Technology

Changing Sound Settings on a Mac

Last modified 4/18/2025

Sometimes you may find yourself unable to hear out of your speakers when you are playing audio. Learn how to change your speaker settings to ensure that your audio is working correctly.

Change Sounds Settings in MacOS

  1. On your Mac, click the Apple logo on the top toolbar and click System Settings →  Sound → scroll down to Output  & Input → select Output or Input to change which one you need to update.
  2. Select the audio device you would like to use in the list of audio devices. All audio options – including the internal speakers on your device – are listed here. Confirm you are selecting the correct device. Additionally, confirm that your device is on and not muted.
  3. Once you have selected the audio device, drag the volume slider to test the volume. If you hear audio from your device, your device is working properly. If you do not hear audio from your device, refer to the manual for the device. You can also adjust the balance for some devices here. Also, confirm that your MacOS is up to date.
  4. Further sound settings can be found above under Sound Effects if you want to change sounds for Alerts or Startup. 

    Confirm that Play feedback when the volume is changed is selected within the Sound settings to hear a chime when you test the volume slider. 

Using Zoom?

If you are using Zoom and are experiencing audio issues, please refer to the Zoom article below to learn how to configure and test your audio settings in a Zoom meeting.

Using Jabber?

If you are using Jabber and are experiencing audio issues, please refer to the Jabber article below to learn how to configure and test your audio settings in a Jabber call.

How to Get Help

Technical assistance is available through the Illinois State University Technology Support Center at:

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