What Is LitLink?
LitLink installs a lightweight kernel-level audio driver that operates at near-zero latency. Unlike other virtual audio cables for Mac, LitLink includes a companion app that handles all configuration automatically. There is no need to open Audio MIDI Setup, create aggregate devices, or configure multi-output devices manually.
What Does LitLink Free Include?
BlackHole proved you don't need a paid app to move audio between programs on a Mac. LitLink Free embraces that same idea and adds a companion app that handles the manual configuration steps for you — a per-app volume mixer, automatic multi-output device creation, built-in mic passthrough, built-in recording — so the things macOS never gave you are solved with one click instead of a trip into Audio MIDI Setup.
- Per-app volume control Set a different volume for every app, mute individually
- One-toggle system audio passthrough Automatic multi-output device, no Audio MIDI Setup
- Built-in mic passthrough Combines voice + system audio in one stream
- Built-in bus 0 recording Capture mic + system audio to .wav, no DAW needed
- Companion app with visual controls Menu bar integration, status display
- Persistence across restarts Set it once, it stays configured
- 32-bit float, 48 kHz stereo Studio-grade audio quality
- Help guide built into the app Setup instructions for every supported application
Per-App Volume Control — Free
macOS gives you exactly one volume slider for everything. LitLink Free adds the per-app volume mixer Apple never shipped: open the Per-App Volume tab and every app currently playing audio shows up with its own slider. Turn Spotify down, keep Discord up, mute a browser tab — all independently, all at once. A master fader rides the whole mix, and the same controls live in the menu bar so you can balance your audio without even opening the app. The mix plays straight through your normal output (speakers, headphones, AirPods) — no routing setup, no Audio MIDI Setup, completely free.
Balance every app's volume for your own listening — the mix plays through whatever output you already use (speakers, headphones, AirPods). A master fader rides the whole mix, and it all lives in the menu bar too. Completely free, no Pro required.
One-Toggle System Audio Passthrough
Flip the System Audio Passthrough switch and LitLink builds a multi-output device behind the scenes — pairing your physical output (speakers, headphones, AirPods) with the LitLink Audio Bridge virtual device — and sets it as the system default. Audio plays through your speakers and into the bridge at the same time, so any app that reads LitLink Audio Bridge as input gets a clean copy of system audio. Turn on Follow system output and the multi-output device automatically re-pairs whenever you change physical output, so audio follows your AirPods when you plug them in.
Automatically re-pairs the Multi-Output Device with whichever physical output macOS is using. Plug in AirPods or switch to headphones and audio follows.
One toggle replaces the entire Audio MIDI Setup workflow — no aggregate device, no master clock, no checkbox dance. Audio plays through your speakers and into LitLink Audio Bridge so any app can capture it.
Built-In Mic Passthrough
Most virtual audio drivers stop at system audio — combining your microphone with that stream means manually building an aggregate device in Audio MIDI Setup, mapping channels, and crossing your fingers. LitLink Free does it natively. Toggle Mic Passthrough on, pick your microphone, dial in the volume (with inline guidance for built-in laptop mics vs studio gear), and your voice mixes into the same LitLink Audio Bridge stream as system audio. Discord, Zoom, OBS, and every DAW just see one input.
Boost to 150–200% if your mic sounds quiet next to app audio (MacBook built-in mic, basic USB mic).
Keep at 100% for studio mics or USB interfaces with hardware gain — boosting compresses dynamics via the master limiter.
Voice and system audio combine into a single stream on LitLink Audio Bridge. Every other free virtual audio cable for Mac forces you to build aggregate devices for this.
Free Recording Built In
The Record button in the Mic Passthrough and System Audio Passthrough cards captures whatever is currently flowing through LitLink Audio Bridge — mic only, system audio only, or both combined — to a 48 kHz 32-bit float .wav file in ~/Music/LitLink Recordings/. No DAW, no QuickTime workaround, no second app. The button's subtitle adapts to your current setup so you always know exactly what the next click will capture.
