Switch your audio output
with one keystroke.
SoundSwitch puts switching speakers, headphones and microphones, and adjusting volume, into a single menu bar icon. You can switch with a click, a scroll or a keyboard shortcut, without opening System Settings.
- Version 0.4.3
- About 1.8 MB
- Notarized by Apple
- macOS 14 or later
- Apple silicon and Intel Mac
Pin the devices you use most, then press ⌃⌥O to cycle through them.
What to check before downloading
Price, supported Macs, permissions, who the app talks to, and where your data stays, on one card.
Permissions are only needed for the per-app music and browser volume.
- Price
- FreeNo ads, no account, no paid version
- Requirements
- macOS 14 or laterUniversal app for Apple silicon and Intel Mac
- App interface
- App interface: JapaneseThe app's menus and settings are in Japanese only. This page is an English guide to it.
- Permissions
- None for basic device switching and volumePer-app Apple Music and Spotify volume asks for Automation permission for that app the first time. The experimental browser volume feature needs system audio capture permission
- Who it talks to
- Only k386.sub.jp (the official source)Only to check for updates and to download an update you choose. The automatic check can be turned off in Settings
- Where data is kept
- Only on this MacSettings such as favorite devices and shortcuts. Audio is never saved
- Latest version
- 0.4.3 (September 30, 2026)See the release history
Who it is for
You pick the mic and speakers again before every meeting
If you open System Settings and choose from the list each time you move between a headset and the built-in mic.
You switch between headphones and speakers many times a day
Pin the devices you use, and a keyboard shortcut cycles through them from any app.
You want the music quieter only while you talk
Turn only Apple Music or Spotify down to a "conversation" level, then restore the previous volume afterwards.
With the standard macOS steps, changing the output means System Settings → Sound → pick from the list, click after click. Moving between headphones and external speakers, or a meeting mic and the built-in mic, many times a day interrupts work each time. SoundSwitch was made to switch with as few clicks and glances as possible.
What it does
Three ways to work: pick from the panel, do it on the icon, or use only the keyboard.
Pick from the panel
Click the icon to open one panel with the output (speakers and so on) and input (microphone) lists and a volume slider. Click a row to switch right away.
Volume and mute on the icon
Scroll over the icon to change the volume; an indicator appears at the top of the screen. You can also scroll over the volume sliders in the panel. Option-click (⌥) to mute.
Cycle with the keyboard
⌃⌥O cycles outputs and ⌃⌥I cycles inputs among the devices you pinned. ⌃⌥M mutes. The keys can be changed in Settings.
Favorites and a tidy list
Pinned devices become the targets of the shortcuts. Devices you never use, such as virtual devices from meeting apps, can be hidden from the list.
Apple Music and Spotify volume
Adjust only the music app's volume while the Mac's volume stays as it is. "Lower" goes to the conversation level and "Restore" goes back. Asks for Automation permission for that app the first time.
Browser volume (experimental)
Turns down Chrome, Comet or Brave as a whole. Needs macOS 14.2 or later and system audio capture permission. It may not work in every environment.
- When you switch the output, system sounds such as alerts follow to the same device.
- Devices being plugged in or removed are detected and the list updates.
- It lives only in the menu bar, not the Dock. Turn on "Open at login" to have it ready when your Mac starts.
What it cannot do
- Mac only. It does not run on Windows, Linux, iPhone or iPad.
- For devices whose volume macOS cannot control, such as a display connected over HDMI, the slider and scroll volume are unavailable (switching still works).
- Per-app music volume covers only Apple Music and Spotify, and only while that app is running.
- Browser volume is experimental. Safari is not supported, Edge is untested, and Firefox is out of scope. It applies to the whole selected browser (including meeting audio in that browser), not a single tab.
- When you stop browser volume control or the output changes, the original volume comes back, so the sound may suddenly get louder. Long sessions and device switching during control are still being tested.
- When failure is not an option, such as recording, streaming or meetings, check the actual output, input and mute state yourself.
Getting going
About three minutes from download to first use.
Install and open
Open the DMG, drag SoundSwitch into the Applications folder and open it. A speaker icon appears at the top right of the menu bar.
Pin the devices you use
Click the icon to open the panel, hover over a device you use often and click the pin.
