actually my MacBook Air its speakers are having some glitch I suppose bc whenever I am calling someone on WhatsApp I can hear them but they cant hear me its like really robotic and bad and I think it happend only when I updated the new software
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 26.5
Since your MacBook Air uses Apple silicon (such as M1, M2, M3, or M4), the issue is less likely to be related to older Intel audio drivers. Given that it started after the macOS 26.5 update, the most likely causes are a WhatsApp compatibility issue, a changed microphone permission setting, or a macOS audio service problem.
How many times has the computer been restarted since Tahoe 26.5 was installed ?
NOTE >> The latest version of macOS is 26.5.2. Learn how to update the software on your Mac and how to allow important background updates
Open System Settings >> Sound >> Input and confirm that MacBook Air Microphone is selected. Speak and check whether the input level moves smoothly.
Open Voice Memos and make a short recording. If the recording also sounds robotic, the problem is with macOS or the microphone system. If the recording sounds normal, the issue is likely limited to WhatsApp.
Go to System Settings >> Privacy & Security >> Microphone. Turn WhatsApp microphone access off, restart the Mac, then turn microphone access on again.
Fully quit WhatsApp using Command + Q, restart your Mac, and test another call.
Restart the macOS audio service by opening Terminal and running sudo killall coreaudiod
Then enter your password if requested and test WhatsApp again.
If the problem only happens in WhatsApp and your Voice Memos recording is clear, I would suspect a WhatsApp update compatibility problem with macOS 26.5 rather than a hardware failure.
One more thing to check: during a WhatsApp call, does the microphone indicator appear in the macOS menu bar, and does it show WhatsApp accessing the microphone?
Since your MacBook Air uses Apple silicon (such as M1, M2, M3, or M4), the issue is less likely to be related to older Intel audio drivers. Given that it started after the macOS 26.5 update, the most likely causes are a WhatsApp compatibility issue, a changed microphone permission setting, or a macOS audio service problem.
How many times has the computer been restarted since Tahoe 26.5 was installed ?
NOTE >> The latest version of macOS is 26.5.2. Learn how to update the software on your Mac and how to allow important background updates
Open System Settings >> Sound >> Input and confirm that MacBook Air Microphone is selected. Speak and check whether the input level moves smoothly.
Open Voice Memos and make a short recording. If the recording also sounds robotic, the problem is with macOS or the microphone system. If the recording sounds normal, the issue is likely limited to WhatsApp.
Go to System Settings >> Privacy & Security >> Microphone. Turn WhatsApp microphone access off, restart the Mac, then turn microphone access on again.
Fully quit WhatsApp using Command + Q, restart your Mac, and test another call.
Restart the macOS audio service by opening Terminal and running sudo killall coreaudiod
Then enter your password if requested and test WhatsApp again.
If the problem only happens in WhatsApp and your Voice Memos recording is clear, I would suspect a WhatsApp update compatibility problem with macOS 26.5 rather than a hardware failure.
One more thing to check: during a WhatsApp call, does the microphone indicator appear in the macOS menu bar, and does it show WhatsApp accessing the microphone?
This robotic/distorted mic issue on WhatsApp after a macOS update is a known compatibility problem. Here are the steps to fix it:
1. Check mic input settings — Go to System Settings > Sound > Input, and make sure the correct microphone is selected ("MacBook Air Microphone"). Sometimes updates reset this to an incorrect source.
2. Reset WhatsApp microphone permissions — Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and toggle WhatsApp off, wait a few seconds, then toggle it back on. Quit and reopen WhatsApp.
3. Update WhatsApp — Open the App Store > Updates and check if there's a newer version of WhatsApp for Mac. The app may need an update to be compatible with macOS 26.5.
4. Adjust input volume — Go to System Settings > Sound > Input and check that the Input Volume slider is not too high (over 80% can cause distortion and robotic processing). Try reducing it to around 60-70%.
5. Try a test call with another app — Use FaceTime to make a test call. If your mic sounds fine in FaceTime but robotic in WhatsApp, the issue is specific to WhatsApp's audio processing on the new macOS version, and you should report it to WhatsApp support at wa.me/feedback.
6. Reset Core Audio — Open Terminal and run: sudo killall coreaudiod
This restarts the audio system without needing a reboot and can clear audio glitches caused by update conflicts.
Hope this helps get your mic working clearly again!
MacBook Air mic robotic on WhatsApp post-update