One click captures whatever is flowing through LitLink Audio Bridge — mic, system audio, or both — to a 48 kHz 32-bit float .wav file in ~/Music/LitLink Recordings/. No DAW, no third-party app, no setup.
BlackHole gives you a rock-solid virtual cable and an active open-source community behind it — and for a lot of advanced users that's exactly what they want. LitLink Free starts from the same foundation (a kernel-level HAL driver) and pairs it with a companion app that automates multi-output device creation, mic passthrough, and recording, so users who'd rather not visit Audio MIDI Setup never have to.
What Does LitLink Pro Add?
PROPer-App Audio Routing With Volume, Mute, and Level Meters
Just want to balance app volumes? That's the free Per-App Volume mixer shown earlier — no Pro needed. Per-App Routing is the next step up: instead of sending everything to your speakers, you send each app to its own isolated track that DAWs, OBS, and call apps can read separately, with per-app EQ, limiter, monitoring, and recording on top.
Open the app, hit Refresh, and every Mac app currently producing audio shows up in the routing list with its real icon. Toggle apps on, drag the volume slider to set per-app gain, mute the speakers without stopping the tap, and watch real-time level meters tell you exactly what each app is sending into the bridge. Mute and unmute use a tap-recreate path so source apps fall completely silent on your speakers — no leak, no delayed cutover.
Multi-Destination Routing Across 8 Isolated Track Buses
LitLink Pro publishes nine virtual input devices to macOS: LitLink Audio Bridge (the default mixed output) plus LitLink Track 1 through LitLink Track 8. Route Discord music to Track 1, game audio to Track 2, Spotify to Track 3 — each track is exclusive, so apps on a track never leak into the default bridge. DAWs, OBS, Discord, and Zoom can read each track as its own independent input, so you can record a podcast guest on a separate stem, send game audio to OBS without doubling it on Discord, or feed an isolated music feed to a streaming overlay. Tracks only appear on the system once an app actually starts playing on them, so your Sound preferences stay clean.
Tracks 1–8 each appear as their own input device on macOS. DAWs, OBS, Discord, and Zoom can read them independently — no aggregate setup, no leaking audio, no manual routing.
Two-Stage Parametric EQ — Per App and Per Track
Each routed app gets its own three-band EQ (high-pass, parametric bell with adjustable Q, low-pass) layered on top of a real-time spectrum analyzer. Tame a harsh Discord caller, roll off rumble from a game mic, or scoop muddy mids out of a music app — without touching the source app, without running a DAW. Each track bus also has a Master EQ so you can polish the whole stem after every individual app has been corrected. Drag the gold dot to set frequency and gain; values render live below the curve, exactly like the in-app EQ window.
Per-App and Per-Track Peak Limiter
The limiter catches sudden volume spikes from browser videos, game cutscenes, and notification stings before they reach your stream or call. There's one on every routed app and one on every track bus, both with adjustable threshold, attack, and release. Two-stage limiting means an unexpectedly loud Spotify ad gets caught at the per-app limiter, and the entire mix gets a final safety net at the master limiter on its way out — so peak control survives even when several apps spike at once.
Live Monitor — Audition EQ Changes Through Your Headphones
Live Monitor pipes the EQ'd signal of any routed app (or any track's master output) to a headphone or monitor device of your choice. While monitoring, the source app is automatically muted on your speakers so you only hear the processed version — perfect for tuning EQ without the dry signal bleeding through, and for double-checking what your audience will actually receive. Pick any output device on your Mac, including external interfaces and AirPods.
Source app muted while monitoring. Plays the EQ'd audio so you can audition changes.
Split L/R Recording — Mic on the Left, Apps on the Right
Switch the LitLink Audio Bridge from Mixed to Split L/R and the bus 0 stereo stream becomes a two-track session: your microphone on the Left channel, every other audio source (System Audio Passthrough plus Per-App Routing) on the Right. Record in stereo from any DAW, screen recorder, or call app, then split the stereo file in post into two clean mono stems — voice and apps, fully separated, no bleed, no re-takes.
Your mic goes to the Left channel and all app audio (System Audio Passthrough + Per-App Routing) goes to the Right. Record in stereo from LitLink Audio Bridge and split the file in your DAW for clean post-production.
