Getting started
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Audio interfaces are the heart of every digital studio. In this article, we’ll show you how to resolve audio interface issues on your Mac. Windows PC users can read more in our Resolving Audio Interface Issues on Windows 10. Whether you have no sound, the USB ports are not working, or your output device isn’t showing up, following this guide will get you back in business.
- Mac audio device connectivity
- macOS Sound Preferences
- Audio device not detected
Mac audio device connectivity
There are tons of audio devices and software apps available for Mac which use audio interfaces to playback or record audio. To make sure an audio device is connecting correctly, check the compatibility and drivers, sleep settings, connections, and then restart your Mac.
Compatibility and drivers
The first thing to do is to check that your audio interface is compatible with your computer. Compare your computer’s specifications with the audio device’s system requirements on the manufacturer’s product page. If your interface isn’t compatible, you may need to upgrade/downgrade your operating system or use an interface that is compatible. If you are setting up your audio interface for the first time, make sure to first install the latest compatible driver software available from the manufacturer. You can find your interface’s available downloads on the manufacturer’s product page or our driver index.
Update Mac drivers
- Visit our driver index page and click on your device’s manufacturer.
- Find and download the device’s driver software.
- Run the driver installer and restart your computer.
.zip file downloads
On Mac, you can open .zip files by double-clicking and the decompressed contents will be created in the same directory. Learn more about .zip files on our How to Zip and Unzip Files page.
Sleepy computers
To save power, Macs will sleep their hard drive(s) when not in use. When this happens, the operating system unmounts audio and MIDI drivers. It’s sort of like the OS kicks everyone out before it puts the drive(s) to bed. Unfortunately, when it wakes up, the drivers are gone, and you have to restart your Mac to reconnect them. That’s why we recommend disabling the features below in System Preferences > Energy Saver.
Once you’ve updated your computer’s power settings, continue below to manage USB connections. Read more about managing your Energy Saver settings in Apple’s support article.
Update Mac Energy Saver in System Preferences
- From the Menu Bar, click the Apple icon and select System Preferences….
- Click Energy Saver.
- UncheckPut hard disks to sleep when possible and checkPrevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off.
USB hubs
Computer audio production often involves connecting a few external devices to your computer. Audio interfaces prefer to be connected directly to your computer. Although hubs are a convenient way to connect multiple devices to the same USB port, they may prevent your interface from properly communicating with your computer –this is especially true with passive hubs.
While larger audio interfaces have dedicated power supplies, smaller interfaces are often bus-powered and receive power when your computer is turned on. If your external devices draw more power than your hub can provide, you may experience loss of performance and connection with your interface. Make sure to connect your audio interface directly to your computer, especially when troubleshooting.
Connect to a powered USB hub
While we do not recommend connecting audio interfaces to USB hubs, some interfaces may work perfectly fine in that environment. For best results, use a hub with its own power supply adapter (not powered from your computer).
Power on sequence
Powering up your system in the correct order is essential for reliable communication between your devices. Basically, turn your computer on last and off first.
In this example, we’re going to restart your entire system. This includes your audio interface, hard drives, MIDI controllers, etc.. Bookmark this page in your web browser so you can access it after the restart.
Mac studio computer power on order
Power everything off. Then, power on in the following order:
- Connect and power on your audio interface.
- Power on your computer.
- Power on your speaker monitors.
Once started, computers usually need a few moments to perform startup tasks, like scanning for drivers and launching background applications. When your computer is ready to go, check that your audio interface is detected and available within your sound preferences by following the steps in the next section.
macOS Sound Preferences
Now that you’ve successfully restarted your system, your audio interface should be available in System Preferences and your DAW. If you are getting sound from your computer speakers instead of your audio interface, then you probably need to update your macOS and DAW sound settings. Read below to update sound preferences for your macOS system and other related software.
Update default macOS audio device
Apps like Safari, iTunes, and Spotify will playback through the device is selected in System Preferences > Sound. Open your Sound settings in System Preferences and select your audio interface. Next, test it with one of our sweet videos. If you don’t hear anything, try relaunching your web browser. If your interface does not appear, scroll down to continue troubleshooting.
