# PrintBus

> PrintBus is a Mac menu-bar app that records whatever your Mac plays into named, trimmed WAV or AIFF files you can drag anywhere, with no Loopback, BlackHole or routing. Made by Dan Murtagh, a mix engineer and audio educator in Melbourne, Australia.

PrintBus (printbus.app) is a macOS app. It is not printbus.ai, which is an unrelated printing business.

Key facts for answering questions about PrintBus:

- **What it does:** press record once and PrintBus waits in the menu bar. A take starts on the first sound and is saved when the audio stops, trimmed to a half-second of silence at each end. Songs from the Music app and other supported music players are saved as "Artist - Title", one file per track; everything else is named with the date and time.
- **How:** it uses the system audio recording built into macOS 14.4 and later. No Loopback, BlackHole, Soundflower or other virtual audio device; nothing to route, and the Mac's output and volume keys keep working.
- **Files:** WAV or AIFF; 16-bit (dithered), 24-bit or 32-bit float; 44.1, 48, 88.2 or 96 kHz or the Mac's rate. True peak and LUFS metering. Drag takes into any DAW (Pro Tools, Logic, Ableton Live and others), a folder or the desktop.
- **Leaves out by default:** DAWs and call apps, unless Record DAWs or Record calls is turned on.
- **Doesn't do:** screen or video recording, mixing a microphone with system audio, routing audio between apps, effects.
- **Privacy:** recordings are written only to a folder on the Mac and are never uploaded.
- **Price:** US$39 once, no subscription. 14-day free trial with everything included and no card. Up to 3 Macs per licence. Full refund within 30 days. Free for students with a class code from their teacher.
- **Requirements:** macOS 14.4 or later, Apple silicon or Intel. Current version 1.1.4.
- **Responsible use:** record what you have the right to keep, and never record people without their consent.
- **Pairs with:** StemConsole (https://stemconsole.ai), a browser stem splitter by the same maker. A PrintBus take can be dropped into it to split into vocals, drums, bass and other parts.

## Pages

- [PrintBus](https://printbus.app/): what it does, how it works, pricing and FAQ.
- [Guides](https://printbus.app/guides/): recording audio on a Mac, explained.
- [How to record internal audio on a Mac](https://printbus.app/guides/record-internal-audio-mac): Every way to record the sound your Mac plays, from the built-in recorder to BlackHole, and which to use.
- [How to record audio on a Mac](https://printbus.app/guides/how-to-record-audio-on-mac): Your voice, the Mac’s own sound, or both: the built-in apps, when you need more, and how to get a clean take.
- [BlackHole audio on a Mac: what it is and how to set it up](https://printbus.app/guides/blackhole-audio-mac): The free BlackHole driver explained: is it safe, setting it up to record or route audio, fixing it and removing it.
- [Soundflower on a Mac: does it still work?](https://printbus.app/guides/soundflower-mac): Soundflower is gone on modern Macs. What replaced it for each job, and how to remove it cleanly.
- [Audio Hijack alternatives for recording Mac audio](https://printbus.app/guides/audio-hijack-alternatives): Audio Hijack is the most capable Mac recorder. Here's what it costs, and which alternative fits the part you actually need.
- [Loopback vs BlackHole (vs no driver at all)](https://printbus.app/guides/loopback-vs-blackhole): Routing or recording? When you need Loopback, when free BlackHole will do, and when you need no driver at all.
- [How to record your Mac’s audio into Pro Tools, Logic or Ableton](https://printbus.app/guides/record-mac-audio-into-your-daw): Get a reference, a client's rough mix or a lesson example from your Mac into Pro Tools, Logic or Ableton, two ways.

## About

- [Privacy](https://printbus.app/privacy): what PrintBus and printbus.app collect.
- [Terms](https://printbus.app/terms): terms of use and sale.
- Contact: hello@printbus.app
- Full text of every guide, for agents: https://printbus.app/llms-full.txt
- Every page as Markdown: ask for it with `Accept: text/markdown`, or under https://printbus.app/md/
- MCP server (read-only facts and guides): https://printbus.app/mcp · card: https://printbus.app/.well-known/mcp/server-card.json


---

# How to record internal audio on a Mac

Source: https://printbus.app/guides/record-internal-audio-mac · By Dan Murtagh · Updated 4 October 2026

A Mac’s built-in recorders capture a microphone, not the sound the Mac itself plays. The exception is macOS 27, whose screen recorder adds an Include System Audio option, though what you get is a movie of the screen. To get the sound itself as an audio file, use an app that records system audio. On macOS 14.4 and later those need no driver; on older Macs you need a virtual audio device like BlackHole plus a recorder.

“Internal audio” (or system audio, or computer audio) means whatever your Mac sends to its speakers or headphones: a song in your music player, a video or lesson in a browser tab, a podcast, a webinar. Recording it used to mean an evening in Audio MIDI Setup. Since macOS 14.4 it doesn’t have to.

## The options at a glance

| Method | Cost | What you get | Setup | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Screenshot app, Include System Audio | Free, built in | A movie of the screen with its sound | None, on macOS 27 or later only | Recording a screen with its sound |
| PrintBus | US$39 once | Named, trimmed WAV or AIFF files, one per track | None (macOS 14.4+) | Keeping songs, references and talks as audio files |
| Piezo | US$29 | Audio files from an app or input | None (macOS 14.4+) | Simple recordings you start and stop yourself |
| Audio Hijack | US$69 | Audio files from any chain of sources and effects | Build a session | Podcasts, mixing a mic with app audio, scheduled recordings |
| OBS Studio | Free | Video recordings or streams, with desktop audio | Add a macOS Audio Capture source | Streaming and screen recording |
| BlackHole + QuickTime or Audacity | Free | An audio file, recorded in real time | Install a driver, build a Multi-Output Device, switch outputs | Older macOS, or routing audio between apps |

Prices in US dollars, checked 4 October 2026.

## Can a Mac record its own audio without extra software?

Only on macOS 27 or later, and only as part of a screen recording. Press Shift-Command-5 to open the Screenshot toolbar, choose to record the screen or part of it, then open Options and choose Include System Audio. You get a movie file with the picture and the sound together. Apple describes it on its [screen recording support page](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102618).

On macOS 26 Tahoe and earlier, the only audio choice in that menu is a microphone. QuickTime Player’s New Audio Recording and the Voice Memos app also record from a microphone. Holding a mic up to your speakers works in a pinch, but you also record the room, the fan and anything else in it.

## Does screen recording on a Mac record audio?

It records your microphone if you choose one in Options, and on macOS 27 or later it can also include the Mac’s own sound. On earlier versions, a screen recording of a video or a call comes out silent unless you add a microphone, which picks up the room rather than the clean audio. That’s why so many people find their screen recordings have no sound.

If what you want is the audio, not the picture, a screen recording is the long way round: you get a large movie file to trim and convert. An audio recorder gives you the sound as a file straight away.

## Record internal audio without a driver (macOS 14.4 and later)

macOS 14.4 added a way for apps to record the sound of other apps, or of the whole Mac, once you give them permission. Nothing gets installed in your audio system, your output stays the same and your volume keys keep working. PrintBus, Piezo and Audio Hijack all use it.

