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To capture music, game sound, browser audio, or calls in Streamlabs Desktop on a Mac, route macOS audio through the free, open-source virtual device BlackHole. Create a Multi-Output Device in Audio MIDI Setup so you can hear the sound locally while sending it to Streamlabs, then select BlackHole as a Mic/Auxiliary input.
Why desktop audio is missing
A microphone input captures sound picked up by a microphone; it does not automatically capture audio playing from other Mac apps. Streamlabs explains that macOS does not let apps such as Streamlabs Desktop grab audio directly from other apps in the workflow its guide covers. The solution is to create a virtual audio route: macOS sends system output to BlackHole, and Streamlabs receives BlackHole as an audio input. The steps below follow Streamlabs’ guide, last updated November 10, 2025.
Set up BlackHole and route Mac audio
- Install BlackHole. Follow the installation instructions on the BlackHole project. Streamlabs describes it as free and open-source. Its installer download flow may change over time, so follow the current instructions shown by the project.
- Open Audio MIDI Setup. Use the plus button in the Audio Devices window and create a Multi-Output Device.
- Choose the outputs. Enable BlackHole and the output you want to hear through, such as Built-in Output or your headphones. If you use another monitoring device, include it as well. Keep the built-in or listening output above BlackHole in the device list; Streamlabs warns that putting BlackHole first can leave you unable to hear audio locally.
- Set the Mac’s output. In macOS sound settings, choose the Multi-Output Device you created as the sound output. This routes system audio to both BlackHole and your listening device.
- Select BlackHole in Streamlabs. In Streamlabs Desktop, open Settings > Audio and choose BlackHole for one of the Mic/Auxiliary devices.
- Verify the route. Play sound in an app and watch the Streamlabs audio mixer for activity on the selected input before you record or go live. If the meter does not respond, work through the troubleshooting steps below.
Fix common problems
You can no longer hear the Mac’s sound
Open Audio MIDI Setup and inspect the Multi-Output Device’s device order. Put the built-in output or your listening device above BlackHole, then confirm macOS is still using the Multi-Output Device as its sound output.
BlackHole does not appear to work in Streamlabs
Check macOS microphone privacy permission. Apple’s guidance published May 27, 2026 says that on macOS Ventura or later, open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and enable Streamlabs Desktop. On macOS Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, or Mojave, use System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Microphone.
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Microphone permission allows an app to use audio inputs, but it does not create the BlackHole route. Confirm both that permission is enabled and that the Multi-Output Device is configured as described above.
The mixer meter stays inactive
- Confirm BlackHole is enabled in the Multi-Output Device and selected as a Mic/Auxiliary input in Settings > Audio.
- Check that macOS is outputting to the Multi-Output Device, not directly to a speaker or headphones.
- Play audio from an app while checking the mixer; a microphone meter moving by itself does not confirm that desktop audio is routed.
BlackHole and other routing options
Streamlabs recommends BlackHole for its documented macOS workflow and also names Loopback as another third-party solution in its Mac screen-recording guide. Streamlabs does not provide a current feature, price, or compatibility comparison between them. Check each project’s current macOS compatibility, routing controls, monitoring setup, cost, and support before choosing; this guide gives the detailed setup for BlackHole.
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For more detail, see Streamlabs’ desktop-audio guide, its Mac screen-recording guide, the BlackHole project wiki, and Apple’s microphone privacy instructions.
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