To switch sound output devices on your Mac, first click the volume icon in the upper right corner of the screen, select the target device from the pop-up device list to quickly switch; if you need to set up more detailedly or troubleshoot problems, you can go to the "System Settings" → "Sound" → "Output" tab for adjustment; in addition, you can also use third-party tools such as SoundSource and QuickSwitch to achieve more efficient switching.

Want to switch sound output devices on your Mac? It's actually very simple. The system's own settings can be done without additional software.

The system comes with menu bar toggle

The most direct way is to operate it through the sound icon in the upper right corner of the screen. After clicking the volume icon, a device list will pop up, showing the currently available audio output devices, such as built-in speakers, headphones, external speakers or Bluetooth devices, etc.

• Find the device you want to use, click it to switch immediately
• This method is suitable for people who change their equipment frequently, such as using headphones and external speakers at a time
• If you don't see the device you want to select, you can check the connection status first, or see if it is muted or turned off the output permissions.

This method is fast and suitable for daily quick switching.

Management of output devices through system settings

If you need more detailed settings, or encounter the problem of not automatically switching sounds, you can adjust them in your system preferences.

Open the "System Settings" → "Sound" → "Output" tab, where you can see all supported output devices. Choose one and the sound will turn over immediately.

• Some devices may appear in multiple options at the same time (for example, headphones with microphones have two options: input and output)
• If you use a third-party audio driver (such as a USB sound card), you may also see additional options here.
• If a device cannot be found, you can try unplugging the device or restarting the audio service (via the terminal command sudo killall coreaudiod )

This method is more suitable for troubleshooting problems or making long-term settings.

Use shortcuts or third-party tools

Although the system comes with its own functions are enough, if you pursue faster operations, you can also try some efficiency tools.

for example:

• SoundSource : Provides one-click switching of the menu bar, and can also adjust the volume of each application.
• QuickSwitch : Free gadgets designed to quickly switch audio devices
• Write a script with AppleScript and use shortcut keys to achieve custom switching

These tools are suitable for users who often switch between multiple devices, such as video conferencing, music production, or multitasking scenarios. Ordinary users actually don’t need it very much, but if they get used to it, they will save a lot of time.

Basically these are the methods. The system's own method can meet most situations, but sometimes it is easy to ignore the menu that can be directly clicked in the upper right corner.

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