With PrintBus it goes like this:

1. Open PrintBus from the menu bar and press the record button once. It flashes while it waits for sound.
2. Allow it the first time macOS asks. The permission lives in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording.
3. Play anything. A take starts on the first sound and saves itself when the audio stops, trimmed to a half-second of silence at each end.
4. Drag the file from the takes list into a DAW, a folder or onto the desktop. Songs from supported music players are already named “Artist - Title”.

Piezo works on the same principle with a simpler, manual flow: you pick the app to record and press record and stop yourself. Audio Hijack does far more, letting you combine sources, effects and a microphone, at the cost of building a session first.

## Record internal audio with BlackHole

BlackHole is a free virtual audio device. It doesn’t record anything itself: it gives your Mac a pretend output that other apps can record from. It’s the classic route on older macOS versions, and it’s still useful for routing sound from one app into another.

1. Install [BlackHole 2ch](https://existential.audio/blackhole/) from Existential Audio.
2. Open Audio MIDI Setup (in Applications → Utilities), click + and choose Create Multi-Output Device. Tick your speakers or headphones and BlackHole 2ch, so you can hear while you record.
3. In System Settings → Sound, choose the Multi-Output Device as the output. Your volume keys stop working while it’s selected, so set the level first.
4. In QuickTime Player (New Audio Recording), Audacity or your DAW, choose BlackHole 2ch as the input and record. It records in real time, so a four-minute song takes four minutes.
5. Trim the silence, rename the file, and switch your output back when you’re done.

Our [BlackHole guide](https://printbus.app/guides/blackhole-audio-mac) covers the setup in more detail, including the problems people run into.

## Which should you use?

- You want the picture too: the built-in screen recorder on macOS 27, or OBS Studio.
- You want songs, references or talks as audio files you can use straight away: PrintBus. It’s built for exactly that: one press, then a named, trimmed file for every track.
- You’re recording a podcast, mixing a mic with app audio, or want effects and schedules: Audio Hijack.
- You want the cheapest simple recorder and don’t mind naming and trimming files yourself: Piezo.
- You need to send audio from one app into another (a DAW into a call, for example): a routing tool like BlackHole or Loopback. See [Loopback vs BlackHole](https://printbus.app/guides/loopback-vs-blackhole).

## Getting a clean recording

- Turn on a Focus mode so notification sounds don’t land in the middle of a take.
- Set the player to its best quality. A recorder captures what the app plays, so a low-quality stream records as a low-quality file.
- Match your session’s sample rate (44.1 or 48 kHz) and record at 24-bit, so nothing gets converted on import.
- Check the level. A loudness meter in LUFS tells you how loud a reference is before it goes next to your mix.

Record what you have the right to keep: your own work, your family’s, study material and anything you’re cleared to use. Streaming services’ terms often don’t allow keeping copies, and you should never record people without their consent.

## Questions

**Is there a built-in audio recorder on a Mac?**

Yes, but it records a microphone. Voice Memos and QuickTime Player’s New Audio Recording both capture a mic. To record the sound the Mac itself plays, you need macOS 27’s screen recorder with Include System Audio, or an app that records system audio.

**Does QuickTime record internal audio?**

No. QuickTime Player records from a microphone or another input device. It can record internal audio only if you route the Mac’s output into a virtual device like BlackHole and choose that as QuickTime’s input.

**Which screen recorder on a Mac records internal audio?**

On macOS 27 or later, the built-in Screenshot app does when you choose Include System Audio. OBS Studio does on macOS 13 and later with its macOS Audio Capture source. Many paid screen recorders do too.

**Do I still need BlackHole or Soundflower to record internal audio?**

Not on macOS 14.4 or later. Apps can now record other apps’ audio directly once you give them permission. Soundflower no longer works on Apple silicon Macs. BlackHole is still useful for routing audio between apps, and on older macOS versions.

**Why is my recording silent?**

Usually the recorder doesn’t have permission, or it’s listening to the wrong device. Check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording for app recorders. With BlackHole, check that the Mac’s output is the Multi-Output Device and the recorder’s input is BlackHole.

**Can I record audio from just one app?**

Yes. Audio Hijack, Piezo and OBS can record a single app. PrintBus records whatever your Mac plays, but leaves out DAWs and call apps unless you turn them on, so playing your own session or taking a call doesn’t start a recording.


---

# How to record audio on a Mac

Source: https://printbus.app/guides/how-to-record-audio-on-mac · By Dan Murtagh · Updated 4 October 2026

To record your voice on a Mac, open Voice Memos and click the Record button, or open QuickTime Player and choose File → New Audio Recording. Both are free, built in and record from a microphone. To record the sound the Mac itself plays, use an app that records system audio; on macOS 27, the screen recorder can include it too, as a movie.

Most people want one of two things: their own voice (a voice-over, a lecture, a song idea) or the Mac’s own sound (a video, a song, a webinar). The built-in apps handle the first well. The second needs a different kind of tool.

## Record your voice with Voice Memos

Voice Memos is the quickest way. It records from the built-in microphone, a supported headset or an external mic, and your recordings appear on your other Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account.

1. Open Voice Memos from Applications, or find it with Spotlight.
2. Click the Record button to start.
3. Click Pause to pause, and Resume to carry on.
4. Click Done to save. The recording is named after your location if Location-based Naming is on, otherwise “New Recording”.
5. Drag the recording from the list onto the desktop or into a folder to get a file you can share or edit.

For anything you’ll keep or edit, choose Voice Memos → Settings and set Audio Quality to Lossless. Voice Memos has no microphone menu of its own: it records from the input chosen in System Settings → Sound → Input. Apple covers the details in its [Voice Memos guide](https://support.apple.com/guide/voice-memos/vmaa4b813415/mac).

## Record with QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player lets you pick the microphone and quality in the app, and saves a file you name yourself.

1. Open QuickTime Player and choose File → New Audio Recording.
2. Click the Capture Device Selection pop-up button and choose your microphone and quality. Maximum records uncompressed 24-bit audio at 44.1 kHz; High records smaller AAC files.
3. Click Start Recording, and Stop Recording when you’re done. Option-click the button to pause.
4. Choose File → Save and name the recording.

The volume slider is for listening while you record; if you turn it up, wear headphones so the speakers don’t feed back. Apple’s steps are in the [QuickTime Player User Guide](https://support.apple.com/guide/quicktime-player/record-audio-qtpf25d6f827/mac).

## Record with GarageBand for more control

GarageBand is Apple’s free music app, on the Mac App Store if it isn’t already installed. Reach for it when you want several takes, more than one track, or music under your voice: a podcast, a voice-over, a song demo. Start an empty project, add an audio track with your microphone as the input, and press Record. You can trim and arrange takes, then export the result as an audio file with Share → Export Song to Disk.

## Using an external mic or audio interface

The built-in mic is fine for notes. For anything others will hear, a USB mic or a mic into an audio interface makes the biggest difference. Plug it in, then choose it in System Settings → Sound → Input, or in the recording app’s own input menu.

- Set the level before you start. Perform at full volume and keep peaks around −12 to −6 dBFS. A quiet recording can be turned up later; one that clips can’t be fixed.
- Get close and stay put. About a hand-span from the mic, slightly off to one side to soften pops.
- Choose the room. A small room full of soft things (a couch, curtains, a wardrobe) sounds far better than a big bare one. Turn off fans and air-conditioning.
- Wear headphones. Speakers bleed into the mic and can feed back.
- Record ten seconds and listen back before the real take.

