Are you experiencing sound problems on your Mac? If so, we’ve got you covered.
In this post, we’ll outline some potential solutions to help get your Mac up and running again.
Fixing a Mac with No Sound
While Macs are typically known for their sleek design and cutting-edge features, they also boast a powerful and reliable sound system. The built-in amplifier delivers high-quality audio to internal and external speakers, and the multiple input and output options make it easy to connect various devices.
In addition, the Mac sound system is designed to work seamlessly with Apple software, providing a hassle-free experience.
That said, some users have reported problems with audio playback. In some cases, users have found that they are unable to play audio on their Macs even when they’ve barely tweaked the settings. While this isn’t a universal problem, it can be hugely frustrating.
There are a few potential causes for this sound problem, and it’s often difficult to pinpoint the exact one. In some cases, it may be a conflict between the sound system and other software installed on your computer. In other cases, it may be a hardware issue.
Whatever the cause, it’s important to troubleshoot and get the audio working properly again.
We’ll now look at the most reliable troubleshooting methods.
Mac No Sound Output from Built In Speakers
If you are having issues with sound output from your Mac’s built-in speakers, there are a few things you can check to try to resolve the issue:
Review Your System Preferences
First, ensure your Mac’s built-in speakers are selected as the sound output device in system preferences.
To do this:
- Open System Preferences and click on “Sound.”
- Under the output tab, make sure that the “Built-In Speakers” option is selected.
Unplug Headphones and External Speakers
By design, your Mac cannot play audio via headphones/external speakers and the built-in speakers simultaneously unless you’ve activated the Audio MIDI Setup. This means if you have connected some headphones or external speakers, you’ll need to unplug them and allow the system to autodetect the built-in speakers as the functional hardware.
Reset PRAM
If you’re experiencing sound problems on your Mac, resetting PRAM (Parameter Random Access Memory) may resolve the issue. But why?
PRAM stores certain types of data that need to be accessed quickly, such as system parameters and user preferences, including time zone, display settings, and speaker volume. If any of this information is corrupted, it can cause sound problems. Resetting PRAM clears out the corrupt information and allows your Mac to start afresh.
This process is relatively simple and only takes a few minutes to complete:
- Shut down your Mac and then turn it back on.
- As soon as you hear the startup sound, hold down the Command, Option, P, and R keys simultaneously. You will hear the startup sound again and see the Apple logo on your screen. Continue holding down the keys until the progress bar appears on your screen.
- Once the progress bar has finished, release the keys, and let your Mac restart normally.
After resetting PRAM, you may need to adjust your display and speaker settings, but your sound problems should be resolved.
Mac No Sound Through Headphones
Check the Basics
Before trying anything complex, try restarting your computer. Sometimes, a simple restart can fix minor software issues causing sound output problems. Another thing to check is the volume levels. Make sure that the volume on your device is turned up and that the headphones are plugged in all the way.
In addition, check the headphone jack for any dirt or debris that might be blocking the port. A quick blast of compressed air can often clear away any dust causing the problem. If that doesn’t work, look at the port itself. Sometimes dust can accumulate inside the port, preventing the connection from being recognized.
Finally, connect the headphones to a different device such as an iPad or Windows PC. If they work on the other device, the problem may be with your Mac. If they don’t work on another device, the problem may be with your headphones.
Clear the Ports
If the basics are fine, check all the ports to see if anything is plugged in that could redirect the sound. HDMI, Thunderbolt, and USB devices can all cause sound to be directed away from your headphones. If your external speakers are connected via the audio port, for example, your sound is probably being redirected to the speakers instead of the headphones.
Reset Sound Settings
Your headphones won’t work if a different device has been set as the preferred mode of output.
Here’s what to do to use your headphones as your preferred output device:
- Go to System Preferences > Sound.
- Select the “Output” tab.
- Select “Headphones” from the list of options and click “OK.”
