Fix ‘Sound Not Working’ Issue on a MAC – Guide

Problems with playing sound and audio on Macs are quite common. Audio errors can occur after updating your operating system, installing a new audio device, or even switching between apps. Fortunately, most of these problems have solutions as simple as pressing and releasing the mute button. button or adjust your sound settings. These are all some of the most common Mac issues reported. Incorrectly configured applications or incorrect settings can also cause audio interference. As a result, you may not hear sound from your speakers or headphones. Your audio output may be static, or worse, no output at all. The good news about audio problems is that they are mostly software related, which means you can fix them without going to a professional for help. The bad news is that you don’t always know what’s causing them, or if they could escalate the problem into something that does significant damage to other parts of your Mac. Sometimes what you see as a problem isn’t even an actual problem. You might think it is, but once you understand what caused it and the underlying solution, then you realize it’s no big deal. The solution may just require you to adjust your Mac’s settings.

Fix the sound not working on a MAC

Check the volume first

Before spending all day solving a non-existent problem, check the volume and make sure it’s not muted. Press and hold F12 button to increase the volume or use the slider on the menu bar to adjust it. In the next step, we’ll make sure there isn’t a problem with the individual apps. For example, many browsers have a volume indicator next to the tab. Check again to ensure they are not muted. If you’re playing a YouTube clip, check the volume indicator to be sure.

Choose the right audio device

If you can’t hear anything even after adjusting the volume or plugging in your headphones, chances are you’ve encountered one of the most common Mac audio bugs. The first thing you should check is your input and output settings. audio device. Sometimes your Mac may select the wrong device due to incorrect configuration, driver incompatibility, or conflict with other applications. Go to the Apple menu and choose System Preferences. Click Sound and select the Output tab. Click the correct output device for your audio. A common mistake is unknowingly having a Bluetooth device connected so that the audio will play on it instead of through your Mac speakers. Repeat for the input audio device settings. Sometimes switching from one output to another can resolve the issue. Also, try disconnecting and reconnecting your audio devices. Remember to uncheck the Mute option and adjust the output again. You will get a better view of all output devices with the Audio MIDI Setup application located in the Utilities folder. Launch the app and select Integrated Output. From here, you can configure the audio channel, bit depth, format and sample rate. If your sound is funny, adjust your audio settings. After making the changes, exit the app and try playing the audio again.

Reset main audio

If you are still experiencing issues with playing or recording audio, then resetting the Low-Level Audio API for Mac, commonly called Core Audio, should work. According to Apple’s documentation, Core Audio is a set of software frameworks designed to handle the audio needs of various applications. They include playback, recording, editing, signal processing, compression, decompression, and more. On Mac, coreaudiod is the launchdaemon that powers Core Audio. The daemons normally run as root in the background whether you are logged in or not. Their process names end with the letter “d”. We’ve covered more about launchdaemons and their implications on macOS elsewhere.

Reset the NVRAM

NVRAM is a small amount of memory that your Mac uses to store various types of settings, including sound volume, screen resolution, startup disk selection, time zone, and more. Resetting the NVRAM can help clear up failures. follow our guide to reset NVRAM and SMC on Intel Macs. On Macs with the M1 chip, you cannot reset NVRAM with the boot key command. Instead, your Mac will test the NVRAM on its own. If something is wrong, it will simply reset it when you restart your Mac.

Problems with external devices

Sometimes when you connect an external device (such as an HDMI TV), the sound continues to come from the Mac’s internal speakers. Strangely, the connection still results in a perfect picture and the connected HDMI device will not be displayed. up in Preferences > Sound > Output. First, check the connection and inspect the HDMI cable for physical defects. Even small glitches can cause problems, so you should try a different cable if you find one. Make sure your equipment is compatible. Some older components may not be able to receive audio through an HDMI connection, even though your Mac and other devices can play sound through it. Note that older MacBook models (prior to 2011) do not support passing audio through the Mini DisplayPort. Navigate to Sound > Sound Effects. In the Play Sound Effects section, click the drop-down menu and choose your connected device. Restart your Mac. Then open Sound > Output in System Preferences and select your TV in the Select a device for sound output section. Launch the Audio MIDI Setup application. Select the HDMI option on the left panel and choose your TV from the Output tab. If you cannot see the speaker icon next to HDMI, click the gear button and select Use this device for sound output.

Check your hardware and ports

If, after checking all these aspects of the software, you are still having problems with the audio, please examine all ports. This includes Thunderbolt, HDMI, USB and headphone (or microphone) sockets. Disconnect all wired accessories. Then, check the integrity of the cables to ensure that nothing is frayed or broken. Shut down your Mac and plug in one peripheral at a time after each restart. Try playing your audio each time. If you use headphones and hear popping noises, check the socket. Modern Macs display a red light inside to warn of blocked sockets. Clean the jack, plug in your headphones and adjust the volume level.

Final note

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