2024-11-23 Video Production, Productivity

Output audio from Chrome to QuickTime for recording using BlackHole

By O. Wolfson

On a Mac, you can record audio using the built-in QuickTime Player. Here's how you can do it:

  1. Open QuickTime Player from your Applications folder or by searching for it using Spotlight.
  2. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click on "File," then select "New Audio Recording."
  3. In the Audio Recording window that appears, click the red record button to start recording.
  4. To capture the system audio (like my voice), you might need additional software such as "BlackHole" or "Soundflower" to route the audio output to the input.
  5. When you're done, click the stop button, and then you can save the recording to your desired location.

BlackHole is a free, open-source virtual audio driver for macOS that allows you to route audio between applications. Essentially, it creates a virtual audio interface on your Mac that can act as both an audio input and output. This makes it possible to:

Capture system audio. Route audio from one application (e.g., Chrome) into another (e.g., QuickTime or recording software). Combine audio sources for mixing or streaming. It’s commonly used for tasks like recording system audio, podcasting, live streaming, or setting up virtual audio pipelines.

To route audio from Chrome to QuickTime for recording using BlackHole, follow these steps:

Step 1: Configure Audio Output to Use BlackHole

  1. Open System Preferences > Sound (or Settings > Sound on macOS Ventura and later).

  2. Go to the Output tab.

  3. Select BlackHole as the audio output device.

    This will route all system audio, including Chrome's, through BlackHole.


Step 2: Create a Multi-Output Device (Optional, for Simultaneous Playback)

If you still want to hear the audio while routing it to BlackHole:

  1. Open Audio MIDI Setup (search for it using Spotlight).
  2. Click the + button in the bottom left and select Create Multi-Output Device.
  3. Add your default audio output device (e.g., "MacBook Pro Speakers") and BlackHole to the multi-output device.
  4. Set the Multi-Output Device as the system output in System Preferences > Sound > Output.

Step 3: Set Up QuickTime to Record from BlackHole

  1. Open QuickTime Player.
  2. Go to File > New Audio Recording.
  3. In the recording window, click the small arrow next to the record button.
  4. Select BlackHole as the input source.

Step 4: Start Recording

  1. In Chrome, play the audio you want to record.
  2. In QuickTime, click the red record button to start recording.
  3. When finished, click the stop button and save your recording.

Let me know if you encounter any issues!