Download Blackhole Audio: How to Capture and Route Audio on Your Mac
If you are looking for a way to capture and route audio on your Mac, you might have heard of Blackhole Audio. But what is it exactly, and how can you use it? In this article, we will explain what Blackhole Audio is, why you might want to use it, how to download and install it, and how to use it for various purposes. We will also show you how to uninstall it if you no longer need it.
What is Blackhole Audio?
Blackhole Audio is a modern macOS virtual audio driver that allows applications to pass audio to other applications with zero additional latency. It is developed by Devin Roth / Existential Audio, and is commonly used to route audio to different applications.
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A virtual audio driver for macOS
A virtual audio driver is a software component that acts as an interface between the operating system and the audio hardware. It allows the operating system to communicate with the audio hardware and send or receive audio signals. A virtual audio driver, however, does not require any physical hardware. It creates a virtual audio device that can be recognized by the operating system and other applications as a real audio device.
A tool for audio loopback and routing
Audio loopback is the process of capturing the audio output of one application and sending it as the input of another application. For example, you can use audio loopback to record the sound of a video playing on your browser, or to stream the sound of your game to your audience. Audio routing is the process of directing the audio input or output of one application to another application. For example, you can use audio routing to send the sound of your microphone to a voice chat application, or to send the sound of your music player to a speaker.
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A free and open source alternative to other solutions
Blackhole Audio is not the only virtual audio driver available for macOS. There are other solutions, such as Soundflower, Loopback, or iShowU Audio Capture. However, some of these solutions are outdated, buggy, or expensive. Blackhole Audio is a free and open source alternative that works with macOS Yosemite (10.10) and newer. It supports up to 256 audio channels and various sample rates. It also has zero driver latency and customizable settings.
Why Use Blackhole Audio?
There are many reasons why you might want to use Blackhole Audio on your Mac. Here are some of the most common ones:
To record system audio or any audio source
If you want to record the sound of your Mac or any application running on it, you will need a virtual audio driver like Blackhole Audio. By default, macOS does not provide a native way for users to get the internal/system audio. A third party solution like Blackhole Audio is required. With Blackhole Audio, you can capture the sound of any application or source on your Mac and record it with another application, such as QuickTime Player, Audacity, or GarageBand.
To stream or podcast with multiple applications
If you want to stream or podcast with multiple applications on your Mac, you will also need a virtual audio driver like Blackhole Audio. By using Blackhole Audio, you can mix and match the audio from different sources and applications and send it to your streaming or podcasting software, such as OBS, Streamlabs, or Skype. For example, you can stream or podcast with your microphone, your music player, your browser, and your game audio all at the same time.
To create custom audio setups with multi-output and aggregate devices
If you want to create custom audio setups with multiple input or output devices on your Mac, you will also need a virtual audio driver like Blackhole Audio. By using Blackhole Audio, you can create multi-output and aggregate devices in the Audio MIDI Setup application on your Mac. A multi-output device allows you to send the same audio signal to multiple output devices, such as speakers, headphones, or virtual devices. An aggregate device allows you to combine multiple input or output devices into one device, such as microphones, interfaces, or virtual devices. For example, you can create a multi-output device with Blackhole Audio and your speakers to listen to the same audio on both devices. Or you can create an aggregate device with Blackhole Audio and your microphone to record both sources with one device.
How to Download and Install Blackhole Audio?
There are two ways to download and install Blackhole Audio on your Mac: using the installer from GitHub or using Homebrew.
Option 1: Download the installer from GitHub
The easiest way to download and install Blackhole Audio is to use the installer from GitHub. Here are the steps:
Go to .
Click on the Releases tab and find the latest release.
Download the BlackHole.vpkg.zip file and unzip it.
Double-click on the BlackHole.vpkg file and follow the instructions.
Restart your Mac after the installation is complete.
You should now see Blackhole Audio as an option in your sound preferences and in your applications.
Option 2: Install via Homebrew
If you are familiar with Homebrew, a package manager for macOS, you can also use it to install Blackhole Audio. Here are the steps:
Open the Terminal application on your Mac.
Type brew tap existentialaudio/blackhole and press Enter.
Type brew install blackhole-2ch or brew install blackhole-16ch, depending on whether you want a 2-channel or a 16-channel version of Blackhole Audio, and press Enter.
Type sudo launchctl kickstart -kp system/com.apple.audio.coreaudiod and press Enter. This will restart CoreAudio, the audio service on macOS.
You should now see Blackhole Audio as an option in your sound preferences and in your applications.
How to Use Blackhole Audio?
To use Blackhole Audio on your Mac, you need to configure it in the Audio MIDI Setup application and select it as an input or output device in your applications. Here are the steps:
Configure Blackhole Audio in Audio MIDI Setup
The Audio MIDI Setup application is a utility that allows you to manage the audio devices on your Mac. You can use it to configure Blackhole Audio and create multi-output or aggregate devices with it. Here are the steps:
Open the Audio MIDI Setup application on your Mac. You can find it in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder.
In the left sidebar, you should see a list of audio devices on your Mac. Find Blackhole Audio and click on it.
In the right panel, you should see the settings for Blackhole Audio. You can adjust the volume level and mute/unmute each channel of Blackhole Audio. You can also change the sample rate of Blackhole Audio by clicking on the Format drop-down menu.
