The Best Audio Recorders for Mac
Eight Mac audio recorders compared on what they actually capture, what they cost, and who each one suits. Including the free options and the ones worth paying for.
Blog
Tips, guides, and deep dives on audio routing for macOS.
Record Computer Audio with Audacity on a Mac
Audacity cannot capture your Mac's system audio on its own. Here is why, and the three ways to feed computer playback into it, including one with no driver.
How to Screen Record on a Mac With Audio
The Mac screen recorder captures your mic but never system audio. Four ways to get the sound in, from a free one-pass setup to the highest-quality route.
How to Record Zoom Meeting Audio on a Mac
Record a Zoom call on your Mac without host permission prompts, capturing both sides plus your own microphone in one file. Consent rules included.
How to Record YouTube Audio on a Mac
Capture audio from a YouTube video or any browser tab on your Mac, at full quality and with no virtual driver. Plus what you can and cannot legally keep.
How to Record Music Playing on Your Mac
Capture music from any app on your Mac at full digital quality, with no virtual driver and no re-recording through a cable. Plus what you can legally keep.
How to Record Internal Audio on a Mac
macOS still has no built-in way to record its own audio. Four methods that work in 2026, what each one costs, and the one that needs no driver at all.
How to Record Audio on a Mac
Every way to record audio on a Mac: your voice, system audio, one app, or all of it mixed together. What is built in, what is not, and what to use instead.
How to Record a Podcast on a Mac
Record a podcast on your Mac including remote guests, with your voice and theirs at independent levels in one clean file. No studio and no subscription.
Does Screen Recording on a Mac Record Audio?
Yes for your microphone, no for system audio. Here is exactly what the Mac screen recorder captures, why your video came out silent, and how to fix it.
Soundflower Not Working on Mac? 4 Replacements
Soundflower stopped working on modern Macs years ago. Why it broke, how to check if it is still installed, and the four alternatives that work in 2026.
Loopback for Mac: Cheaper Alternatives Compared
Loopback is $99 and worth it for complex routing. If you only need system audio in Zoom or OBS, here is what BlackHole and Soundshine do for less.
How to Route Audio on Mac: Your Options Compared
macOS has no built-in audio router. Here's what audio routing means, when you need it, and which tool fits your situation — from free to $99.
Audio Hijack Is $69: Cheaper Mac Alternatives
What Audio Hijack does, who actually needs its $69 feature set, and the simpler Mac apps that route system audio into Zoom, OBS, and Discord for less.
Share Audio on Discord Without Screen Sharing on Mac
Discord on Mac forces you into screen sharing to send system audio. Here's how to share music, video, or any sound without exposing your desktop — in 30 seconds.
Best Virtual Microphone for Mac Streaming in 2026
A comparison of the best virtual microphone apps for Mac streaming in 2026: Loopback, BlackHole, VB-Cable, and Soundshine — setup complexity, price, and OBS compatibility.
Best Audio Routing Software for Mac Podcasters (2026)
A comparison of the best audio routing software for Mac podcasters in 2026: Loopback, BlackHole, Soundshine, and Farrago. Find the right tool for your setup and budget.
SoundSiphon Alternative for Mac: What It Does and When You Don't Need It
SoundSiphon captures per-app audio on Mac. If you just want to share system audio on Zoom or Discord, Soundshine does it for $11.99 in 30 seconds.
JACK Audio on Mac: Why Most People Don't Need It
JACK is a professional low-latency audio server for Mac and Linux. For sharing audio on video calls, it's significant overkill. Here's who actually needs it.
Is Loopback Worth $99? What Most Mac Users Actually Need
Loopback is $99 one-time in 2026. Worth it for complex multi-source routing, overkill for basic audio sharing. Here's how to tell which camp you're in.
How to Stream Game Audio on Mac to Twitch or YouTube
OBS on Mac doesn't capture system audio by default. Here's how to route game audio and music into your stream in 30 seconds without BlackHole's setup complexity.
How to Share Spotify on a Zoom Call on Mac
Zoom on Mac doesn't share Spotify audio by default. Here are two ways to play Spotify for everyone on a call — one takes 30 seconds, one is free with setup.
How to Play Music on Microsoft Teams on Mac
Teams on Mac doesn't share system audio outside of screen share. Here's how to play music or any audio for everyone on a Teams call in 30 seconds.
How to Play Music During a Riverside or Zencastr Recording on Mac
Playing background music or audio clips during a remote podcast recording on Mac is harder than it should be. Here's the fix that works with Riverside, Zencastr, and any browser-based recorder.
Discord Screen Share Audio Not Working on Mac
Why Discord loses system audio on macOS, the virtual microphone fix that works reliably, and what to do if you specifically need audio with screen share.
BlackHole Audio for Mac: Setup and Alternatives
How to install and set up BlackHole 2ch on a Mac, the Multi-Output Device step that kills your volume keys, and a simpler option if you want one toggle.
Share System Audio on Zoom for Mac Without Screen Sharing
Zoom on Mac only sends your microphone. Here is how to route Spotify, YouTube, or any system audio into a call without sharing your screen.
How to Play Music for Friends on Discord on Mac
Discord doesn't share Mac audio by default. Here's the 60-second fix that lets friends hear your Spotify or YouTube live in voice chat.
What Is a Virtual Audio Cable? (Mac Guide for Zoom, Discord & Recording)
A virtual audio cable is why apps like Zoom can't hear your system audio — and how tools like Soundshine fix it in 30 seconds without the CLI setup.
Play Music in Google Meet Without Screen Sharing
Google Meet only sends your microphone. Chrome tab sharing means presenting the tab, so here is how to route system audio into a Meet call on a Mac.
How to Route System Audio to OBS on macOS
OBS on Mac has no Desktop Audio source. Route any system audio to OBS in 30 seconds with Soundshine — no command line or aggregate device setup needed.
Why macOS Blocks System Audio (And the Fix That Takes 30 Seconds)
macOS blocks system audio by design. Here's why — and how a virtual audio driver lets Soundshine route any audio to Zoom, Discord, or OBS in 30 seconds.
How to Share Audio on FaceTime Calls
FaceTime doesn't share system audio by default. Here's the 30-second fix to play music, video sound, or any audio on any FaceTime call.
How to Add Sound Effects to a Podcast Recording on Mac
Mac podcasters: play soundboards, music beds, and effects live during recording without a hardware mixer. Soundshine routes everything in one take.
5 Ways to Capture Streaming Audio on macOS
5 ways to record Spotify, YouTube, and browser audio on macOS — ranked by ease. The 30-second method requires no command line or complicated setup.