Prevent macOS to switch to bluetooth headphones microphone 🎧
May 5, 2024
Maybe like me, you have bluetooth headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM4 that you like because they have great audio, but the built-in microphone otherwise suck. But you don’t care because you use your MacBook’s microphone.
Then, maybe also like me, you didn’t even know that it had a built-in microphone in the first place, and even less that macOS was automatically switching to that microphone when you connect your headphones!
Luckily, I didn’t sound like shit on calls for too long, because my friends quickly told me “bro, ur mic sounds like shit”. 💩
Forcing the internal microphone
Now we know what’s wrong, let’s fix it. The idea is that when I connect my bluetooth headphones, I want the audio output to go to them, but I don’t want to switch my default microphone.
We can achieve that with the Audio MIDI Setup app.
Create an Aggregate Device (from the + icon at the bottom-left
corner) that has only one input: your MacBook microphone. Then set this
aggregate device as “default for sound input” from the right click menu.
Tada! Now connecting your headphones will leave the aggregate device alone, meaning you’ll keep using the good microphone that comes with your laptop, without thinking about it. 👌