Multi-Track Recording With Master Record
Hit Record on any track and LitLink writes that bus to its own .wav file in ~/Music/LitLink Recordings/. Run several recordings simultaneously — one per app, one per stem — or arm Master Record to capture the sum of every active bus into a single mixed file at the same time. Stop everything together with one button and Finder reveals the whole session at once. Pair with Per-App EQ + Limiter to get studio-grade isolated stems with zero post-processing.
Each bus records to its own .wav file inside ~/Music/LitLink Recordings/, plus an optional Master Record that captures every active bus into a single mixed file. Stop everything together and Finder reveals the whole session.
Loopback by Rogue Amoeba offers per-app routing for $99 with a wire-based interface, but no built-in EQ, limiter, Live Monitor, or per-bus recording. LitLink Pro covers every one of those at less than a third of the price.
Download LitLink Free first. Every Pro feature is built into the app but locked. Click "Buy LitLink Pro" inside the app, choose monthly ($3.99/mo) or lifetime ($29), enter your license key, and Pro unlocks instantly. Try LitLink Pro free for 7 days in the app before purchasing — no credit card required.
How Does LitLink Compare to BlackHole?
LitLink
- Free per-app volume mixer Different volume per app, mute individually
- Free core features Mic passthrough + system audio + recording
- One-toggle setup Automatic multi-output device
- Built-in mic passthrough Voice + system audio combined
- Built-in recording Capture to .wav from inside the app
- Companion app included Visual controls, menu bar, status
- Persists across restarts Set it once, forget it
- Pro tier available Per-app routing, EQ, limiter, multi-track
BlackHole
- Free and open-source MIT license, active maintenance
- Multiple channel counts 2ch, 16ch, 64ch builds
- Manual Audio MIDI Setup Full control for power users
- Driver only Bring your own multi-output / aggregate
- Bring your own mic mix Aggregate device for voice + system
- Bring your own recorder Use a DAW or screen recorder
- No paid tier Everything is free
The audio quality is identical: both operate at the kernel level with 32-bit float, 48 kHz stereo passthrough. BlackHole remains an excellent choice if you prefer driver-only software you can wire up exactly to your taste in Audio MIDI Setup, especially if you need 16- or 64-channel routing. LitLink is the better fit if you'd rather get the same kernel-level routing without manually building aggregate devices, with mic passthrough and recording included out of the box, plus an optional Pro tier when you outgrow basic routing.
How Do You Set Up LitLink?
- Download and install LitLink Free, no account required
- Open the LitLink app Runs in the menu bar
- Toggle System Audio Passthrough One click, done
- Select LitLink Audio Bridge as input in your app Discord, OBS, Zoom, etc.
- Optional: toggle Mic Passthrough Combines your voice with system audio
That is the entire setup. No Audio MIDI Setup. No multi-output device configuration. No master clock settings. LitLink handles all of it behind the scenes.
How Does Mic Passthrough Work in LitLink?
Driver-only virtual audio cables like BlackHole leave mic-and-system mixing to the user, typically by building an aggregate device in Audio MIDI Setup that combines the mic with the cable. LitLink handles this step inside the app. Toggle mic passthrough on, select your microphone, and both audio streams are mixed into the LitLink Audio Bridge virtual device with no aggregate setup.
The mic passthrough operates through a minimal ring buffer (~42ms) to bridge the timing difference between your physical microphone and the virtual audio device. This latency is imperceptible in voice calls and streaming. Streamers who use LitPads as a custom soundboard app alongside LitLink can route soundboard audio, microphone input, and system audio into a single stream.
Which Applications Work with LitLink?
Streamers who need to route soundboard audio into OBS pair LitPads with LitLink for a two-component setup: LitPads outputs to speakers, LitLink captures system audio and sends it to the virtual device, and OBS reads from LitLink Audio Bridge. The same approach works for sending soundboard audio into Discord voice channels.
