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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallTo capture music, game sounds, browser audio, or calls on a Mac in Streamlabs Desktop, route the Mac’s output through a virtual audio device such as BlackHole, then select BlackHole as a Mic/Auxiliary input in Streamlabs. A microphone by itself captures microphone audio—not sound from other apps. To hear the routed audio locally as well, create a macOS Multi-Output Device that includes BlackHole and your speakers or headphones.
How the Mac audio route works
Streamlabs’ guide explains that macOS does not let apps such as Streamlabs Desktop grab audio directly from other apps. The workaround is to send system sound to a virtual device, which Streamlabs can use as an audio input. A Multi-Output Device sends that sound both to BlackHole for capture and to a listening device for monitoring. This is Streamlabs’ explanation of its documented workflow, not a quotation from Apple. Streamlabs’ Mac desktop-audio guide was last updated November 10, 2025.
Set up BlackHole and macOS audio routing
- Install BlackHole. Follow the download and installation instructions on the BlackHole project wiki. Streamlabs describes BlackHole as free and open-source. Its download flow may change; follow the current instructions on the project site.
- Open Audio MIDI Setup. In macOS, open the Audio MIDI Setup app, then use the plus button to create a Multi-Output Device.
- Add the capture and listening devices. In the Multi-Output Device’s device list, enable BlackHole and the output you listen through, such as Built-in Output or your headphones. If you use another device for monitoring, enable that as appropriate. Keep the built-in output or listening device above BlackHole in the list. Streamlabs warns that putting BlackHole first can leave you unable to hear sound through your speakers or headphones.
- Make the Multi-Output Device the Mac’s sound output. Select it as the system sound output in macOS. System audio should then be routed to both the local listening device and BlackHole.
- Select BlackHole in Streamlabs Desktop. Open Settings > Audio, then choose BlackHole for one of the Mic/Auxiliary Device inputs. Streamlabs will receive the system audio through that input.
- Verify the signal. Play sound in the app you want to capture and watch the Streamlabs mixer. Confirm the relevant meter responds before recording or going live. If it does not, work through the checks below.
Streamlabs also documents this BlackHole workflow in its Mac screen-recording guide, which recommends BlackHole for macOS 11 Big Sur and later. That guide also names Loopback as another third-party option, but does not provide a current feature, price, or compatibility comparison.
Fix common problems
The Mac is silent after changing the output
Open Audio MIDI Setup and check the order of devices in the Multi-Output Device. Put the built-in output or the device you use to listen above BlackHole. Also confirm that the Multi-Output Device remains selected as the Mac’s sound output.
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BlackHole does not appear to work in Streamlabs
Confirm that BlackHole is enabled in the Multi-Output Device, that the Multi-Output Device is selected as macOS sound output, and that BlackHole is selected as a Mic/Auxiliary device in Settings > Audio. Play audio while checking the Streamlabs mixer.
Streamlabs cannot access the audio input
Check macOS microphone permission. Apple’s instructions, published May 27, 2026, say that on Ventura or later you can open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and enable the relevant app. On Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, or Mojave, use System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Microphone. See Apple’s microphone-permission instructions.
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Permission and routing solve different problems: permission lets Streamlabs use an audio input, while the Multi-Output Device and BlackHole route system sound into that input. Granting microphone access alone does not create the desktop-audio route.
Do you need another app or an accessory?
For the documented workflow, BlackHole is the detailed software route. Loopback is another option named by Streamlabs, but the cited guide does not establish its current price, feature set, or compatibility, so compare those details directly before choosing it. The setup described here does not identify headphones, a microphone, or an audio interface as a requirement for capturing system audio; a listening device is only needed if you want to monitor the sound locally.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is a continuous YouTube stream of uploaded recordings rather than capturing live Mac desktop audio in Streamlabs, StreamNeo is a separate cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. It loops uploaded video to YouTube; it does not capture a camera or replace the BlackHole setup for desktop-audio recording. Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. Any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps streams at one flat price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. Try StreamNeo’s free first day.
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