If you want to create a multi-output device with Blackhole Audio and another output device, click on the + button at the bottom left corner of the window and select Create Multi-Output Device. A new device will appear in the left sidebar. Click on it and check the boxes next to Blackhole Audio and another output device in the right panel. You can also adjust the volume level and mute/unmute each device individually.
If you want to create an aggregate device with Blackhole Audio and another input or output device, click on the + button at the bottom left corner of the window and select Create Aggregate Device. A new device will appear in the left sidebar. Click on it and check the boxes next to Blackhole Audio and another input or output device in the right panel. You can also change the sample rate and clock source of the aggregate device by clicking on the drop-down menus.
You can rename any device by double-clicking on its name in the left sidebar. You can also delete any device by right-clicking on it and selecting Delete.
Select Blackhole Audio as input or output device in your applications
Once you have configured Blackhole Audio in the Audio MIDI Setup application, you can select it as an input or output device in your applications. Here are some examples:
If you want to record system audio or any audio source with QuickTime Player, open QuickTime Player and select File > New Audio Recording. Click on the arrow next to the record button and select Blackhole Audio as the input device. You can also select another output device to monitor the audio while recording. Click on the record button to start recording.
If you want to stream or podcast with multiple applications with OBS, open OBS and select Settings > Audio. Under Devices, select Blackhole Audio as one of the audio sources. You can also select another output device to monitor the audio while streaming or podcasting. Click on OK to save the settings.
If you want to create custom audio setups with multi-output or aggregate devices with GarageBand, open GarageBand and select GarageBand > Preferences > Audio/MIDI. Under Input Device and Output Device, select the multi-output or aggregate device that you created with Blackhole Audio. Click on OK to save the settings.
You can also select Blackhole Audio as an input or output device in other applications that support audio input or output, such as Audacity, Skype, Spotify, etc.
How to Uninstall Blackhole Audio?
If you no longer need Blackhole Audio on your Mac, you can uninstall it easily. There are two ways to uninstall Blackhole Audio: using the uninstaller from GitHub or manually deleting the driver file and restarting CoreAudio.
Option 1: Use the uninstaller from GitHub
The easiest way to uninstall Blackhole Audio is to use the uninstaller from GitHub. Here are the steps:
Go to .
Click on the Releases tab and find the latest release.
Download the Uninstall.pkg.zip file and unzip it.
Double-click on the Uninstall.pkg file and follow the instructions.
Restart your Mac after the uninstallation is complete.
You should no longer see Blackhole Audio as an option in your sound preferences and in your applications.
Option 2: Manually delete the driver file and restart CoreAudio
If you prefer to uninstall Blackhole Audio manually, you can do so by deleting the driver file and restarting CoreAudio. Here are the steps:
Open the Finder application on your Mac.
In the menu bar, select Go > Go to Folder....
Type /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL/ and press Enter.
In the folder that opens, find and delete the file named BlackHole.driver.
In order to apply the changes, you need to restart CoreAudio. To do so, open the Terminal application on your Mac and type sudo launchctl kickstart -kp system/com.apple.audio.coreaudiod. Press Enter and enter your password when prompted.
You should no longer see Blackhole Audio as an option in your sound preferences and in your applications.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to download, install, use, and uninstall Blackhole Audio on your Mac. We have also explained what Blackhole Audio is, why you might want to use it, and how to create custom audio setups with multi-output and aggregate devices. We hope that this article has been helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Blackhole Audio:
Is Blackhole Audio safe to use?
Yes, Blackhole Audio is safe to use. It is a reputable and reliable virtual audio driver that has been tested and verified by many users. It does not contain any malware, spyware, or adware. It also does not collect or transmit any personal or sensitive data from your Mac.
Does Blackhole Audio work with Windows or Linux?
No, Blackhole Audio only works with macOS. It is specifically designed for the macOS audio system and does not support other operating systems. If you are looking for a similar solution for Windows or Linux, you might want to check out other virtual audio drivers, such as VB-CABLE, Voicemeeter, or JACK.
How can I update Blackhole Audio?
If you want to update Blackhole Audio to the latest version, you can follow the same steps as installing it. You can either download the installer from GitHub or use Homebrew to update it. You do not need to uninstall the previous version before updating it.
How can I troubleshoot Blackhole Audio?
If you encounter any problems or issues with Blackhole Audio, you can try the following steps:
Make sure that you have installed Blackhole Audio correctly and that it appears in your sound preferences and in your applications.
Make sure that you have configured Blackhole Audio properly in the Audio MIDI Setup application and that it matches the settings of your applications.
Make sure that you have selected Blackhole Audio as the input or output device in your applications and that the volume level and mute/unmute status are correct.
Make sure that you have restarted CoreAudio after installing, updating, or uninstalling Blackhole Audio. You can do so by typing sudo launchctl kickstart -kp system/com.apple.audio.coreaudiod in the Terminal application.
If none of the above steps work, you can contact the developer of Blackhole Audio on GitHub or on Discord for further assistance.
Where can I learn more about Blackhole Audio?
If you want to learn more about Blackhole Audio, you can visit the following resources:
The official GitHub page of Blackhole Audio:
The official website of Existential Audio:
The official Discord server of Existential Audio:
The official YouTube channel of Existential Audio:
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