Mac sound problems can range from choppy and choppy audio to no sound at all. If you are running an older version of macOS, you may encounter these problems more often. Fortunately, Fixing most Mac sound problems is relatively straightforward.
No audio on your Mac? Check sound preferences
The first place to check for audio issues is the macOS sound preferences. Go to System Preferences> Sound. Click on the tab “Departure” and observe where your audio is being routed. Check the volume slider at the bottom and uncheck the “choose Messages for Web, and then touch the button” if required.
You should see a list of devices that you can use as sound outputs, being the default option (on most Mac computers) the internal speakers. If something other than the internal speakers is selected (and he has no reason for it to be like this), click Internal Speakers to redirect audio.
Now, retest the output settings by playing music or an audio file. If you prefer to output to another device such as an audio interface, headset or added device, you can specify it in this setting. Some sound issues can even be fixed by selecting a different output and then selecting the original output.
If you don't see any output device, you may have encountered a problem updating or updating macOS. You may want to try resetting your NVRAM / PRAM to solve this problem; otherwise, create a backup with Time Machine then reinstall macOS and try again.
Restarting fixes many problems
If you have tried to adjust the sound settings to no avail, it's probably worth restarting your Mac. This seems like a bit of a clunky solution, but sometimes you really need turn it off and on again.
Restarting your machine will likely fix a lot of problems, including choppy or choppy sound. Unfortunately, it's quite inconvenient, but it is not the only way to solve some problems.
Fix distorted or crackling sound by removing main audio
Choppy or choppy sound is an issue that plagued many around the launch of OS X 10.9 “Mavericks” at the end of 2013. If you're having trouble with your sound and you're still running Mavericks, updating your Mac to a newer version of your operating system is a good idea.
While you can restart your computer to fix this problem, Another option is to remove the Core Audio service that is responsible for audio processing in macOS. You can do this with a simple terminal command. First, start “Terminal”, either searching with Spotlight or in Applications> Utilities.
You will need administrator privileges for this to work. With Terminal open, enter the following:
sudo killall coreaudiod
Now, enter your user password (assuming you have administrator access) to authorize the command. the coreaudiod The process will be terminated and should restart automatically. Try playing some music or other sound to see if you still have the problem.
If you have no audio at all, You may need to restart Core Audio manually with the following Terminal command:
sudo launchctl stop com.apple.audio.coreaudiod && sudo launchctl start com.apple.audio.coreaudiod
You can use these commands to repair the crackling sound every time you find it, but a permanent fix will probably require a system update, an operating system update or a fresh installation of macOS.
Note that running this command can also interrupt any process that depends on audio, how to chat by FaceTime or Skype, record voice memos or listen to music.
It is worth trying to reset NVRAM / PRAM
PRAM stands for Parameter Random Access Memory, while NVRAM stands for non-volatile access memory. Your Mac uses this type of memory to store configuration information when your computer is off.. This includes information such as the date and time, but also the sound volume setting.
Because PRAM / NVRAM is responsible for preserving sound preferences, resetting this memory can help solve some problems. If you have constant problems, a reboot can't hurt. You may need to configure the date and time and some other macOS settings if you follow this path.
The way to reset your PRAM / NVRAM depends on the Mac model you have. Understand what Mac you have and how to reset PRAM / NVRAM for your particular machine.
Switch output when connecting HDMI devices
Sometimes, when connecting an external monitor or TV via HDMI, sound is still coming out of your laptop speakers. This is easy to fix. Head to System Preferences> Sound and click the Output tab.
You should see your HDMI device in the list of available sound outputs. Click on it and the sound will be redirected. You can also designate another sound device (like headphones) if you want to output audio that way.
If you can't see your HDMI device listed and it's definitely connected and working, try unplugging and plugging it back in. Your Mac should remember which device output settings you prefer going forward.
Some sound issues are application specific
Not all sound problems are related to macOS. Some apps have their own sound preferences that must be managed manually. This includes DAW software such as Ableton, video editors like Adobe Premiere and sound editing software like Audacity.
To rectify these problems, you will need to delve into the application preferences. If you don't have any audio, you probably need to specify an output device (What “Internal speakers” O “Earphones”). The same can be said for a microphone that doesn't work when it should..
This differs by application, but you can usually find most of the app preferences by clicking on the app name in the menu bar at the top of the screen and then on “preferences”. In case of doubt, a quick web search for something like “no sound [app name] mac ”should give some advice.
Problems with the microphone? Back to Sound Preferences
Changing your input device is as easy as changing your output device. If you have trouble getting an app to recognize your microphone, or maybe your Mac is using the wrong microphone, head to System Preferences> Sound and click the tab “Entry”.
Whichever device is selected here is what your computer will use as a microphone. If you have connected a USB microphone, you'll need to select it here for your Mac to use it instead of the internal mic.
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