Mac No Sound Bluetooth
If you’re having trouble getting your Mac’s sound to play through a Bluetooth speaker or headset, there are a few things you can try:
The Basics
First, make sure that the Bluetooth speaker or headset is turned on and properly paired with your Mac. If it is, then try resetting the device. To do this, simply turn it off and back on again.
If neither of these solutions works, then you may need to look at your Mac’s Bluetooth settings:
- Open System Preferences and click on “Bluetooth.”
- Make sure that the box next to “Enable Bluetooth” is checked. If it’s not, check it and then click on the “Apply” button.
Finally, try connecting your Bluetooth device again.
If that doesn’t work, try restarting your Mac before moving on to the more elaborate troubleshooting steps outlined below.
Reset Sound Preferences
One potential problem is that your Mac’s sound preferences may be set incorrectly.
Here’s how to reset sound preferences on your Mac:
- Go to Finder and open the “Library” folder.
- Find the “Preferences” folder and delete the following files:
com.apple.preferences.plist
com.apple.soundpref.plist - Restart your Mac.
This will force your Mac to recreate the file, which should fix any bugs or incorrect settings causing problems with your Bluetooth device.
Relaunch the Audio Process
If the basics are fine and resetting sound preferences doesn’t work, you may want to try resetting the audio process using the Activity Monitor. Here’s how:
- Open the Applications folder and launch Activity Monitor.
- Click on the “CPU” tab
- Find the “coreaudiod” process and hit the “Quit” button.
- Close Activity Monitor
Reset Bluetooth
If none of the solutions above work, try resetting the Bluetooth module on your Mac.
To do this:
- Open the Terminal application and type in the following command:
sudo killall -HUP blued
- Enter your admin password and then press “Return.”
This will reset the Bluetooth module and hopefully fix the sound issue. If you’re still having trouble, you may need to consult your audio device’s documentation for further troubleshooting steps.
Mac No Sound Output External Speakers
If you’re having trouble getting sound out of your external speakers, there are a few things you can check:
The Basics
First, make sure the speakers are properly plugged into the audio output port on your Mac or display. Second, check if there’s a power switch and volume adjustment on your external speakers. If there is, ensure the speakers are turned on, and the volume is turned up. If the speakers still don’t work, try plugging them into a different audio port on your Mac or display.
Tweak System Preferences
For your external speakers to work, they need to be the selected mode output in your Mac’s sound preferences.
Here’s how to verify that the external speakers are the preferred output devices:
- Open the System Preferences application and click on the “Sound” icon.
- In the “Output” section of the “Sound” panel, make sure that your external speakers are indicated as the sound output device. If you only have one audio port on your Mac, you can use the “Use audio port for” popup menu to select “External speakers” as the sound output.
Mac No Sound From Chrome
While there can be several reasons why the audio might not be playing on Chrome when you’re watching videos or playing audio, there are a few things you can check that might help resolve the issue:
First, ensure that your Mac’s volume levels are turned up. You can do this by clicking the volume icon in the menu bar and adjusting the slider.
If the problem persists, the currently opened tab may be muted, which would explain why you’re not hearing anything. To check if this is the case, open the tab and see if there’s a muted audio icon next to the tab’s title. To unmute the tab, right-click and select “Unmute tab” from the popup menu.
If you’re still not hearing any audio, there may be an issue with the website you’re trying to watch the video on. In that case, try opening the video on a different browser like Safari or Firefox and see if you have any luck.
Lastly, if none of these solutions work, there may be an issue with your computer’s audio drivers. In that case, you would need to update or reinstall your audio drivers to get the sound working again.
Start With the Basics
If you are experiencing problems with your Mac sound, there are a few troubleshooting steps that you can take to try and resolve the issue. When troubleshooting, we recommend starting with the basics and then moving on to the more complex methods if the problem persists.
Have you had a sound problem on your Mac? How did you handle it?
Let us know in the comments section below.
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