How to Record Internal Audio on Mac

Why Can't Mac Record Internal Audio by Default?

Core Audio, the low-level audio framework in macOS, manages audio streams between applications and hardware devices. The framework sends audio data from apps to the selected output device (built-in speakers, AirPods, USB audio interface) but does not provide a tap point where recording software can intercept that stream. Windows includes WASAPI loopback capture natively. macOS does not.

Apple included limited audio capture capabilities in early versions of Mac OS X through the now-discontinued Soundflower project and built-in aggregate device features. Modern macOS (Sonoma 14, Sequoia 15) requires a virtual audio cable for Mac to bridge the gap. The virtual driver creates a software device that acts as both an output (where apps send audio) and an input (where recording software reads audio).

Screen recording tools like QuickTime Player can capture video of the screen but cannot record system audio without a virtual audio device selected as the input source. OBS, Audacity, GarageBand, and Logic Pro all face the same limitation. The recording application needs an audio input device that carries system sound, and macOS does not create one automatically.

How Do You Record Internal Audio on Mac with LitLink?

• Download and install LitLink free from litpads.io, macOS 14 Sonoma or later
• Open LitLink and toggle System Audio Passthrough on creates the LitLink Audio Bridge device automatically
• Open your recording app (QuickTime, OBS, Audacity) select LitLink Audio Bridge as the audio input
• Press record and play the audio you want to capture system audio flows through LitLink Audio Bridge into the recorder
• Stop recording when finished audio is saved at full quality, no compression

LitLink automatically creates a "LitLink + Speakers" multi-output device that sends system audio to both your headphones (so you can monitor what you hear) and the LitLink Audio Bridge virtual input (so the recording app can capture it). No manual configuration in Audio MIDI Setup is required. The entire audio routing on Mac process is handled by the single toggle.

Audio captured through LitLink Audio Bridge is bit-perfect. LitLink passes raw PCM buffers between the system output and the virtual input device with sub-millisecond latency. The recording app receives the same audio data that reaches your speakers, at the same sample rate (44,100 Hz or 48,000 Hz depending on your system configuration).

Which Recording Apps Work with Internal Audio Capture on Mac?

QuickTime Player is the fastest option for simple recordings. Open QuickTime, select File, then New Audio Recording (or New Screen Recording with audio on Mac), click the dropdown arrow next to the record button, and choose LitLink Audio Bridge. The recording captures all system audio at the system sample rate.

OBS Studio is the best option for streamers who want to record internal audio while broadcasting. The Audio Input Capture source reads from LitLink Audio Bridge and feeds into OBS's mixer, where it can be combined with microphone audio, adjusted with filters, and sent to Twitch or YouTube simultaneously. The LitPads features page covers how soundboard audio integrates with this workflow.

How Do You Record Internal Audio and Microphone Together on Mac?

• Open LitLink and enable System Audio Passthrough captures all system audio
• Toggle Mic Passthrough on adds your real microphone to the LitLink Audio Bridge mix
• Select your microphone from the dropdown built-in mic, USB mic, or audio interface input
• Choose LitLink Audio Bridge as input in your recording app receives both system audio and voice

Recording narration over system audio is one of the most common use cases for internal audio capture. Tutorial creators, podcast producers, and custom soundboard app users all need voice and system sound in the same recording. LitLink's mic passthrough eliminates the need to record two separate tracks and sync them in post-production.

The microphone signal and system audio are mixed at the driver level before reaching the recording application. Latency between the two sources is under 1 millisecond because both streams pass through the same Core Audio buffer cycle. The combined signal appears as a single mono or stereo input depending on your microphone configuration. Professional users who need separate tracks for voice and system audio can still use two Audio Input Capture sources in OBS or two tracks in Logic Pro, one reading from LitLink Audio Bridge (system only, with mic passthrough off) and one reading from the physical microphone directly.

What Are the Alternatives for Recording System Audio on Mac?

BlackHole is the most popular free alternative. The driver creates a virtual audio device, but users must manually open Audio MIDI Setup, create a multi-output device that includes both headphones and BlackHole, enable drift correction, and match sample rates across all devices. The process takes 5 to 10 minutes and is error-prone for users unfamiliar with Core Audio configuration. The audio routing guide covers the full BlackHole setup process.

Loopback provides the most control over audio routing. The application creates custom virtual devices that capture audio from specific applications rather than the entire system. Loopback is the right choice for professional audio engineers who need to isolate individual application outputs into separate recording tracks. The $99 price is justified for complex production workflows but unnecessary for basic internal audio recording.

Soundflower was the original virtual audio driver for macOS. The project is no longer maintained, does not support Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) natively, and is incompatible with macOS Catalina (10.15) and later due to Apple's deprecation of kernel extensions in favor of system extensions. Users still running Soundflower should migrate to LitLink or BlackHole.