Common LitPads Setups Using LitLink
| Use case | LitLink | LitPads output | Recorder / call app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Record sounds while hearing them | System Audio Passthrough ON | LitLink + Speakers | Input → LitLink Audio Bridge |
| Stream with OBS | System Audio Passthrough ON | LitLink + Speakers | OBS → Audio Input Capture → LitLink Audio Bridge (+ separate mic source) |
| Discord / Zoom calls with sound effects | Passthrough + Mic Passthrough ON | LitLink + Speakers | Discord / Zoom mic input → LitLink Audio Bridge |
| Podcast: voice + intro sounds in one stream | Passthrough + Mic Passthrough ON | LitLink + Speakers | DAW input → LitLink Audio Bridge |
| Live performance, no recording | Off (not needed) | Your audio interface or stage output | n/a |
The full LitPads Setup Guide covers every supported configuration including silent recording, multi-track DAW recording, Pro per-bus routing, and the common footguns to avoid (like why "System Default" was removed and why direct LitLink Audio Bridge selection conflicts with System Audio Passthrough).
How Does LitLink Compare to Loopback?
LitLink covers all common use cases with zero manual configuration. LitLink Pro adds per-app routing at less than a third of the price of Loopback. A detailed breakdown of all options is available in the audio routing on Mac guide.
What Are the Technical Specifications of LitLink?
- HAL audio driver Kernel-level, near-zero latency
- 32-bit float audio Studio-grade quality
- 48 kHz sample rate Standard broadcast quality
- Stereo passthrough 2-channel audio
- macOS 14+ required Sonoma and later
- Per-app routing: macOS 14.2+ Process Tap API (Pro)
The driver operates at the same level as BlackHole and other kernel audio drivers. The difference is the companion app that automates the configuration steps that other drivers leave to the user. LitPads users who need a soundboard for streaming get the simplest possible audio chain: LitPads for sounds, LitLink for routing, and OBS or Discord for output.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LitLink really free?
LitLink Free is completely free with no trial period, no time limit, and no account required. The free version includes per-app volume control (a full volume mixer with a slider and mute for every app), mic passthrough, system audio passthrough with automatic multi-output device creation, the companion app with menu bar controls, and the built-in help guide. These features are permanently free.
Is per-app volume control free on Mac with LitLink?
Yes. Per-app volume control is completely free in LitLink — no Pro upgrade required. macOS only gives you one master volume slider, but LitLink's free Per-App Volume mixer lets you set a different volume for every app that's playing audio, mute apps individually, and ride the whole mix with a master fader, all from the menu bar. Pro is only needed when you want to route each app to its own isolated track for separate recording or streaming, or apply per-app EQ and limiting.
How do I get LitLink Pro?
Download and install LitLink Free first. Open the app and scroll to the Pro section. Click "Buy LitLink Pro" and choose between monthly ($3.99/mo) or lifetime ($29). Try LitLink Pro free for 7 days in the app before purchasing. After purchase, you will receive a transaction ID via email. Enter it in the app and click "Activate." Pro features unlock instantly. No separate download or reinstallation is needed.
What does LitLink Pro include?
LitLink Pro unlocks multi-destination routing across eight isolated track buses (LitLink Track 1 through Track 8) with exclusive per-track isolation, real-time level meters, a two-stage parametric EQ (per-app plus a per-track Master EQ), a two-stage peak limiter (per-app plus a per-track Master Limiter), Live Monitor for headphone audition, Split L/R stereo recording with mic on the Left channel and app audio on the Right, and multi-track simultaneous recording with a Master Record summary file. (Simple per-app volume control and mute are free — Pro is for routing each app to its own track and processing or recording it separately.) Pro uses the macOS Process Tap API to tap audio from individual applications and route, shape, monitor, and record each one independently before the signal reaches the virtual device.
What is multi-destination routing?
LitLink Pro publishes eight extra virtual input devices on macOS — LitLink Track 1 through LitLink Track 8 — alongside the default LitLink Audio Bridge. You assign each routed app to a track in the LitLink app, and DAWs, OBS, Discord, and Zoom can read each track as its own independent input. Apps on a track are exclusive: they don't leak into the default bridge. This lets you record a podcast guest on a separate stem, send game audio to OBS without doubling it on Discord, or feed an isolated music feed to a streaming overlay without aggregate device gymnastics.
