can't change sound preferences

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Level 2

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can't change sound preferences

I am not longer able to change the sound input/output in the Sound Preference window of System Settings. I can change the output in the Control Center, but the only way to change input is in the Audio Midi Setup app. I've recently installed BlackHole and that's how I discovered the Audio Midi Setup options, but did the installation of BlackHole also lock me out of making sound input/output changes in System Settings? How can I regain control? Thank you.

Mac mini, macOS 13.6

Posted on Apr 21, 2024 8:14 PM

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Answer 1

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William M. Author

Level 2

215 points

Apr 22, 2024 8:43 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Your answer didn't completely fix things, but you did lead me down the right path.

In Ventura, it looks like the Control Center took the place of the Sound control in the menu bar. The intent, I guess, was that you'd always use Control Center to adjust sound. To fix this, I first had to go to System Preferences>Control Center and change the Sound setting to Always Show in Menu Bar. Now, the Sound icon appears, but it has changed from previous versions of macOS to resemble headphones. When you click on it, by default, it only shows output options. Like you said, if you hold down the Option key (not Command like it says on some web sites) before you click on the Sound icon, you have options for selecting both the output and input devices.

Everything is how I like it now and it wasn't BlackHole's fault.

Thanks, Luis, for your help.

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Answer 2

Apr 22, 2024 3:00 AM in response to William M.

I don't think that BlackHole is the cause. It merely adds some new sound inputs and outputs, I don't see how it could affect the ability to select.

FWIW, I do not use Control Center to switch audio inputs, I do it directly from the menu bar.

Clicking the sound icon in the menu bar lets one select output; holding down the OPTION key and clicking the sound icon in the menu bar lets one select both output and input - as seen in the image below.

Can you try that and see if it works?

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can't change sound preferences

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