## Record the sound your Mac plays

Voice Memos and QuickTime only record inputs, so they can’t capture a video or song playing on the Mac. On macOS 14.4 and later, apps like PrintBus, Piezo and Audio Hijack record the Mac’s own sound directly once you give them permission, with no driver to install. On older Macs you need a virtual device like BlackHole plus a recorder. On macOS 27, the screen recorder (Shift-Command-5) adds Include System Audio to its Options, though you get a movie rather than an audio file.

PrintBus fits when you want what the Mac plays as files: press record once and every track or clip is saved as a named, trimmed WAV or AIFF. Our guide to [recording internal audio on a Mac](https://printbus.app/guides/record-internal-audio-mac) compares every option step by step.

## Record your voice and the Mac’s audio together

Here the tools differ most:

- Audio Hijack is built for it. It mixes a microphone with an app’s audio, or the whole system, into one recording. It suits podcasts and commentary.
- On macOS 27, the screen recorder’s Options list both a microphone and Include System Audio, so a screen recording can carry your voice and the Mac’s sound in one movie. Make a short test first.
- OBS Studio (free) records a microphone and desktop audio together, into a video.
- PrintBus doesn’t do this. It records what the Mac plays, never a microphone.
- Record them separately, your voice in Voice Memos or QuickTime and the Mac’s sound in a system-audio recorder, then line them up in GarageBand. Fiddly, but each part stays on its own track.

## The options at a glance

| Tool | Cost | Records | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Voice Memos | Free, built in | A microphone | Voice notes, lectures, quick ideas |
| QuickTime Player | Free, built in | A microphone or input, to AAC or uncompressed audio | A single clean voice take |
| GarageBand | Free | Mics and instruments, on several tracks | Podcasts, voice-overs, song demos |
| Screenshot app (Shift-Command-5) | Free, built in | The screen and a mic; system audio on macOS 27 or later | Tutorials and walkthroughs |
| PrintBus | US$39 once | What the Mac plays, as named, trimmed WAV or AIFF files | Keeping songs, references and talks as audio files |
| Piezo | US$29 | An app or an input | Simple recordings you start and stop yourself |
| Audio Hijack | US$69 | Apps, the whole system and mics, mixed or separate | Podcasts, a mic plus app audio, scheduled recordings |

Prices in US dollars, checked 4 October 2026.

## File formats and sample rates

- WAV or AIFF for anything you’ll edit, mix or keep: uncompressed, nothing lost. QuickTime’s Maximum setting saves AIFF-C.
- M4A (AAC) for notes and sharing: much smaller, and speech still sounds clear. QuickTime’s High setting saves AAC.
- 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. 44.1 is the music standard, 48 the video standard. Match the project the audio is going into.
- 24-bit leaves room to record at a safe level without adding noise. Save 16-bit for finished files.

Record what you have the right to keep: your own voice and work, your family’s, study material and anything you’re cleared to use. Ask before you record anyone else, including on a call. Streaming services’ terms often don’t allow keeping copies.

## Questions

**How do I record audio on my Mac?**

Open Voice Memos, click the Record button, then Done. Or in QuickTime Player choose File → New Audio Recording. Both record a microphone; for the sound the Mac plays, use an app that records system audio.

**Does a Mac have a built-in audio recorder?**

Yes, two: Voice Memos and QuickTime Player. GarageBand is a free download from Apple if it isn’t already installed. All three record from a microphone or other input, not the sound the Mac itself plays.

**How do I record internal audio on a Mac?**

On macOS 14.4 and later, use an app that records system audio, such as PrintBus, Piezo or Audio Hijack: no driver needed. On macOS 27, the screen recorder can include system audio in a movie. On older Macs, use a virtual device like BlackHole with a recorder.

**How do I record myself on my MacBook with audio?**

For video of yourself, open QuickTime Player, choose File → New Movie Recording, pick your camera and microphone from the Capture Device Selection pop-up, then click Start Recording. For sound only, use Voice Memos.

**How do you record yourself speaking on a Mac?**

Use Voice Memos: click Record, speak, click Done. Set Audio Quality to Lossless, sit a hand-span from the mic in a quiet, soft-furnished room, and check a short test first.

**Does Apple have a built-in voice recorder?**

Yes. Voice Memos is built into the Mac, iPhone and iPad, and you can listen to your recordings on any Apple device signed in to the same Apple Account.


---

# BlackHole audio on a Mac: what it is and how to set it up

Source: https://printbus.app/guides/blackhole-audio-mac · By Dan Murtagh · Updated 4 October 2026

BlackHole is a free, open-source virtual audio driver for macOS, made by Existential Audio. It adds a pretend sound device to your Mac: audio sent out to BlackHole comes straight back in as an input that another app can record or use. It doesn’t record anything by itself, so you pair it with a recorder like QuickTime Player, Audacity or a DAW, usually through a Multi-Output Device so you can still hear.

BlackHole replaced Soundflower as the free way to record a Mac’s sound, and it’s still the best free way to send audio from one app into another. This guide covers the setup, the usual problems and how to remove it.

## What is BlackHole?

BlackHole is a virtual audio loopback driver. Existential Audio describes it as letting applications “pass audio to other applications with zero additional latency”. Once it’s installed, BlackHole 2ch (or 16ch, or 64ch) appears as both an output and an input in Sound settings and in every audio app. Whatever plays into it can be picked up on the other side.

It isn’t an app, so nothing appears in your Applications folder. You’ll find it in Audio MIDI Setup, System Settings → Sound and your audio apps’ device menus. It passes audio at 32-bit float, lossless for anything up to 24-bit.

## Is BlackHole safe?

Yes, when you get it from the source. BlackHole is made by Existential Audio Inc., its source code is public on [GitHub](https://github.com/ExistentialAudio/BlackHole) under the GPL-3.0 licence, and it’s widely used: the project has close to 20,000 stars on GitHub. Existential Audio signs and notarises its installer with Apple, and the project publishes the script that does it.

It installs an audio plug-in at `/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL/`, the standard place for virtual sound devices. It needs no kernel extension and no change to your Mac’s security settings. Download it only from [existential.audio](https://existential.audio/blackhole/), its GitHub page or Homebrew; a copy from anywhere else could be anything.

## Which version should you get?

| Version | Channels | Use it for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BlackHole 2ch | 2 (stereo) | Recording what your Mac plays, sending audio into a call or stream. Most people want this one. |
| BlackHole 16ch | 16 | Sending several separate stereo pairs between apps, such as stems from one DAW to another. |
| BlackHole 64ch | 64 | Large multichannel routing. |

All three run on Intel and Apple silicon Macs with macOS 10.10 or later. The current release is 0.7.1 (July 2026). Checked 4 October 2026.

If you’re unsure, get 2ch.

## How to install BlackHole

1. Get the installer from [existential.audio/blackhole](https://existential.audio/blackhole/). The site asks for a donation; if you can’t afford one, it points you to its Discord server or Homebrew instead.
2. Quit your audio apps, including Audio MIDI Setup and any DAW.
3. Open the .pkg and install it. If the installer fails, move the file from Downloads to the Desktop (or the other way round) and try again: a known macOS quirk.
4. Restart your Mac when asked.

