Guides / Recording with QuickTime, OBS, Audacity and GarageBand
Can Audacity record system audio on a Mac?
Tested on macOS 26.4.1 (Tahoe), Apple M3 Max, 3 Sept 2026. Updated 2026-09-03.
No, Audacity cannot record system audio on a Mac by itself. Its only audio host on macOS is Core Audio, and Core Audio offers inputs (microphones, interfaces), never the playback mix. Audacity's own documentation says macOS "does not have built-in desktop audio recording capabilities". The fix is a free virtual driver, BlackHole, plus a Multi-Output Device in Audio MIDI Setup so you can still hear what you record.
Can Audacity record computer audio on a Mac without extra software?
No. Open Audacity > Preferences > Audio Settings and look at the Host menu: on a Mac the manual states "the only choice is Core Audio". The Recording Device list under it contains whatever Core Audio publishes as an input: the built-in microphone, USB mics, audio interfaces, DJ controllers. What the Mac is sending to its speakers is an output stream, and macOS does not turn outputs into inputs. Audacity's support site puts it plainly: "MacOS does not have built-in desktop audio recording capabilities."
Audacity's docs still point to Soundflower for the workaround, and add that "Soundflower is not compatible with Apple Silicon-based machines". On any M-series Mac that route is closed; BlackHole is the maintained replacement and does the same job. If you want to understand what such a driver actually is before installing one, read what a virtual audio driver is.
One more thing Audacity cannot do even with a driver: it cannot pick a single app. BlackHole carries everything the Mac plays, so a notification sound or a second browser tab ends up in the take. OBS and ScreenCaptureKit recorders can isolate one application; Audacity cannot.
How do I record system audio in Audacity with BlackHole, step by step?
- Install BlackHole 2ch from the Existential Audio GitHub page (installer package, or
brew install blackhole-2ch). Restart Audacity if it was open, otherwise the new device does not appear. - Open Audio MIDI Setup (Applications > Utilities). Click + at the bottom left and choose Create Multi-Output Device.
- In the new device, tick your speakers or headphones first, then tick BlackHole 2ch. Set every subdevice to the same sample rate, 48 kHz is the safe choice, and enable Drift Correction on BlackHole.
- Right-click the Multi-Output Device in the sidebar and choose Use This Device For Sound Output. From now on everything the Mac plays goes to your ears and to BlackHole at the same time.
- In Audacity, open Audacity > Preferences > Audio Settings. Host: Core Audio. Recording Device: BlackHole 2ch. Recording Channels: 2 (Stereo). Playback Device: your speakers or headphones, never BlackHole.
- Set the Project Sample Rate to match, 48000 Hz, so Audacity does not resample on the fly.
- Open Transport > Transport Options and make sure Software Playthrough is off. With it on, Audacity sends the BlackHole input back to the output, which feeds BlackHole again, and the level climbs until it clips.
- Start playback in the app you want to capture, press Record (R) in Audacity, stop with Space, then File > Export Audio as WAV 24-bit.
The full Multi-Output procedure with screenshots is in how to create a Multi-Output Device on Mac.
Why can I not hear anything while Audacity is recording?
This is the speaker-silence trap, and nearly every failed attempt hits it. If you set the Mac's output to BlackHole 2ch directly, all audio flows into the virtual device and nothing reaches your speakers. Audacity records fine, but you are recording blind and cannot tell when the track ends or the stream buffers. The cure is the Multi-Output Device from the steps above: it duplicates the stream to both destinations.
Three related surprises, all standard macOS behavior:
- With a Multi-Output Device selected as output, the volume keys stop working and the slider in Control Center is greyed out. Adjust volume inside the playing app, or in Audio MIDI Setup on the physical subdevice.
- If the subdevices run at different sample rates (44.1 kHz headphones, 48 kHz BlackHole), you get crackles or slow drift. Match them in Audio MIDI Setup before recording.
- Audacity's own playback is also routed into BlackHole while the Multi-Output Device is the system output. Press Play to check a take mid-session and that playback is recorded into any track that is still armed. Stop recording before you audition.
When you are done, switch the output back to your speakers, otherwise the volume keys stay dead. Uninstall steps, if you decide the driver is not for you, are in how to uninstall BlackHole or Soundflower.
