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To record a microphone through an audio interface in GarageBand, connect the interface to your Mac, connect the microphone to the correct interface socket, select the interface as GarageBand’s Input Device, assign the matching numbered channel to an audio track, choose mono for one microphone, set a safe input level, and make a short test recording. Hardware connection by itself is not enough: both GarageBand’s device setting and the track’s channel setting must point to the microphone signal.
The instructions below apply to GarageBand for Mac. Apple’s current guide covers GarageBand 10.4.14, although menu names can vary by GarageBand and macOS release.
Understand the signal path before you connect anything
Your microphone signal passes through several stages:
- The microphone converts sound into an electrical signal.
- The audio interface supplies the microphone connection, preamp and input gain, then converts the signal into digital audio.
- The Mac receives the interface as an audio device.
- GarageBand uses the selected device and sends one of its channels to the audio track.
- GarageBand sends playback to the output device feeding your headphones or speakers.
There are therefore two separate selections that are easy to confuse. Input Device in GarageBand > Settings > Audio/MIDI (called Preferences in some versions) chooses the hardware GarageBand receives audio from. The track’s Input menu in Recording Settings chooses the particular channel from that hardware. Selecting only one of them will not complete the setup.
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Choose the connection route that fits your equipment
| Setup | GarageBand input selection | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone through an audio interface | Select the interface as Input Device, then select the numbered channel where the microphone is plugged in. | Best when you already have an interface, need an XLR microphone connection, or expect to add instruments or microphones. |
| USB microphone | Select the USB microphone as the input device and choose its available track input. | Useful when the microphone connects directly to the Mac and no separate interface is needed. |
| Mac built-in microphone | Select Built-in Microphone. | Suitable for a quick voice memo or test without external hardware. |
| Computer audio input | Select Built-in Input. | Used when a compatible source is connected to the Mac’s audio input. |
The rest of this guide focuses on the interface workflow. A single interface and one microphone do not normally require an Aggregate Device; that is an advanced solution for combining multiple devices.
Connect the interface and microphone
1. Connect the interface to the Mac
Use the USB or Thunderbolt connection supported by your interface. Connect directly when possible, and use the interface’s supplied or specified cable. If the interface requires separate power, turn it on according to its instructions. GarageBand cannot select an interface that macOS has not detected.
2. Connect the microphone to an interface input
Plug the microphone into an interface socket. Remember the socket number: if the microphone is in input 1, the corresponding GarageBand source will normally be the interface’s numbered input 1. If you move the cable later, the channel assignment may need to change.
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3. Connect your monitoring device
Connect headphones or speakers to the output that you intend to use. Headphones are the safer choice when monitoring a live microphone because speakers can feed the microphone and create feedback. GarageBand lets you choose output separately from input, so the output device does not have to be the same device in every setup.
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Select the interface in GarageBand’s Audio/MIDI settings
- Open GarageBand and open an existing project or create a new one.
- Choose GarageBand > Settings. In some releases this menu is named GarageBand > Preferences.
- Open the Audio/MIDI pane.
- Set Input Device to your audio interface.
- Set Output Device to the interface output, your headphones, or the speakers you will use for playback.
- Close the settings window.
After selecting the interface, its available channels should appear in an audio track’s input menu. If they do not, return to Audio/MIDI and confirm that the interface—not the Mac’s built-in microphone or another device—is selected as the input.
Create an audio track for the microphone
- Choose Track > New Track or click the Add Track button.
- Choose an audio track using Mic or Line.
- In the new-track details, select the appropriate input source or device.
- Enable monitoring in the track details only if you need to hear the live microphone while setting up or performing.
- Create the track.
You can also select an existing audio track. Make sure its track header is highlighted before changing its recording settings; otherwise, you may configure a different track than the one you intend to record.
Assign the correct interface channel
- Select the microphone track.
- Open Smart Controls.
- Open Recording Settings.
- Use the Input menu to choose the numbered interface channel carrying the microphone signal.
- Confirm that the channel number matches the physical interface socket. A microphone plugged into input 2 will not produce a signal on a track assigned to input 1.
This is the most common configuration mistake: the interface is connected and selected, but the track is listening to the wrong channel.
Choose mono or stereo correctly
For one ordinary microphone connected to one interface input, choose the corresponding mono channel. Mono records one channel and keeps a single microphone centered in the track.
Choose stereo only when the source actually supplies a left and right pair, such as a stereo microphone arrangement or a stereo instrument output. Selecting stereo for a single microphone does not create a second microphone signal; it can leave one side empty or produce an unbalanced recording. Apple’s setup guidance places the format control beside the input menu, where you can match the track to the source.
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Set recording level without clipping
In Smart Controls > Recording Settings, adjust Record Level while speaking or playing at the loudest level you expect to record. Aim for a healthy meter movement without the input reaching the clipping zone. Leave some headroom for unexpected peaks.
If GarageBand’s level control is dimmed or unavailable, adjust the connected interface’s own input gain instead. The interface may have a physical knob, pad or other input control. Do not keep increasing GarageBand’s slider when the hardware is the control point.
Use Automatic Level Control cautiously
GarageBand also offers Automatic Level Control during the pre-recording workflow. Apple describes it as lowering an overly high recording level to help prevent feedback and raising a level that is too low. Treat it as a setup aid, not a substitute for checking the interface gain and listening to a test take. A short recording reveals distortion, excessive room noise and incorrect channel selection before an important performance.
Configure monitoring and avoid feedback
Monitoring sends the live input through GarageBand so you can hear the microphone along with the project. Turn it on from the track header or from Recording Settings when performing or checking the signal.