Switch with the keys
From any app, each press of ⌃⌥O (output) or ⌃⌥I (input) moves to the next pinned device.
The full list of controls is in the User Guide
The list of controls and detailed explanations that used to be on this page now live in the User Guide. The most common ones:
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Click the icon | Open or close the panel |
| Scroll over the icon | Change the volume |
| Scroll over a volume slider in the panel | Change that volume |
| ⌥-click | Mute or unmute |
| ⌃⌥O / ⌃⌥I | Cycle outputs or inputs among your pinned devices |
| ⌃⌥M | Mute or unmute |
Network and data
SoundSwitch goes online for only these two things. It never sends audio, device names, settings or usage data.
KanadeIt only goes online for updates, and the automatic check can be turned off.
| Connection | When | Where | What is sent | Can it be turned off? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Update check | At launch (if 24 hours or more have passed since the last check) and when you choose "Check for updates…" | k386.sub.jp (the update information file) | Nothing (a plain download only) | The launch check can be turned off in Settings |
| Update download | When you press "Update now" in the update window | k386.sub.jp (the DMG) | Nothing | No connection unless you press it |
As with any web request, your IP address and similar details are recorded in the server's access log. A downloaded update is installed only after its SHA-256 and signature are verified.
Permissions
| Feature | Permission | When it is asked |
|---|---|---|
| Device switching, volume, mute, shortcuts | None | — |
| Apple Music and Spotify volume | Automation, for that app | When you press the "allow" button for that app in the panel (once per app) |
| Browser volume (experimental) | System audio capture | The first time you start browser control |
While browser volume is lowered, the selected browser's audio is received inside your Mac, its volume changed and played back. Audio is never saved or sent. Microphone permission is never requested.
Where data is kept
Favorite devices, cycle order, hidden devices, shortcuts, conversation volumes and update-check settings are saved only in this Mac's settings file (jp.duca.SoundSwitch). See the Privacy Policy for details.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free?
Yes. There are no ads, no paid version and no account. It was made for the developer's own work and is shared so other Mac users can use it too.
When will I see a permission prompt?
Not for device switching, volume, mute or shortcuts. Only the first time you use one of these:
- Adjusting Apple Music or Spotify volume: Automation permission for that app
- The experimental browser volume feature: system audio capture permission
Don't global shortcuts need Accessibility permission?
No. SoundSwitch uses a long-standing macOS mechanism for registering shortcuts (Carbon), which delivers only the key combinations you set. It does not read any other key presses.
Does it work on an Intel Mac?
Yes. It is a universal app for Apple silicon and Intel Mac. macOS 14 or later is required (macOS 14.2 or later for the experimental browser volume feature).
How do I update?
When a newer version exists, a notice appears at launch. Press "Update now" and it downloads, verifies, replaces and relaunches automatically. You can also check from "Check for updates…" in the right-click menu. Manual steps are on the download page.
How do I uninstall it?
Turn off "Open at login", quit the app and move SoundSwitch from the Applications folder to the Trash. To remove the settings as well, run defaults delete jp.duca.SoundSwitch in Terminal. See how to uninstall.
Why isn't it on the App Store?
Apps distributed on the App Store must run inside a sandbox that limits what they can do. That sandbox does not work well with switching the Mac's default audio devices or with broad volume control, so the app's core features would not work. That is why it is distributed directly from this site as a DMG signed with Apple's Developer ID and notarized by Apple.
Can I still switch audio if SoundSwitch is not running?
Yes. You can change the output and input in System Settings → Sound as usual. If you delete SoundSwitch, the last selected devices stay selected.
Try SoundSwitch
Version 0.4.3, about 1.9 MB, notarized by Apple. macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel Mac. App interface: Japanese.
Trademarks
- Apple, Mac, MacBook, macOS, iPhone, iPad, Finder, Safari, Apple Music and App Store are trademarks or registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and other countries and regions.
- Spotify is a trademark of Spotify AB.
- Google, Google Chrome and Google Analytics are trademarks of Google LLC.
- Microsoft Edge and Windows are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
- Firefox is a trademark of the Mozilla Foundation. Brave and Comet are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
- Intel is a trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.
- Other company, product and service names on this site are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. ™ and ® marks are omitted in the text.
- K386 and SoundSwitch are not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by any of the companies above.