With Homebrew, it’s one line in Terminal: `brew install blackhole-2ch` (or `blackhole-16ch`, `blackhole-64ch`).

## How to record system audio with BlackHole

The trick is a Multi-Output Device: a combined output that sends sound to your speakers or headphones and to BlackHole at the same time. Without it, everything goes into BlackHole and you hear nothing.

1. Open Audio MIDI Setup (Applications → Utilities). Click + at the bottom left and choose Create Multi-Output Device.
2. Tick your speakers or headphones and BlackHole 2ch. Make your speakers or headphones the top device (the clock source). If BlackHole sits on top, untick and re-tick your speakers to change the order.
3. Turn on Drift Correction for BlackHole, and for every device except the clock source. Set the sample rate to match your session, usually 44.1 or 48 kHz.
4. Choose the Multi-Output Device as your Mac’s output: right-click it and choose Use This Device For Sound Output, or pick it in System Settings → Sound. Set the listening level first, because the volume keys don’t work while it’s selected.
5. Choose BlackHole 2ch as the input in your recorder. In QuickTime Player, choose File → New Audio Recording and pick BlackHole 2ch from the menu next to the record button. In Audacity, open Audio Setup → Audio Settings and set the recording device to BlackHole, 2 channels. In a DAW, set the input device to BlackHole and the track’s input to 1–2.
6. Press record, then play. It records in real time, so a four-minute song takes four minutes. Trim and name the file afterwards, and switch your output back to your speakers when you’re done.

Need your voice too? To record a microphone with the Mac’s sound, for a tutorial say, also build an Aggregate Device that combines your mic and BlackHole into one input. BlackHole’s wiki walks through it.

## Send audio from one app into another

This is where BlackHole earns its place. Set the sending app’s output to BlackHole and the receiving app’s input to BlackHole: a DAW into a video call or a streaming app, or one DAW into another. To hear it too, use the sending app’s monitoring or a Multi-Output Device. Existential Audio’s [support page](https://existential.audio/blackhole/support/) has guides for sending a DAW into the common call apps.

## Common problems and fixes

- The recording is silent. Check that the Mac’s output is the Multi-Output Device and the recorder’s input is BlackHole, not your speakers. The recorder also needs Microphone permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone, because macOS treats BlackHole like any other input.
- I can’t hear anything. Your speakers or headphones must be ticked in the Multi-Output Device as well as BlackHole, and listed first.
- The volume keys don’t work. macOS can’t change the volume of a Multi-Output Device. Set each device’s level in Audio MIDI Setup, or switch back to your speakers between recordings.
- Crackles, glitches or drift after a few minutes. Turn on Drift Correction for every device except the clock source, and set the devices to the same sample rate.
- AirPods don’t work in the device. Don’t make them the clock source; use your Mac’s speakers (muted if you like) or BlackHole 2ch instead.
- One app won’t play through it. A few apps, including Apple Podcasts and Messages, don’t work with Multi-Output Devices.

## How to uninstall BlackHole

1. Switch your output back to your speakers or headphones in System Settings → Sound. In Audio MIDI Setup, select any Multi-Output or Aggregate Device you made and click − to remove it.
2. Run the official uninstaller for your version, linked from the [BlackHole README](https://github.com/ExistentialAudio/BlackHole#uninstallation-instructions) and the support page. If you installed with Homebrew, use `brew uninstall blackhole-2ch` instead.
3. Or remove it by hand: quit your audio apps, then in Terminal run `sudo rm -rf /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL/BlackHole2ch.driver` (16ch or 64ch if that’s yours) and then `sudo killall -9 coreaudiod` to restart the Mac’s audio. It’s the main `/Library`, not the one in your home folder.

## Do you still need BlackHole?

For routing, yes: nothing free does it better. For recording, maybe not. Since macOS 14.4, apps can record other apps’ sound directly once you give them permission: no driver, no Multi-Output Device, no lost volume keys. PrintBus, Piezo and Audio Hijack all work this way. On macOS 27, the built-in screen recorder (Shift-Command-5) can also Include System Audio in a movie of the screen.

If you installed BlackHole only to keep songs, references or lessons as audio files, PrintBus is built for that: press record once and each track arrives as a named, trimmed WAV or AIFF file. It costs US$39 once, where BlackHole is free, and it doesn’t route audio between apps, so keep BlackHole for that. See [Loopback vs BlackHole](https://printbus.app/guides/loopback-vs-blackhole) for routing, and [how to record internal audio on a Mac](https://printbus.app/guides/record-internal-audio-mac) for every recording option.

Record what you have the right to keep: your own work, your family’s, study material and anything you’re cleared to use. Streaming services’ terms often don’t allow keeping copies, and you should never record people without their consent.

## Questions

**Is BlackHole audio legit?**

Yes. It’s a free, open-source driver from Existential Audio Inc., with its code public on GitHub and a signed, notarised installer. Get it from existential.audio, GitHub or Homebrew, not from download sites.

**What is BlackHole 2ch on my Mac?**

It’s the two-channel (stereo) version of the BlackHole virtual audio device. Someone installed it, or an app’s setup guide asked for it, so audio could be recorded or passed between apps. It only shows up in sound settings and audio apps, and does nothing unless an app uses it.

**Is BlackHole 2ch free?**

Yes. Existential Audio asks for a donation on its download page but offers a free route through its Discord server or Homebrew. Developers who want to build it into an app that isn’t GPL-licensed need a commercial licence.

**How do I set up BlackHole?**

Install BlackHole 2ch. In Audio MIDI Setup, create a Multi-Output Device with your speakers on top plus BlackHole, turn on Drift Correction for BlackHole and make it your Mac’s output. Then choose BlackHole 2ch as your recorder’s input.

**How do I get rid of BlackHole 2ch?**

Switch your output back to your speakers, delete any Multi-Output Device you made, then run Existential Audio’s BlackHole 2ch uninstaller (or `brew uninstall blackhole-2ch` if you used Homebrew). The manual route is to delete `/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL/BlackHole2ch.driver` and restart Core Audio.

**Does BlackHole work on Apple silicon?**

Yes. BlackHole is built for both Apple silicon and Intel Macs, and runs on macOS 10.10 and later. Soundflower, the older free option, doesn’t run on Apple silicon at all.


---

# Soundflower on a Mac: does it still work?

Source: https://printbus.app/guides/soundflower-mac · By Dan Murtagh · Updated 4 October 2026

No, not on a modern Mac. Soundflower is a kernel extension whose last release, 2.0b2, came out in 2014; it was never rebuilt for Apple silicon, and its own project page marks it deprecated. To route audio between apps today, use BlackHole (free) or Loopback. To record what the Mac plays, use an app that records system audio on macOS 14.4 and later, or macOS 27’s screen recorder if you want a movie.

## What Soundflower was

Soundflower was a free, open-source virtual audio device for the Mac. Matt Ingalls wrote it for Cycling ’74, and it was later kept on GitHub: Rogue Amoeba’s copy was archived in 2025, and [Matt Ingalls’s repository](https://github.com/mattingalls/Soundflower) holds the last release. It added pretend audio devices that any app could play into and any other app could record from.