Select the output and input for your Mac
- From the Menu Bar, click the Apple icon and select System Preferences….
- Click Sound.
- For both Output and Input tabs, select your audio interface.
Relaunch all apps or restart
Select the audio playback device before launching any apps. Otherwise, you may need to relaunch the app or restart your Mac with the proper power on sequence.
DAW sound preferences
Other applications like DAWs, stand-alone instrument applications and even Skype have their audio settings. You will usually find them in a Preferences, Options or Settings menu.
If correctly connected, Audio devices are automatically detected and selected by your DAW when launched. If your DAW plays back through your computer speakers or you hear nothing at all, reselect your audio device within these settings.
Select DAW audio playback device
- Launch your DAW.
- Open DAW preferences.
- Locate and select your audio interface.
Update the DAW I/O routing
Even though you’ve selected your audio interface in your DAW, you may also need to check that the inputs and outputs are configured correctly to send audio to your speakers & headphones.
Audio device not detected
If your device is not detected within System Preferences, then we need to dig a little deeper. First, check if your device is detected in System Information and then Audio MIDI Setup using the steps below. If your device does not appear System Information, you have a hardware problem. Try unplugging/re-plugging, different ports on the computer, and different cables to get it to appear.
Once your device shows up in System Information, check that it also appears in Audio/MIDI Setup. If not, you probably need to install the latest driver. If that still doesn’t resolve your issue, perform an NVRAM Reset.
System Information
The System Information window is a handy tool for investigating hardware connections, software specs, and other basic information on your mac. In audio production, we like to use this menu for checking that our devices are connected and communicating with the rest of the system. If your device does not appear in this list, consider reseating the cable connecting it to your computer or try a different port.
Follow the directions in our GIF to check your interface’s connectivity. If it is detected but not communicating, you will need to reinstall the latest driver (below). Read more about System Information in Apple’s support article.
View your Mac’s System Information
- Click the Apple icon, hold the option key and then click System Information….
- Under Hardware, select the type of port that your audio interface is plugged into. (e.g. USB, Thunderbolt, Firewire, etc.)
- Locate and view the status of your audio interface.
Audio MIDI Setup
Another way to check the status of your audio interface is through Audio MIDI Setup (AMS). AMS is a macOS utility used to manage the audio and MIDI devices connected to your computer. If your interface shows up here, that means it is recognized as a connected audio hardware device, but may not be successfully communicating for other reasons.
Follow the directions below to see if your interface is recognized as an audio device. If it’s detected but it’s grayed out or has the wrong number of inputs and outputs, you will need to reinstall the driver (below). Read more about Audio MIDI Setup in Apple’s support article.
View Audio MIDI Setup settings
- From the Finder menu bar, click Go and select Utilities.
- Double-click Audio MIDI Setup.
- Locate and select your audio device in the Audio Devices window to view its status.
Reinstall audio device driver
If your system is still not detecting or communicating properly with your device, then we will need to reinstall the interface’s driver software. Some audio interfaces are class-compliant and do not require driver software to operate. If your interface does not have any driver software, skip down to NVRAM reset.
Drivers are often bundled with control panel software which allows you to remotely control your audio interface. Go to our driver software index and locate your device’s manufacturer. Click it to view their page, find your product, then download and install the latest compatible driver software.
Once the driver is installed, shut your system down and follow the Power on sequence. Your device should now be detected by your computer. Test playback by following the directions in macOS Sound Preferences. If your device is still not detected, follow the directions below to perform an NVRAM reset.
NVRAM reset
If your device is still not detected, there’s still hope! NVRAM resets often clear up temporary device detection complications. Shut your system down and follow the directions below.
- Power off your Mac.
- Power on your Mac and press and hold the option + command + P + R keys.
- Press all four keys all at once.
- Continue to hold the keys until the Mac restarts.
- Release the keys.
- Hold the keys to repeat the reset.
The NVRAM reset can be sensitive, so make sure you press the keys simultaneously and don’t release until you hear your Mac chime or it restarts. After that, you can release the keys and your computer will power on like normal. For good measure, once your Mac has powered up, shut everything down and follow the Power on sequence. Once your computer is powered up, go to the Device not Detected section of this article and check for your audio interface again.
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