Download BlackHole for Mac: The Ultimate Virtual Audio Driver
How to Download BlackHole for Mac: A Guide for Audio Lovers
If you are a Mac user who loves to work with audio, you might have encountered some limitations when it comes to routing, recording, or streaming audio on your device. For example, you might want to record the sound from a YouTube video, or send the audio from your DAW to a video conferencing app, or stream your music production to an online platform. However, MacOS does not provide a native way to do these things, and you might need to rely on third-party solutions that are either expensive, complicated, or unreliable.
Fortunately, there is a free, simple, and powerful solution that can help you take control of your Mac audio. It is called BlackHole, and it is a modern virtual audio driver that allows applications to pass audio to other applications with zero additional latency. In this article, we will show you how to download and install BlackHole for Mac, how to use it for various purposes, and some tips and tricks to make the most out of it.
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What is BlackHole?
BlackHole is a virtual audio device that shows up as a hardware input and output on your Mac. It acts as a loopback device that can capture and send audio from any source to any destination. You can use it to route audio between applications, record system audio, stream audio online, and more. It supports up to 256 channels and multiple sample rates, from 8kHz to 768kHz. It also has zero driver latency, which means no delay or sync issues.
BlackHole is developed by Existential Audio, an independent software company founded by Devin Roth. It is based on the Soundflower project, which was discontinued in 2014. BlackHole is open source and free to use for personal and commercial purposes. You can find more information about BlackHole on its .
Why Do You Need BlackHole?
BlackHole can help you solve many audio problems that you might encounter on your Mac. Here are some common use cases and scenarios where BlackHole can come in handy:
Record system audio: You can use BlackHole to record any sound that comes out of your Mac, such as web videos, games, podcasts, etc. You can use any audio recording software that supports BlackHole as an input device, such as GarageBand, Audacity , or QuickTime Player.
Route audio between applications: You can use BlackHole to send audio from one application to another, such as from your DAW to a video editing software, or from a music player to a sound analyzer. You can use any audio software that supports BlackHole as an input or output device, such as Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Final Cut Pro, or Adobe Audition.
Stream audio online: You can use BlackHole to stream audio from your Mac to an online platform, such as YouTube, Twitch, Zoom, or Skype. You can use any streaming software that supports BlackHole as an input device, such as OBS Studio, Streamlabs OBS, or Ecamm Live.
As you can see, BlackHole is a versatile and powerful tool that can enhance your audio experience on your Mac. Now let's see how to download and install it.
How to Download and Install BlackHole for Mac
Downloading and installing BlackHole for Mac is very easy and straightforward. You have two options: you can either download the installer from the official website, or you can use Homebrew, a package manager for MacOS. Here are the steps for both methods:
Step 1: Choose the version and channel count that suits your needs
BlackHole comes in two versions: 16ch and 2ch. The 16ch version supports up to 16 channels of audio, while the 2ch version supports only 2 channels. The 16ch version is recommended for most users, as it offers more flexibility and compatibility. However, if you only need stereo audio, you can use the 2ch version to save some CPU resources.
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You can also choose the channel count that you want to use for BlackHole. By default, it is set to 16 for the 16ch version and 2 for the 2ch version. However, you can change it to any number between 1 and 256 by editing the configuration file. This can be useful if you want to optimize the performance or compatibility of BlackHole with your audio applications.
Step 2: Download the installer or use Homebrew
If you want to download the installer, you can go to the and click on the download button for the version that you want. You will get a zip file that contains the installer package.
If you want to use Homebrew, you need to have it installed on your Mac first. If you don't have it yet, you can follow the instructions on the to install it. Then, you can open a terminal window and type the following command:
brew install blackhole-2ch
or
brew install blackhole-16ch
depending on the version that you want.
Step 3: Run the installer or the brew command
If you downloaded the installer, you need to unzip the file and double-click on the package file. Then, follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.
If you used Homebrew, you just need to wait for the command to finish running. It will automatically download and install BlackHole for you.
Step 4: Restart CoreAudio or your Mac
The last step is to restart CoreAudio or your Mac. CoreAudio is the system service that handles audio on MacOS. Restarting it will make sure that BlackHole is recognized and activated by your system.
To restart CoreAudio, you can use another terminal command:
sudo killall coreaudiod
You will need to enter your password when prompted.
To restart your Mac, you can use the Apple menu and choose Restart.
How to Use BlackHole for Mac
Now that you have installed BlackHole for Mac, you can start using it for your audio needs. Here are some basic steps on how to use BlackHole for Mac:
Step 1: Set up a multi-output device in Audio MIDI Setup
A multi-output device is a virtual device that allows you to send audio to multiple destinations at once. You will need to create one if you want to use BlackHole along with your built-in speakers or headphones, or any other external audio device.
To create a multi-output device, you need to open Audio MIDI Setup, which is a utility app that comes with MacOS. You can find it in the Applications folder, or use Spotlight to search for it. Once you open it, you will see a list of audio devices on the left side of the window. To create a multi-output device, you need to click on the plus (+) button at the bottom left corner and choose Create Multi-Output Device. A new device will appear on the list, and you can rename it if you want.
Then, you need to check the boxes next to the devices that you want to include in the multi-output device. For example, if you want to use BlackHole and your built-in speakers, you need to check the boxes next to BlackHole and Built-in Output. You can also adjust the volume and drift correction settings for each device by clicking on the gear icon at the bottom right corner.
Once you have set up your multi-output device, you need to make it your default output device. To do that, you need to go to System Preferences > Sound > Output and select your multi-output device from the list. Alternatively, you can use the volume icon on the menu bar and choose your multi-output device from there.
Step 2: Select BlackHole as the input or output device in your audio applications
The next step is to select BlackHole as the input or output device in your audio applications. This will allow you to send or receive audio from BlackHole. The exact steps may vary depending on the application that you are using, but generally, you need to go to the preferences or settings menu of the application and look for the audio input or output options. Then, you need to choose Bla