What is Split L/R recording?
Split L/R is a Pro recording mode for the LitLink Audio Bridge default device. Switching the bus 0 output mode from Mixed to Split L/R puts your microphone on the Left channel and every other audio source (System Audio Passthrough plus Per-App Routing) on the Right. Recording from LitLink Audio Bridge in stereo gives you a two-track file you can split in your DAW into clean voice and app stems with no bleed, ideal for podcast post-production.
What does Live Monitor do?
Live Monitor sends the EQ'd signal of any routed app or any track's master output to a headphone or monitor device of your choice. While monitoring, LitLink mutes the source app on your speakers so you only hear the processed version — perfect for tuning EQ before going live, and for confirming what your audience will receive.
Can I record multiple tracks at once?
Yes. Each track bus has its own Record chip in Pro. Hit Record on as many tracks as you want and LitLink writes a separate .wav file per bus to ~/Music/LitLink Recordings/. There's also a Master Record button that captures the sum of every active bus into a single mixed file simultaneously, so you can keep both isolated stems and a reference mix from one session. Stop everything together and Finder reveals the whole session.
Is LitLink Pro a subscription?
LitLink Pro is available as either a monthly subscription ($3.99/mo, cancel anytime) or a one-time lifetime purchase ($29). The monthly plan unlocks Pro features as long as the subscription is active. The lifetime plan unlocks Pro features permanently with a single payment. Try LitLink Pro free for 7 days in the app before purchasing.
Can I use my license key on multiple Macs?
Each license key activates on one Mac. If you need LitLink Pro on additional machines, contact support for multi-seat pricing.
What macOS version does LitLink require?
LitLink Free requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later. LitLink Pro per-app routing requires macOS 14.2 or later because it uses the Process Tap API introduced in that release.
Does LitLink work with Apple Silicon and Intel Macs?
LitLink runs natively on Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) and Intel Macs. The audio driver is a universal binary that supports both architectures without Rosetta translation.
Is LitLink safe to install?
LitLink is signed with a Developer ID certificate and notarized by Apple. macOS Gatekeeper verifies the signature before installation. The installer places the audio driver in the standard system audio plugin directory and the app in your Applications folder.
How do I uninstall LitLink?
Open the LitLink app, go to the Status section, and click "Uninstall Driver." The app automatically disables all passthrough features, removes the multi-output device, restores your original audio output, and removes the driver from the system. Then delete the LitLink app from Applications.
Can I use LitLink Free and LitLink Pro features at the same time?
Yes. Mic passthrough, system audio passthrough, and per-app routing all work simultaneously. Your voice, system audio, and individually routed app audio are mixed together into the LitLink Audio Bridge virtual device. Discord, OBS, or any other receiving application gets the combined stream.
Why do some apps not appear in the per-app routing list?
Apps only appear in the per-app routing list when they are actively producing audio. If an app is open but not playing sound, it will not show up. Start playback in the app and click Refresh App List. Chrome, Safari, Discord, Spotify, Music, QuickTime, and all major audio applications are supported.
Does LitLink add latency?
LitLink operates at the kernel level with near-zero latency for system audio passthrough. Mic passthrough adds approximately 42ms through a minimal ring buffer, which is imperceptible in voice calls and streaming. Per-app routing latency is comparable to mic passthrough.
Can I use LitLink with LitPads?
LitLink and LitPads are designed to work together. LitPads is a custom soundboard app for Mac, iPad, and iPhone. LitLink routes LitPads audio to Discord, OBS, Zoom, or any other application. The combination provides a complete audio routing and soundboard solution for streamers, podcasters, and content creators.
Marcel Iseli is an indie developer, DJ, and music producer with over 20 years behind the decks and in the studio. Rooted in hip hop culture, he collects drum machines, samplers, and vintage audio gear. LitPads grew out of that obsession: decades of triggering samples on hardware led him to build the software equivalent he always wanted.