A lightweight macOS menu bar app that locks your audio input and output to the devices you choose — so macOS (and Bluetooth devices like AirPods) can't switch them out from under you.
When AirPods connect, macOS often routes the microphone to them too, which drops your audio quality to a low-bandwidth call mode and drains AirPods battery faster. LockAudio keeps your input on the device you actually want (e.g. the built-in mic), so output stays in high-quality mode. It can do the same for output.
- Input locking — pin the system audio input to a device of your choice. If something switches it away, LockAudio forces it right back.
- Output locking — optionally pin the system audio output the same way (off by default; turn on "Show Output Options" to enable).
- Independent locks — input and output are controlled separately, so you can keep your mic on the built-in input while locking output wherever you like.
- Survives reconnects — your choice is remembered and restored automatically when a device disconnects and comes back, even if macOS reassigns it a new internal ID.
- Optional notifications — get notified when a lock forces a device back, per direction.
- Pause anytime — temporarily disable either lock without losing your settings.
- Stays out of the way — menu bar only (no Dock icon), launches at login if you want, and updates itself automatically.
Your settings — locked devices, pause state, and which options are shown — persist across quitting the app and rebooting.
Download the latest DMG from the releases page, open it, and drag LockAudio to your Applications folder. The app is signed and notarized, and updates itself from then on.
Requires macOS 13 (Ventura) or later.
LockAudio began as a fork of the AirPods Sound Quality Fixer And Battery Life Enhancer for macOS by milgra — thanks to them for the original codebase.