How to Record System Audio on Mac

macOS has no built-in input that captures everything your Mac plays, and there is no Stereo Mix option like the one on some Windows sound cards. To record system audio, you either route the sound through a virtual audio device and record that device, or you use a recording app that can capture app audio directly on supported macOS versions. This guide covers the virtual device method because it works with ordinary recording apps.

Before you start

• A virtual audio driver that creates a loopback device, such as BlackHole (free, open source) or Loopback (paid). Soundflower is an older option that is no longer maintained, so check compatibility with your macOS version before using it.
• An administrator account, because installing an audio driver usually requires your password. Some drivers ask you to restart the Mac or log out afterwards.
• A recording app that lets you pick its input device, for example QuickTime Player, Audacity or GarageBand.
• Permission for the recording app to use audio input. macOS treats virtual devices as microphones, so the app needs Microphone access in Privacy & Security settings.

The routing and recording described here run locally on your Mac; no online service is required. If you use a third-party recorder or driver, check its own documentation for where files are saved and whether anything is uploaded. Recording calls or other people's audio may require their consent, and copyrighted content may have usage restrictions.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Install the virtual audio device

Install the driver following its installer instructions. When it finishes, the new device should appear as both an input device and an output device in your Mac's sound settings and in Audio MIDI Setup. Note the device name, since you will select it in later steps.

2. Create a Multi-Output Device so you can still hear the audio

If you send sound only to the virtual device, it gets recorded but you hear nothing. A Multi-Output Device sends the same audio to your speakers or headphones and to the virtual device at once.

• Open Audio MIDI Setup from Applications > Utilities.
• Click the + button in the lower-left corner and choose Create Multi-Output Device.
• In the device list on the right, tick your headphones or speakers and the virtual audio device.
• Set the primary (clock) device to your headphones or speakers.
• Enable Drift Correction for the virtual device so the two outputs stay in sync.
• Check that both devices use the same sample rate, for example 48,000 Hz or 44,100 Hz. A mismatch can cause clicks, pitch changes or distortion.
• Optionally double-click the new device's name to rename it, such as Record + Headphones.

3. Route your Mac's sound to the new device

Open System Settings > Sound (System Preferences > Sound on older macOS versions) and select the Multi-Output Device as the output device. You can also Control-click the device in Audio MIDI Setup and choose to use it for sound output. Some apps, including many video call apps, have their own speaker or output setting; if so, set that app's output to the Multi-Output Device too.

4. Choose the virtual device as the capture source in your recording app

• QuickTime Player: choose File > New Audio Recording, click the arrow next to the record button and select the virtual device as the microphone.
• Audacity, GarageBand and similar apps: choose the virtual device as the recording input in the app's device or audio preferences.
• Start recording, then play the audio you want to capture. Stop recording when you are done and save the file.

5. Include your microphone if needed

The virtual device captures only what the Mac plays, not your voice. To record both, create an Aggregate Device in Audio MIDI Setup (the + button, then Create Aggregate Device) that combines your microphone and the virtual device, and select that aggregate as the input. Alternatively, record the microphone and system audio on separate tracks in an app that supports multiple inputs. Use headphones to stop speaker sound leaking back into the microphone.

6. Restore your normal setup

After recording, switch the output device in Sound settings back to your speakers or headphones. The Multi-Output Device and virtual driver can stay installed for next time; to remove a driver, use the uninstall method in its documentation.

Check the output

• Before a long recording, make a short test clip and play it back to confirm you hear the expected audio and nothing is missing.
• Watch the input level meter in your recording app. If it stays flat while audio is playing, the routing or input selection is wrong. If it hits the top constantly, lower the playback volume in the source app.
• Listen for clicks, dropouts or a sped-up or slowed-down sound, which usually point to a sample rate mismatch or disabled drift correction.
• Confirm the recording format and encoding suit your use. Compressed formats such as AAC or MP3 produce smaller files at a given bitrate; uncompressed WAV or AIFF keeps full quality but uses more space. Check the app's export or quality options, as defaults differ between apps.
• If you are recording audio alongside a screen capture, check that sound and picture stay in sync over the whole file, not only at the start.

Common problems and next steps

Looking for Stereo Mix on Mac

There is no Stereo Mix setting on macOS. A virtual loopback device does the same job: it presents your Mac's playback as an input that recording apps can select.

The recording is silent

• Check that the system output (or the app's own output setting) is the Multi-Output Device or the virtual device.
• Check that the recording app's input is the virtual device, not the built-in microphone.
• In System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, make sure the recording app is allowed. Quit and reopen the app after changing permissions.
• Confirm the source app is not muted and its volume is up.

The volume keys stop working

macOS usually does not offer a master volume control for a Multi-Output Device. Adjust volume in the source app, or set the level of each device in Audio MIDI Setup. Switching output back to your speakers or headphones restores the volume keys.

Distortion, echo or background noise

Match sample rates across all devices in Audio MIDI Setup and enable drift correction for non-clock devices. Echo usually means your microphone is picking up speaker sound or both the system and a call app are routing the same audio twice; use headphones and check each app's output setting. Background noise in a combined recording typically comes from the microphone, so lower its input level or record it on a separate track.

Recording directly from apps without a driver

Newer macOS versions let some screen recording and audio apps capture app or system audio directly through Apple's capture frameworks. These apps need Screen Recording permission (called Screen & System Audio Recording in newer versions) in Privacy & Security. Whether a given app supports this, and on which macOS version, depends on the app, so check its documentation before relying on it.