Remove / Disable Unwanted Audio Output Device in macOS

I keep having issues with macOS defaulting to audio devices that I will never use. For example, my external monitor offers audio over DP / HDMI. It doesn't even have speakers, just an audio out plug. There is no set of circumstances where I want audio out going to that device, yet my MBP seems to select it for audio out about 50% of the time.


I understand how to change my audio output, but it is tedious and annoying to do it every time I dock my laptop.


How can I permanently disable an audio device that I will never use?

Posted on Dec 1, 2023 12:49 PM

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1 reply

Dec 1, 2023 4:05 PM in response to jlkar31

Hmmm, have a look here...


How To Remove Unwanted Mac Audio Devices


If you’ve ever had a pesky unwanted Apple Mac audio device that inhabits your audio device list in your DAW but can’t seem to remove it, we tell you how.

The Quick Answer

There’s a couple of places to look if you have unwanted or redundant audio devices you want to remove.

The first place is to look in Audio MIDI Setup on your Mac. Open the Audio MIDI Setup application, go to the Window Menu and select Show Audio Devices. This should list all the devices, including any Aggregate audio devices you may have created. In many cases it’s simply a case of selecting the device you want to remove and clicking on the - (minus) icon at the bottom left of the GUI.


If this doesn’t work then go to /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL - in there you will find an array of devices, often virtual audio devices live here, such as Sessionwire or Telestream. To remove a device, delete it then restart your Mac.


https://www.production-expert.com/production-expert-1/how-to-remove-unwanted-mac-audio-devices#:~:text=To%20remove%20a%20device%2C%20delete%20the%20folder%20containing%20the%20content,you%20have%20restarted%20your%20computer.


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Remove / Disable Unwanted Audio Output Device in macOS

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