How to Fix Audio Problems in macOS Catalina

If you’ve been bothered by audio issues after upgrading to the latest version of macOS, you’re in the right place. In this article, we will review the most common sound issues with the Catalina operating system, and show you how a small change in settings can generally fix things.

Fix Audio Problems in macOS Catalina

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

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There is absolutely no audio

Vista parcial de una Mac, mostrando las teclas con funcion de volumen, para verificar problemas de audio

When they were able to upgrade their insurance system they were happy, but then they discovered that the audio had been completely muted. Specifically, there is no sound from the speakers you were using before the upgrade.

It doesn’t matter what video or application you play; you get no sound. So far, you’ve tried adjusting the volume controls, unplugging the speakers, and plugging them back in, and you’ve played media on a different device, but nothing seems to work.

When macOS is started for the first time, it sometimes does strange things by assigning speaker outputs, which can lead to silence. Fortunately, this problem is easy to fix. Go to System Preferences in the Apple menu and look for the Sound icon.

Within the Sound settings, you will see a tab called Output . In this, you should see the options to choose a sound device. Try setting it up as Internal Speakers . While you’re at it, take a look at the volume bar, make sure it’s up and that Mute is unchecked.

Pantalla de configuración de audio de MacOS

This should restore the audio to native Mac speakers, and you may be wondering “What about my headphones, external speakers, or Apple TV?” On the Output tab, you should look at the options for all these devices, as long as they are connected. Choose the one you want to use.

As you may have guessed, macOS, especially on a computer that’s connected to HDMI speaker systems, can get confused about which one to choose automatically. Choose your options manually to avoid this problem. You should only need to do this once.

Cut sound

This can be one of the most frustrating problems that can happen to you. If macOS randomly cuts audio and then restores it without rhyme or reason, there could be something wrong with the way your computer uses memory. First, make sure the problem isn’t due to any specific app or service. Try restarting that particular program to test it.

If the problem is shared among all audio sources, it’s time to reset the Random Parameter Access Memory ( PRAM ), which macOS uses to recover basic settings on your Mac and connected devices. Start by restarting your Mac.

Upon startup, your computer will first open the black startup screen, press Option + Command + P + R simultaneously. Hold those four keys until you hear the second startup sound (on older Macs) or until you see the Apple logo appear and disappear a second time (on newer Macs). This lets you know that PRAM has been completely reset.

Please note that a PRAM reset can also change some of your other settings in addition to resetting its sound. You may need to spend some time in System Preferences reconfiguring to reset any of the custom settings you had before.

Sound doesn’t work in Safari

MacBook Pro mostrando una pantalla de Safari

If your tests have revealed that the sound issues are mostly found in Safari, it may be another setup issue. In this case, the audio will probably work in other browsers like Chrome, but not in Safari.

This problem is usually caused by a strange configuration change that macOS applies to audio output when you have certain software loaded on your Mac. If you visit System Preferences> Sound , you can check the Output tab, which will probably list various device options in audio output.

If one of those options is SoundFlower or something similar unusual, then that’s a sign that macOS could be using the wrong sound output. Change it to Internal Speakers or another device of your choice, then try Safari again. The problem should have been solved.

Depending on your configuration, this audio problem may occur every time you restart your computer. You can stop this problem by uninstalling the SoundFlower extension on your Mac.

Static problems

Are you listening to crackles, pops, or other annoying and static noises coming from your speakers since you downloaded macOS? If you use external speakers, check their connections and test them on another device, such as a smartphone, to make sure it’s not the wiring. If the problem seems to be macOS, it’s time to revisit the settings.

Go to System Preferences and select Sound . In the first tab of Sound (Sound Effects ), you should see several options for settings. Make sure that the Play comments when volume is changed box is not selected, check and uncheck it again, and see if this helps eliminate static. Also, check that the output is on internal speakers or a speaker of your choice.

If you are using a Bluetooth device, some users have noticed that macOS does not pair well with certain devices, which can cause crackling and annoying noises.

Here it is best to reset both your Mac and your Bluetooth device and check if this solves the problem. Also, you can try switching to a newer Bluetooth device, at least momentarily, to see if the sound improves.

A reminder about macOS updates

If you’ve updated macOS and Apple apps in previous years, you probably know that not everything is fixed at once. If you’re still experiencing macOS, AirPlay sound problems, or other audio difficulties, apply any pending updates to your Mac and wait for Apple to release additional ones to fix those issues. They are on their way.