Is there a simpler way to get system audio into Audacity?
Yes: record first, import second. Since macOS 13, apps built on Apple's ScreenCaptureKit can capture system audio directly with the Screen Recording permission, no driver, no Multi-Output Device, speakers untouched. OBS Studio 30 does this for free, though it writes a video container and needs its own setup; see how to capture desktop audio in OBS on Mac. Dedicated recorders write a WAV straight away.
Once you have the file, File > Import > Audio in Audacity, or drag the WAV onto the Audacity window, and you are editing within seconds. This route fits when the recording is a one-off, when you cannot afford silent speakers during a live stream, or when you want a single app rather than the whole Mac. The BlackHole route is needed only when you must have Audacity's Timer Record or Sound Activated Recording, or you want to record and overdub in the same project.
MacOS does not have built-in desktop audio recording capabilities.
Audacity support, Recording desktop audio
Ways to get system audio into an Audacity project on a Mac
| Option | Records system audio | Works on Apple silicon | Speakers stay on | Installs a driver | Single-app capture | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audacity alone | no | yes | yes | no | no | free |
| Audacity + Soundflower | yes | no | only with Multi-Output Device | yes | no | free |
| Audacity + BlackHole 2ch | yes | yes | only with Multi-Output Device | yes | no | free |
| OBS 30 then import | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | free |
| AirCheck then import | yes | yes | yes | no | no | $39 |
Soundflower's Apple silicon status is from Audacity's support page; OBS requirement is OBS 30 on macOS 13 or newer.
Where AirCheck fits
AirCheck fits the record-first-import-second workflow. It captures system audio through ScreenCaptureKit with the one-time Screen Recording permission, keeps your speakers working, and writes a 24-bit file at 48 kHz that Audacity opens with File > Import > Audio. A watchdog restarts capture into the same file if the audio stream stalls for 5 s, which matters on multi-hour takes. $39 one-off, macOS 14 or newer. It does not replace Audacity's editing, and it cannot capture one app only.
When you do not need it: If you already have BlackHole installed and working, Audacity records system audio for free; you do not need anything else. And if you are recording a microphone or an interface, Audacity alone is enough.
AirCheck records what your Mac plays, or any input, to one file. $39 once.
macOS 14 or newer. One-off payment. Fourteen-day refund, no questions asked.
Questions people ask
How do I make Audacity record computer audio on a Mac?
Install BlackHole 2ch, create a Multi-Output Device in Audio MIDI Setup containing your speakers and BlackHole, set it as the system output, then in Audacity > Preferences > Audio Settings choose BlackHole 2ch as the Recording Device with 2 channels. Keep Software Playthrough off.
Can Audacity record desktop audio on a Mac with Soundflower?
Only on an Intel Mac. Audacity's support page states Soundflower is not compatible with Apple silicon machines. On M-series Macs use BlackHole, which is free, actively maintained, and works the same way in Audio MIDI Setup.
Why is my Audacity recording of system audio silent?
Usually Audacity is set to the wrong Recording Device, or Software Playthrough is off and the Mac's output is not routed to BlackHole. Check that the system output is the Multi-Output Device and that Audacity's input is BlackHole 2ch, then watch the input meter before recording.
How do I record YouTube or Spotify audio with Audacity on a Mac?
The same BlackHole route: everything the Mac plays, including browser tabs and the Spotify app, arrives in BlackHole. Mute notifications first, since Audacity cannot isolate one app. Recording copyrighted streams is your responsibility and may breach the service's terms.
Sources
- Audacity support: Recording desktop audio
- Audacity manual: Audio Settings preferences
- Audacity manual: Recording computer playback on Mac
- Existential Audio: BlackHole
- Apple: Create an Aggregate Device in Audio MIDI Setup
Related guides
- How to capture desktop audio in OBS on a Mac
- How to record system audio in GarageBand on a Mac
- QuickTime vs OBS vs Audacity for recording audio on a Mac
- How to create a Multi-Output Device on a Mac (and keep hearing your audio)
- Is BlackHole safe for a Mac?
- How to record audio with QuickTime Player on a Mac
- Recording with QuickTime, OBS, Audacity and GarageBand: all guides
- Every guide, by topic