Intelligible sound: A test recording or test call sounds clear when you play it back. Only this confirms usable audio.

A calling app or browser also needs microphone permission, which is granted in System Settings under Privacy & Security. Sample rate settings don't affect that permission.

Should you use 96 kHz?

Use 96 kHz if your recording workflow or project specifically calls for it. Higher rates create larger files and put more load on your Mac. For calls, meetings and general use, 48 kHz is a common and sufficient choice. If audio sounds distorted, crackles or plays at the wrong speed after you change rates, switch back to the device's previous setting.