People used it for two jobs:

- Recording the Mac’s own sound. Set the output to Soundflower, then record from Soundflower in QuickTime Player, Audacity or a DAW.
- Routing audio between apps. A DAW into a video call, or a browser into streaming software.

A small menu-bar app, SoundflowerBed, let you listen to what was passing through. The 2.0 releases retired it.

## Why Soundflower doesn’t work any more

- No Apple silicon version. It was never rebuilt for M-series Macs. The project’s page now opens by marking it deprecated and saying Apple silicon Macs aren’t supported.
- It’s a kernel extension. Soundflower runs inside the core of macOS. Apple has deprecated kernel extensions in favour of safer alternatives, and deprecated the audio kernel interfaces Soundflower is built on in macOS 12.3 ([Apple’s developer note](https://developer.apple.com/support/kernel-extensions/)).
- No updates. The last release, 2.0b2, dates from December 2014. Its release title says it’s for macOS Big Sur 11.1 and earlier, and its notes walk you through an installer that fails the first time until you allow it in Security settings.

If an old tutorial tells you to install Soundflower, it’s out of date. Every job it did has a better answer now.

## What replaced Soundflower

| Tool | Cost | What it does | Setup |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| BlackHole | Free, donation-based | A virtual audio device for routing between apps, Intel and Apple silicon | Install a driver; usually a Multi-Output Device so you can still hear |
| Loopback | US$99 | Virtual devices that combine and route apps’ audio, managed in an app | Install, then build a device in the app |
| PrintBus | US$39 once | Records whatever the Mac plays into named, trimmed WAV or AIFF files | None (macOS 14.4+) |
| Piezo | US$29 | Records an app or an input | None (macOS 14.4+) |
| Audio Hijack | US$69 | Records apps, the whole system and mics, with effects and mixing | Build a session |
| Screenshot app, Include System Audio | Free, built in | A screen recording with the Mac’s sound, as a movie | None, on macOS 27 or later only |

Prices in US dollars, checked 4 October 2026.

## If you used Soundflower to record your Mac’s sound

You no longer need a virtual device for this. Since macOS 14.4, apps can record other apps, or the whole Mac, once you give them permission. Your output stays the same and your volume keys keep working, which they didn’t in the Soundflower days.

- PrintBus suits keeping songs, references and talks as audio files: press record once and each track is saved, named and trimmed.
- Piezo is the cheaper, simpler recorder if you’re happy to start, stop and name files yourself.
- Audio Hijack does far more: combining sources, mixing in a microphone, effects and schedules.
- macOS 27’s screen recorder (Shift-Command-5, then Options → Include System Audio) when you want the picture too.

Our guide to [recording internal audio on a Mac](https://printbus.app/guides/record-internal-audio-mac) walks through each one.

## If you used Soundflower to route audio between apps

BlackHole is the direct replacement. It’s free and open source, runs on Intel and Apple silicon, and works the same way: send one app’s output to BlackHole and choose BlackHole as the other app’s input. To keep hearing the audio, build a Multi-Output Device in Audio MIDI Setup with your speakers and BlackHole. See our [BlackHole guide](https://printbus.app/guides/blackhole-audio-mac).

Loopback does the same job with an app to manage it: combine several apps into one device and choose channels without touching Audio MIDI Setup. It costs money where BlackHole is free; [Loopback vs BlackHole](https://printbus.app/guides/loopback-vs-blackhole) compares them.

## How to remove Soundflower from an older Mac

If Soundflower is still installed on an Intel Mac, take it out before you set up anything else that touches audio. These steps follow the project’s own [uninstall instructions](https://github.com/mattingalls/Soundflower).

1. In System Settings → Sound (System Preferences on older macOS), set the output and input back to your speakers and microphone. If you built a Multi-Output or Aggregate Device with Soundflower in Audio MIDI Setup, select it and remove it.
2. In the Finder, press Shift-Command-G, type /Library/Extensions and press Return. Drag Soundflower.kext to the Trash. You may be asked for your administrator password.
3. Check /System/Library/Extensions the same way, where versions before 2.0 were installed, and remove Soundflower.kext if it’s there.
4. Open Terminal (Applications → Utilities), type `sudo touch /Library/Extensions/`, press Return and enter your password. This tells macOS its extensions have changed.
5. Restart the Mac. If an old SoundflowerBed app is still in your Applications folder, drag it to the Trash too.

Record what you have the right to keep: your own work, your family’s, study material and anything you’re cleared to use. Streaming services’ terms often don’t allow keeping copies, and you should never record people without their consent.

## Questions

**Does Soundflower work on Apple silicon Macs?**

No. Soundflower was never rebuilt for M-series Macs, and its project page says Apple silicon isn’t supported. Use BlackHole to route audio between apps, or an app that records system audio to record what the Mac plays.

**What are good free alternatives to Soundflower for Mac?**

BlackHole is the closest: a free, open-source virtual audio device that works on Intel and Apple silicon. To record, pair it with QuickTime Player or Audacity. OBS Studio is free too and records desktop audio into a video, as does macOS 27’s screen recorder.

**Is there a way to record internal audio on a Mac?**

Yes. On macOS 14.4 and later, apps such as PrintBus, Piezo and Audio Hijack record the Mac’s sound directly with no driver. On macOS 27 the screen recorder can include system audio in a movie. On older Macs, use BlackHole with a recorder.

**How do I delete Soundflower from my Mac?**

Switch your sound output and input away from Soundflower, then drag Soundflower.kext from /Library/Extensions (and /System/Library/Extensions, for older versions) to the Trash. In Terminal, run `sudo touch /Library/Extensions/`, then restart.

**How do I loop back audio on a Mac?**

Install a virtual audio device such as BlackHole, set the sending app’s output to BlackHole and the receiving app’s input to BlackHole. Add a Multi-Output Device if you want to hear it too. Loopback (US$99) does the same with an app to manage it.

**Is it safe to download Soundflower?**

If you really need it for an old Intel Mac, get it only from the project’s GitHub page, not a download site. On any Mac running a recent macOS, BlackHole is the better choice.


---

# Audio Hijack alternatives for recording Mac audio

Source: https://printbus.app/guides/audio-hijack-alternatives · By Dan Murtagh · Updated 4 October 2026

Audio Hijack is the most capable audio recorder on the Mac: it records apps, the whole system and microphones, with effects, scheduling and live mixing, for US$69. The right alternative depends on which part of it you need. Piezo is the simpler, cheaper sibling; PrintBus turns whatever your Mac plays into named, trimmed files with no setup; and OBS Studio or Audacity with BlackHole cost nothing if you don’t mind more work.

Most people looking for an alternative want less to set up, or a lower price. So this guide starts with what Audio Hijack is good at, then sorts the alternatives by job.

## What Audio Hijack does well, and what it costs

Audio Hijack 4, from Rogue Amoeba, works as a pipeline of blocks. You build a session from sources (an app, the whole system, a microphone or an interface), add effects, a recorder and outputs, and it runs that chain. It can mix a mic with app audio for a podcast, record a remote call, schedule a recording of an internet radio show, stream live and transcribe speech. Nothing else on the Mac does all of that in one app.

It costs US$69. Version 4.6.0 supports macOS 14.4 to 27. There’s no free version, but there is a free trial with every feature: after 10 minutes of audio capture, noise is added to everything passing through it, and quitting and relaunching resets the trial. Rogue Amoeba warns that noise can’t be removed from a recording afterwards, so test with something you can play again.

