Route Spotify to a Different Output on Mac

Does macOS Let You Send Spotify to a Different Speaker?

This is one of the most requested features among Mac users who come from Windows, where the sound settings panel lets you assign each app to a different output device. On macOS, the only system-level control is a single output device selector in System Settings > Sound. Every app uses that one device.

Some apps, including Spotify, have their own output device selector buried in advanced settings. Spotify on Mac does not. It always sends audio to whatever macOS has set as the system default. Changing the system default changes it for every app simultaneously, which defeats the purpose of per-app routing.

How Does LitLink Pro Route Spotify to a Specific Output?

The LitLink virtual audio driver installs a system extension that sits between applications and audio hardware. In its free tier, LitLink provides system-wide audio passthrough and mic mixing. The Pro upgrade adds the ability to route individual apps to specific output devices, which is exactly what macOS lacks.

LitLink Pro achieves this by acting as an intermediary audio layer that captures each application's audio stream before it reaches the system output. Traditional approaches using Audio MIDI Setup aggregate devices cannot do this because aggregate devices combine hardware inputs and outputs but cannot separate app-level streams.

How Do You Set Up Per-App Routing for Spotify?

• Install LitLink download from litpads.app/litlink, run the .pkg installer
• Upgrade to LitLink Pro per-app routing requires the Pro license
• Open the LitLink companion app search Spotlight for "LitLink"
• Open the per-app routing panel lists every running application with audio output
• Find Spotify in the list apps appear automatically when they produce audio
• Select the target output device choose the specific speaker, headphone, or audio interface
• Verify by playing a track audio should come from the selected device only

The routing is instant. There is no need to restart Spotify or log out and back in. As soon as you select the output device in LitLink, the next audio sample from Spotify goes to that device. The per-app audio routing guide covers advanced scenarios like routing multiple apps to different devices simultaneously.

What Are Practical Use Cases for Routing Spotify Separately?

The DJ workflow is the most common reason people search for this feature. A DJ needs to cue the next track in headphones while the audience hears the current track through the speakers. On macOS without per-app routing, both outputs play the same audio. LitLink Pro routes Spotify (or any DJ app) to headphones for cueing while the main output goes to the PA system.

The home office scenario is equally practical. Spotify plays ambient music through a Bluetooth speaker on your desk. Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet stays on your USB headset so you can take calls without the music leaking into the meeting. macOS handles volume for each app independently through per-app volume control, but output device routing requires LitLink Pro.

Can You Route Spotify to Bluetooth and Wired Headphones at the Same Time?

This combined approach works because macOS multi-output devices merge hardware outputs into a single virtual device. LitLink Pro then routes Spotify to that merged device, and the audio plays through both the Bluetooth speaker and the wired headphones. Other apps still use your default system output and are unaffected.

Keep in mind that Bluetooth introduces latency of 40 to 200 milliseconds depending on the codec. If you are playing Spotify through both a wired and Bluetooth device simultaneously, the wired output will be slightly ahead. For casual listening this is not noticeable, but for DJ monitoring or timing-critical work, stick to wired outputs for both devices.

Does This Work with Apple Music, Tidal, and Other Streaming Apps?

This is an important distinction from app-specific settings. Some audiophile-focused apps like Audirvana let you select an output device within the app itself. LitLink Pro works universally across every application because it operates at the macOS audio layer, below the application. You do not need the music app to support output device selection.

The same principle applies to non-music apps. You can route a game to your monitor speakers, a video call to your headset, and a media player to your living room Bluetooth speaker, all simultaneously. Each app's routing is independent and persists until you change it.

What Happens When You Disconnect the Target Output Device?

This failsafe prevents silent playback. If Spotify is routed to a Bluetooth speaker and you walk out of range, the audio does not simply vanish. LitLink detects the disconnection and reroutes Spotify to whatever device macOS is currently using as the default. When you come back in range and the Bluetooth speaker reconnects, LitLink picks up the original routing rule.

The LitLink Pro license covers unlimited devices and unlimited routing rules. There is no per-device fee and no cap on how many apps you can route simultaneously. The license is a one-time $29 purchase that works on a single Mac with free updates.