Turn monitoring off when you are not actively using it. If the microphone hears sound from speakers, the sound can loop through the system and become a loud, unwanted feedback tone. Headphones keep the playback out of the microphone and are usually the simplest way to reduce that risk.
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If you hear a delayed or doubled voice, check whether both the interface and GarageBand are providing monitoring. Some interfaces offer direct hardware monitoring, while GarageBand provides software monitoring. Use the monitoring path you need and reduce or disable the other one according to the interface’s controls.
Make and verify a test recording
- Select the microphone track by clicking its header.
- Place the playhead where you want the test to start.
- Optionally enable the metronome or count-in if the project requires it.
- Click the Record button or press R.
- Speak a sentence or play the loudest expected passage for a few seconds.
- Stop with the Stop button or press the Space bar.
- Inspect the new audio region on the track and play it back through the selected output device.
A moving input meter before recording and a visible waveform after recording confirm different parts of the chain. The meter shows that GarageBand is receiving audio; the region and playback confirm that GarageBand recorded and can reproduce it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why isn’t GarageBand picking up my microphone?
GarageBand says audio input is inaccessible
macOS may not have granted GarageBand permission to use the microphone. Quit GarageBand first.
- macOS Ventura or later: open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, enable GarageBand, then reopen the app.
- macOS Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina or Mojave: open System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Microphone, enable GarageBand, then reopen it.
Apple’s external-input troubleshooting guidance published June 1, 2026 identifies these version-specific paths. If GarageBand was already open when permission changed, reopening it is necessary for the new permission to take effect.
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The interface is connected but its channels are missing
- Open GarageBand > Settings (or Preferences) and choose Audio/MIDI.
- Set Input Device to the interface.
- Return to the selected track’s Recording Settings.
- Open the Input menu and choose the numbered channel matching the microphone socket.
Also verify that the interface is powered and that the microphone cable is fully inserted. If the microphone was moved to another socket, select the new channel number.
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The track is selected, but the meter and waveform do not move
Check these items in order:
- The intended audio track is selected, not a software-instrument or different audio track.
- GarageBand’s Input Device is the interface.
- The track’s input channel matches the physical interface input.
- The track format is mono for one microphone or stereo for a genuine stereo source.
- The interface gain or GarageBand record level is raised sufficiently.
- macOS microphone permission is enabled.
If an external microphone or interface still fails after these checks, Apple advises consulting the hardware manufacturer about compatibility information and software updates. The setup instructions do not establish compatibility for any particular model, cable, driver or macOS combination.
The recording is silent or only one side is present
A silent take often means the track is assigned to a channel with no connected source. Recheck the interface socket number and the track’s Input menu. If a single microphone was assigned as stereo, change the format to the mono channel corresponding to that input. For a stereo source, verify that both left and right connections are actually providing signal.
Monitoring produces feedback or a loud loop
Turn off track monitoring when you are not performing, lower the output level, and use headphones rather than speakers. If your interface has direct monitoring enabled as well as GarageBand monitoring, disable one path so you do not hear a duplicated or looping signal.
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Recording with multiple microphones or devices
Several microphones can be recorded at once when the selected hardware exposes enough independent input channels. Assign each audio track a different numbered channel and enable recording on every track you need.
When the microphones are connected to separate USB devices, Apple documents creating an Aggregate Device in macOS Audio MIDI Setup. This combines the subdevices so GarageBand can access their channels as one input device.
Create and use an Aggregate Device
- Open Audio MIDI Setup on the Mac.
- Create an Aggregate Device and add the relevant audio devices as subdevices.
- Note the order of the devices and their channel numbers; that order determines how channels appear in GarageBand.
- Choose a reliable clock source.
- Enable Drift Correction for devices that are not the clock source.
- In GarageBand’s Audio/MIDI settings, select the aggregate device as Input Device.
- Select the device connected to your headphones or speakers as Output Device.
- Assign each audio track its own source channel and enable recording on the required tracks.
An Aggregate Device adds clocking and channel-mapping complexity, so it is unnecessary for a single interface and one microphone. GarageBand can output to only one device at a time. If several people need to listen, use a headphone splitter or headphone amplifier connected to the chosen output.
Choose the right setup for your situation
| Need | Practical choice | Important check |
|---|---|---|
| One microphone and an existing interface | Connect the microphone to one interface input and use that numbered mono channel. | GarageBand must use the interface as Input Device. |
| Simple voice recording without an interface | Use a USB microphone directly or select the Mac’s built-in microphone. | Select the actual microphone in Audio/MIDI settings and the matching track input. |
| Two or more microphones at the same time | Use an interface with enough independent inputs, or an Aggregate Device when inputs come from separate devices. | Assign a separate channel to each track and understand the channel order. |
| Live vocal or instrument monitoring | Use headphones connected to the selected output. | Manage hardware and GarageBand monitoring to avoid feedback or doubling. |
Before relying on any external interface or microphone, verify its supported Mac connection, any required software or driver, and compatibility with your GarageBand and macOS versions. The general Apple procedure does not certify a specific third-party model.
Quick Recap
Final setup checklist
- The interface is connected with its supported USB or Thunderbolt connection and powered if required.
- The microphone is connected to a known interface socket.
- macOS microphone permission is enabled for GarageBand.
- GarageBand’s Input Device is the interface.
- The output device feeds the headphones or speakers you intend to use.
- The selected track is an audio track made with Mic or Line.
- The track’s numbered input matches the microphone’s physical interface socket.
- One microphone uses the corresponding mono channel; stereo is reserved for a true stereo source.
- Input gain is high enough for a clear signal but low enough to avoid clipping.
- Monitoring is enabled only when needed, with headphones used when possible.
- A short test recording produces a visible region and audible playback.
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