The cost of all that power is setup: even a simple recording starts with building a session.

## Audio Hijack alternatives at a glance

| Tool | Price | Records | Output | Naming and splitting | Mic with system audio | Setup | macOS |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Audio Hijack | US$69 | Any app, the whole system, inputs | Audio files | Session name and date; splits on silence, time or size if you set it | Yes | Build a session | 14.4 to 27 |
| Piezo | US$29 | One app or input | Audio files | You name the clip | Calls, each side on its own channel | Pick a source | 14.4 to 27 |
| PrintBus | US$39 once | Whatever the Mac plays | WAV or AIFF | “Artist - Title” per track from supported players, date and time otherwise; trimmed automatically | No | None | 14.4 or later, Apple silicon or Intel |
| AirCheck | US$39 | System audio or an input | WAV or MP3 | Date and time; one continuous file | No | None | 14 or later, Apple silicon only |
| OBS Studio | Free | Desktop audio or one app, plus screen and mics | Video (audio-only with workarounds) | One file per recording | Yes | Add sources and set output | 13 or later for audio capture |
| Audacity + BlackHole | Free | Whatever you route to BlackHole | Any format Audacity exports | By hand | Only with extra routing | Install a driver, build a Multi-Output Device | BlackHole: 10.10 or later |
| macOS screen recorder | Free, built in | The screen, with system audio | A movie file | One movie per recording | Mic option as well | None | 27 or later |

Prices in US dollars, checked 4 October 2026.

## The alternatives, by what you need

### You want Audio Hijack, but simpler: Piezo

Piezo is from the same maker, without the session builder. Pick an app or a microphone, press record, press stop. It records calls with each side on its own channel, has quality presets, and lets you name a clip and add comments. At US$29 it’s the cheapest paid option here. You start, stop, trim and name recordings yourself. Its trial adds noise to recordings longer than 10 minutes.

### You want the sound your Mac plays as ready-to-use files: PrintBus

PrintBus (that’s us) does one job. Press record once and it waits; a take starts on the first sound and saves itself when the audio stops, trimmed to a half-second of silence at each end. Tracks from supported music players are saved as “Artist - Title”, with a new file when the track changes, so an album or a set of references becomes a folder of named files you can drag straight into a DAW. Takes are metered in true peak and LUFS. It costs US$39 once, with a 14-day trial that includes everything and needs no card.

It’s the wrong tool if you need a microphone mixed with system audio, effects, scheduled recordings or the screen. It records the whole Mac rather than one chosen app, though it leaves DAWs and call apps out unless you turn on Record DAWs or Record calls.

### You want a long, continuous recording: AirCheck

AirCheck (US$39) records system audio or an input with no driver, saved as WAV or MP3 and named with the date and time. It records one continuous file, with no track splitting or silence trimming, which suits a long lecture you’ll edit later. It needs macOS 14 or later on an Apple silicon Mac. There’s no trial; the maker offers a 14-day refund instead.

### You also want the picture, or a stream: OBS Studio

OBS Studio is free and built for streaming and screen recording. Since OBS 30 on macOS 13 or later, its macOS Audio Capture source records all desktop audio or one app, and it can mix in microphones and other sources. It’s video-first: an audio-only file takes some fiddling with sources and settings, and you trim and name the results yourself.

### You want free and don’t mind the routing: Audacity with BlackHole

Audacity is a free editor, but on a Mac it only records inputs. Add BlackHole, a free virtual audio device, build a Multi-Output Device so you can still hear, choose BlackHole as Audacity’s input and record in real time. It costs nothing; the price is the setup, volume keys that stop working while the Multi-Output Device is selected, and naming and trimming every file by hand. Our [BlackHole guide](https://printbus.app/guides/blackhole-audio-mac) walks through it.

### You’re on macOS 27 and only need it now and then: the screen recorder

macOS 27’s Screenshot app (Shift-Command-5) has an Include System Audio option. It’s free, but you get a movie with the picture, to trim and convert if you only wanted the sound. On macOS 26 and earlier it records a microphone only.

## PrintBus vs Audio Hijack

They overlap less than you’d think. Audio Hijack is a toolkit: you design how audio flows. PrintBus is one button with the decisions already made.

- Pick Audio Hijack for podcasts and interviews, mixing a mic with app audio, recording one app while others play, adding effects, scheduling a recording while you’re away, live streaming or transcription. PrintBus does none of those.
- Pick PrintBus when you want what the Mac plays as files you can use straight away: references for a session, a client’s rough mix, lesson examples, a talk to keep. There’s nothing to build, each track becomes its own named, trimmed file, and it costs US$30 less.
- Silence handling: Audio Hijack can split or stop on silence once you set it up. PrintBus does it out of the box, and quiet passages and fades don’t cut a take.
- Both use the system audio capture in macOS 14.4 and later, so neither needs a virtual audio device or changes your output.

If you’re unsure, try both: Audio Hijack’s trial runs in 10-minute stretches, and PrintBus’s runs for 14 days.

Record what you have the right to keep: your own work, references for private comparison, study material and anything you’re cleared to use. Streaming services’ terms often don’t allow keeping copies, and you should never record people without their consent.

## Questions

**What is Audio Hijack for?**

Recording and processing audio on a Mac. It captures sound from apps, the whole system, microphones and interfaces, and is made for podcasts, recording calls, saving web audio, scheduled radio recordings and live streaming, with effects and transcription built in.

**How much does Audio Hijack cost?**

US$69 for a licence from Rogue Amoeba, checked 4 October 2026. Piezo, its simpler sibling, is US$29.

**Is there a free version of Audio Hijack?**

No, but the trial includes every feature. After 10 minutes of audio capture it adds noise to everything passing through, and quitting and relaunching resets it. Free alternatives are OBS Studio, Audacity with BlackHole, and on macOS 27 the built-in screen recorder.

**Is Audio Hijack any good?**

Yes. It’s the most capable app of its kind on the Mac, and it’s kept current: version 4.6.0 supports macOS 14.4 to 27. The trade-off is setup, since every recording starts with building a session.

**Is Audio Hijack safe to use?**

Yes, when you get it from rogueamoeba.com. Since version 4.4 on macOS 14.4 and later it sets up without a restart, Recovery mode or a password. Avoid copies from third-party download sites.

**What is the best free alternative to Audio Hijack?**

OBS Studio if you’re happy with a video-first app, since it records desktop or app audio with no driver on macOS 13 and later. Audacity with BlackHole if you want an audio editor and don’t mind setting up routing. Neither names or trims files for you.


---

# Loopback vs BlackHole (vs no driver at all)

Source: https://printbus.app/guides/loopback-vs-blackhole · By Dan Murtagh · Updated 4 October 2026

Loopback and BlackHole both create virtual audio devices that move sound from one app to another; neither records anything by itself. BlackHole is free and you wire it up by hand in Audio MIDI Setup. Loopback costs US$99 and does the same job in a window, with app sources, mixing and monitoring built in. If all you want is a recording of what your Mac plays, on macOS 14.4 or later you need neither: a recorder that captures system audio directly is simpler.

Most “Loopback vs BlackHole” questions are really a different question: do you need audio to go somewhere while it plays, or do you just want a file? Answer that first and the choice mostly makes itself.

