Headphones not working on Mac: what to do

Macs are generally known for their ease of use, but that doesn’t mean you’ll never run into problems. Some users report having problems when trying to apply audio through headphones or other devices they have connected to their Mac.

Fortunately, there are several solutions you can try to fix this audio error. Let’s take a look at what to do when headphones don’t work on your Mac.

Headphones not working on Mac: 13 things you can do

If your headphones or external speakers don’t work when you connect them to your Mac computer, here are some things you should try to fix the problem:

1. Unplug your headphones and try connecting them to another device like your iPhone or iPad to ensure they work as intended.
2. Check for problems with the headphone jack. Dust or lint is enough to prevent the port from recognizing your headphones or speakers. Try removing dust from the connector and inside the port on your Mac to see if that solves the problem.
3. Plug the headphones back in while holding down the volume buttons at the same time.
4. Check the volume controls on your headphones. Some models have built-in volume controls that can be turned down or off.
5. Check all ports by unplugging anything connected to your Mac. That includes HDMI, Thunderbolt, and USB devices. Other devices could be channeling sound away from your headphones. If your TV is connected via HDMI, for example, your sound will likely be redirected to the TV instead of your headphones or speakers.
6. If you want the sound to play through your headphones or speakers while the TV is on, you need to switch to speakers by clicking on the audio icon found in the Mac menu bar. Select your headphones/speakers there.
7. Restart your Mac.
8. Restart your sound driver by opening “Activity Monitor” and locating “coreaudiod” in the list of processes. End the process by clicking the “X” and it will restart automatically.
9. Update your Mac operating system.
10. Try turning off your Bluetooth. Your Mac may try to connect to a Bluetooth device that is not in range.

If you’re still having audio issues after following these steps and you’re sure the headphones themselves aren’t the problem, try contacting Apple for help. You may have a hardware or software problem that cannot be resolved with a quick fix.

Choose audio output on Mac

You can troubleshoot and repair missing audio output by following these simple steps:

1. Open the Apple menu and select “System Preferences.”
2. Press “Sound.”
3. Click “Exit.”
4. Choose “Headphones” as your output device.
5. Check to make sure the “Mute” box is not checked.
6. Adjust the sound to your preference.

When multiple devices are connected to your Mac, your computer may try to play audio through the wrong device. By manually choosing your audio output device you should be able to resolve this issue.

Play audio from Mac on TV

You may also encounter a similar problem when you have no sound on the TV that you have connected to your Mac via HDMI. If that’s the case, here’s what you can do:

1. Open “System Preferences.”
2. Select “Sound.”
3. Select the “Output” tab and select “HDMI.”

In rare cases, the HDMI cable may transfer the image but leave out the sound. That can happen if your cable is too old. Check your HDMI cable. Look for cracks or sharp bends that may prevent audio playback. Check your cable port for bent pins.

Try the same steps we described above and reset the PRAM and SMC on your Mac computer. The sound should now be working. Otherwise, replace the HDMI cable with a new one.

Airpods don’t work with Mac

If you have already connected your airpods to your Mac and they simply stop working or the computer doesn’t detect them, there are some proven solutions.

• Make sure both Airpods are fully charged and in their case.
• Disconnect your Airpods and reconnect them. Go to “System Preferences” > “Bluetooth” and click the ‘X’ next to Airpods. Then you can set them up just like you did when they were new.
• Check your Mac for updates. If the software is too old, it can cause problems when trying to pair Bluetooth devices.

There are several reasons why your headphones or Airpods may not be working properly. If you have taken the proper steps to fix the issue and the audio is still not working properly, you can contact Apple support for further assistance.

Do you have any other troubleshooting tips for Mac? Share them with us in the comments below!