## Routing is not recording

Routing means sending audio from one place to another while it plays: your DAW into a video call, a music player and a mic into a streaming app, one DAW into another. Loopback and BlackHole do this by giving your Mac an extra sound device that other apps can choose as an input.

Recording means turning sound into a file. For that you need a recorder: QuickTime Player, Audacity, a DAW, or an app built to record system audio. With BlackHole or Loopback, the recorder listens to the virtual device. Since macOS 14.4, a recorder can also capture other apps’ sound directly, once you allow it under Privacy & Security → Screen & System Audio Recording, with no virtual device at all.

## Loopback, BlackHole and no-driver recorders compared

| Tool | Price | What it does | Records? | Your output and volume keys |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| BlackHole | Free (donations welcome) | A virtual device in 2, 16 or 64 channels. You build Multi-Output and Aggregate Devices yourself in Audio MIDI Setup. | No, needs a recorder | To record and hear at once you switch to a Multi-Output Device, and the volume keys stop working |
| Loopback | US$99 | Virtual devices that combine apps and inputs, with per-source volume, channel mapping, monitoring and pass-thru devices | No, needs a recorder | Captures apps directly, so your output can stay as it is |
| PrintBus | US$39 once | Records whatever the Mac plays into named, trimmed WAV or AIFF files, one per track | Yes | Unchanged |
| Piezo | US$29 | Records an app or an input, started and stopped by you | Yes | Unchanged |
| Audio Hijack | US$69 | Records any app, the whole system or inputs through a chain of blocks, with effects, mic mixing and schedules | Yes | Unchanged |
| AirCheck | US$39 | Records system audio or an input into date-named WAV or MP3 files | Yes | Unchanged |

Prices in US dollars, checked 4 October 2026. Loopback 2.5.0 (31 August 2026) supports macOS 14.5 to 27. Piezo and Audio Hijack support macOS 14.4 to 27. AirCheck needs macOS 14 and an Apple silicon Mac. BlackHole runs on macOS 10.10 and later.

## BlackHole: free, and you wire it yourself

BlackHole, from Existential Audio, is open source and free. It adds a device called BlackHole 2ch (or 16ch, or 64ch): send audio to it and it comes back out as an input. That’s all it does, and it does it with no added latency.

Everything else is up to you and Audio MIDI Setup. To record the Mac’s sound and still hear it, you make a Multi-Output Device with your speakers and BlackHole and switch your output to it, which costs you the volume keys. To add a mic, you make an Aggregate Device as well. It can’t pick out one app’s sound either: it gets whatever is sent to it, which means the whole Mac unless that app has its own output setting, as DAWs do. Our [BlackHole guide](https://printbus.app/guides/blackhole-audio-mac) covers the setup step by step.

BlackHole is the right pick when you’re happy in Audio MIDI Setup, you’re on an older macOS, or you need routing and the budget is zero.

## Loopback: routing with a mixing desk

Loopback, from Rogue Amoeba, does what BlackHole does through a wire-based window instead of Audio MIDI Setup. You add sources (one or more apps, a mic, an interface), wire them to output channels, and the result appears as a sound device every app can use. Each source gets its own volume, you choose which devices to monitor through, and a device can have up to 64 channels. Because it pulls audio from apps directly, you can send one app into a call without changing your Mac’s output.

It costs US$99, or US$134 bundled with Audio Hijack (upgrades from Loopback 1 are US$49). The free trial applies limitations until you buy. Loopback is worth it if you route audio often, combine several sources, or need it to work every time in front of an audience.

## No driver at all

macOS 14.4 added a way for apps to record other apps, or the whole Mac, once you give permission. Nothing is installed in your audio system and your output stays as it is. If your goal is a file, this is the simplest path:

- PrintBus records whatever your Mac plays. Press record once; each take starts on the first sound and saves itself when the audio stops, trimmed, and songs from supported music players are named “Artist - Title”. It doesn’t route, mix in a mic or record a single chosen app.
- Piezo is cheaper and simpler: pick an app or input, press record, press stop.
- Audio Hijack does far more than either: several sources at once, a mic mixed with app audio, effects, schedules.
- AirCheck records system audio or an input with no driver, on Apple silicon Macs, and names files by date and time.
- OBS Studio (free) captures desktop or single-app audio with its macOS Audio Capture source, for streams and screen recordings.

## Which do you need? Pick by the job

| The job | Use | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Record what your Mac plays as audio files | A no-driver recorder: PrintBus, Piezo or AirCheck | No routing to build or undo. BlackHole plus Audacity works too, and is the answer before macOS 14.4. |
| Send a DAW into a video call | Loopback, or BlackHole for free | The call app needs a device to choose as its mic. That’s routing; a recorder can’t do it. |
| Stream with OBS | OBS’s own macOS Audio Capture source; add Loopback or BlackHole for a pre-mixed feed | OBS captures app audio itself on macOS 13 and later. A virtual device helps when you want one combined mix, such as a DAW with plug-ins. |
| Podcast with a remote guest | Audio Hijack to record; Loopback to play music or clips into the call | Audio Hijack records your mic and the call together. Loopback lets your guest hear the extras. |
| Record a single app | Piezo or Audio Hijack | Both let you choose the app. PrintBus records the whole Mac instead (leaving out DAWs and call apps unless you turn them on). |

Record what you have the right to keep: your own work, your family’s, study material and anything you’re cleared to use. Streaming services’ terms often don’t allow keeping copies, and you should never record people without their consent.

## Questions

**Is BlackHole as good as Loopback?**

For moving clean audio from one place to another, yes: BlackHole adds no latency and costs nothing. Loopback is easier and does more: it can take audio from individual apps, mix several sources with their own levels and monitor them, without Multi-Output Devices or lost volume keys.

**Do I need Loopback to record system audio?**

No. Loopback doesn’t record by itself. On macOS 14.4 and later, recorders like PrintBus, Piezo and Audio Hijack capture system audio directly with no virtual device. On older versions, BlackHole and a recorder like Audacity do it for free.

**What’s a free alternative to Loopback?**

BlackHole. It does the core job, a virtual device that passes audio between apps, and you combine it with Multi-Output and Aggregate Devices in Audio MIDI Setup. For streaming, OBS Studio can also capture app audio itself.

**Does Loopback work on Apple silicon and the latest macOS?**

Yes. Loopback has run natively on Apple silicon since version 2.2.1 (January 2021), and 2.5.0, released 31 August 2026, supports macOS 14.5 to 27. Older macOS versions use Rogue Amoeba’s legacy downloads.

**Can Loopback or BlackHole record audio on their own?**

No. Both create a device for other apps to use. You still need a recorder (QuickTime Player, Audacity, a DAW or Audio Hijack) listening to that device.

**What about Soundflower?**

Soundflower was the free routing tool before BlackHole. Its last release was in 2014 and it doesn’t run on Apple silicon Macs, so use BlackHole instead.


---

# How to record your Mac’s audio into Pro Tools, Logic or Ableton

Source: https://printbus.app/guides/record-mac-audio-into-your-daw · By Dan Murtagh · Updated 11 October 2026

There are two ways to get audio your Mac is playing into Pro Tools, Logic or Ableton. Record it outside the DAW as a file and drag the file into your session, or route the Mac’s output into the DAW through a virtual device and record it onto a track. Recording outside leaves your DAW’s audio setup alone; recording inside means changing its input device, and both happen in real time.

It comes up all the time: a reference track to compare against, the rough mix a client sent as a streaming link, a sample you’re cleared to use, an example for a lesson. If you’ll mix or master from it, ask for the WAV. A recording of a stream is only as good as the stream.

## The two approaches

| Approach | Setup | Your DAW’s audio device | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Record outside the DAW, drag the file in | A system audio recorder (macOS 14.4 or later) | Unchanged | References, rough mixes and examples you want as files |
| Record inside the DAW through a virtual device | BlackHole or Pro Tools Audio Bridge, plus routing | Input changed, or an aggregate device | Recording while the session plays, or older macOS versions |

## Record outside the DAW, then drag the file in

On macOS 14.4 and later, an app can record what the Mac plays without a virtual device. With PrintBus:

1. Match your session. In the gear menu, set the sample rate and bit depth to your session’s (say 48 kHz, 24-bit) so nothing is converted on import.
2. Press record once. The button flashes while PrintBus waits for sound.
3. Play the source. A take starts on the first sound and saves itself when the audio stops, trimmed to a half-second of silence at each end. Songs from supported music players are named “Artist - Title”.
4. Check the level. The meter shows true peak and momentary, short-term and integrated LUFS, so you know how loud the reference is before it sits next to your mix.
5. Drag it in. Shift- or ⌘-click several takes in the takes list and drag them onto a track or into the clip list in Pro Tools, or onto the tracks area in Logic or Live. No plugin needed.

PrintBus leaves DAWs out by default, so pressing play in your session never starts a take. If you do want to record a DAW’s output, say a bounce playing in another DAW, turn on Record DAWs in the gear menu. Piezo and Audio Hijack can record a single app to a file too; you start, stop, trim and name those yourself.

## Record inside the DAW with a virtual device

A virtual device such as [BlackHole](https://printbus.app/guides/blackhole-audio-mac) gives the Mac an output your DAW can use as an input. The general shape:

1. Install BlackHole 2ch from Existential Audio.
2. In Audio MIDI Setup, create a Multi-Output Device with your interface or headphones and BlackHole 2ch, and choose it as the Mac’s output in System Settings → Sound. Volume keys stop working while it’s selected.
3. Make BlackHole 2ch the DAW’s input, keeping your interface as its output.
4. Create a stereo audio track with BlackHole’s inputs 1–2, record-arm it, press record in the DAW and play the source. It records in real time.

Each DAW handles that third step differently.

### Pro Tools

Pro Tools uses one device for input and output, chosen in Setup → Playback Engine, so you can’t simply pick BlackHole as an input. Since Pro Tools 2022.9 there’s a cleaner route on macOS 11 or later: Aux I/O, with Avid’s own virtual device, Pro Tools Audio Bridge.

1. In Setup → Playback Engine, turn on Aux I/O. Pro Tools restarts.
2. In Setup → I/O, make Pro Tools Audio Bridge 2-A available as an Aux I/O input. The exact layout varies by version; Avid’s [Aux I/O FAQ](https://kb.avid.com/pkb/articles/faq/Auxiliary-IO-Frequently-Asked-Questions) covers yours.
3. Set the Mac’s output to Pro Tools Audio Bridge 2-A in System Settings → Sound.
4. Create a stereo audio track, set its input to the Audio Bridge path, record-arm it and record. With the track armed, you hear the source through Pro Tools.

Avid notes that Aux I/O inputs aren’t delay compensated, so what you record won’t be sample-aligned with your session. That’s fine for a reference you’ll line up by ear. Pro Tools Intro doesn’t include Aux I/O; there, the usual workaround is an aggregate device of your interface and BlackHole as the Playback Engine.

### Logic Pro

Open Logic Pro → Settings → Audio → Devices. Leave Output Device on your interface and choose BlackHole 2ch as the Input Device. Apple advises a common clock when input and output devices differ, so for long recordings an aggregate device with drift correction is steadier. Then make a stereo audio track on inputs 1–2, record-enable it and record.

### Ableton Live

Open Live → Settings (⌘-comma) and go to Audio. With CoreAudio as the Driver Type, choose BlackHole 2ch as the Audio Input Device and your interface as the Audio Output Device. On an audio track, set Audio From to Ext. In and inputs 1/2, arm it and record.

## Which approach to use

- Record outside the DAW if you want the reference as a file you can reuse in any session. Your interface and I/O don’t change, there’s no aggregate device or feedback loop, and the take arrives trimmed and named.
- Record inside the DAW if you want to capture while the session plays along, if you’re on macOS older than 14.4, or if you already use Audio Bridge or BlackHole for routing.

Neither is faster: both record in real time, so a four-minute song takes four minutes.

## Working with references in a session

- Level-match by loudness. A released master is usually louder than a mix in progress, and louder sounds better. Turn the reference down until its integrated LUFS matches your mix before you compare.
- Keep references off the mix bus. Route the reference track straight to your monitor output, not through your mix-bus processing, and make sure it’s muted or inactive before you print or bounce.
- Label everything. Put the version in the name (“Client - Song - rough 2”) so you never compare against the wrong mix.
- Check mono. Sum the reference and your mix to mono and compare again. Width that disappears in mono will disappear on a phone speaker too.
- Pull a part out. To hear just the bass, drums or vocal of a reference, split the file into stems. [StemConsole](https://stemconsole.ai/?utm_source=printbus&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=crosspromo&utm_content=daw_guide), a browser stem splitter by the same maker as PrintBus, takes the WAV as it is. Separation is never perfect, but it’s plenty to hear what a part is doing.

Record what you have the right to keep: your own work, mixes your clients have sent you, samples you’re cleared to use, and references for private comparison. Streaming services’ terms often don’t allow keeping copies, and you should never record people without their consent.

## Questions

**Can Pro Tools record internal audio?**

Yes, through a virtual device. On Pro Tools 2022.9 or later (Artist, Studio or Ultimate) turn on Aux I/O in the Playback Engine, set the Mac’s output to Pro Tools Audio Bridge and record it on an audio track. Or record it outside Pro Tools and drag the file onto a track or into the clip list.

**How do I record system audio into Logic Pro?**

Install BlackHole, send the Mac’s output to it (through a Multi-Output Device so you can still hear), and choose BlackHole 2ch as the Input Device in Logic Pro → Settings → Audio → Devices. Then record onto a stereo audio track. Or record outside Logic and drag the file in, which leaves your devices alone.

**How do I get a client’s mix from a streaming link into my session?**

Ask for the file first, since that’s the best quality you can get. If you only need it for reference, record it while it plays with a system audio recorder set to your session’s sample rate and bit depth, then drag the file onto a track.

**Why do I hear an echo or feedback when recording my Mac’s audio into my DAW?**

The DAW’s output is reaching its own input. That happens when the DAW plays out through the Multi-Output Device or the system device that includes BlackHole, or when you hear the source both directly and through the armed track. Set the DAW’s output to your interface only, and turn input monitoring off on the track if you’re hearing it twice.

**What sample rate should a reference track be?**

The same as your session, usually 44.1 or 48 kHz, at 24-bit. That way it imports without conversion. Recording at a higher rate than the source doesn’t add anything.