Find your balance.
Balance Apple Music, Spotify and browser audio from YouTube. Turn an app down or mute its incoming sound without changing your Mac’s master volume.
AURAL FOR MAC
Every app.
Just your volume.
A little less browser. A little more music. Set the volume for each app, right from your menu bar. Simple controls that feel right at home on your Mac.
Free download · macOS 14.2+
A familiar idea. At home on Mac.
⌘ Native macOS app◉ Independent app volumes♡ Free, with optional donations
EVERYDAY AUDIO, SIMPLIFIED
A place for every sound.
Music while you work. Videos while you browse. Aural gives each app its own listening level, all in one familiar place.
♫
PLAYBACKApple Music
ⅡKeep playback close.
Play, pause and skip in Apple Music and Spotify from your mixer. Click an app icon to switch to the current media’s artwork or preview, when available. Click again to return to the app icon. Playback controls require optional Automation permission.
☷▥
LAYOUTSMake yourself at home.
Choose compact rows or vertical faders, pick an accent color, and keep favorite apps ready for the next session.
FOR MUSICIANS, PRODUCERS & ENGINEERSMore room
More room
for your workflow.
Producing, tracking or mixing? Keep your DAW’s listening level separate from reference tracks, tutorials and the rest of your Mac.
Music productionMixing & engineeringReference listening
REAL-TIME / ONLINE BOUNCESLet it bounce.
Let it bounce.
Take a listening break.
For real-time bounces, use Aural’s app mute to quiet the DAW audio you hear while the session keeps running. Leave your session’s faders where they are.
DAW and audio-interface routing compatibility is still being tested. Before using this workflow on a project, run a short test bounce and check the exported file. Hardware, loopback and external recording paths may behave differently. Aural is a standalone Mac app, not a DAW plugin or export control.
WHEN IT’S TIME TO CONNECTYour call.
Your call.
Your listening level.
Lower or mute the conversation on your Mac while keeping music and other apps at their own levels.
FaceTimeZoomGoogle Meet
INCOMING AUDIOYour call volume.
Your call volume.
Your choice.
Volume and mute apply to the call audio you hear. Your microphone and other participants’ meeting controls stay in the calling app.
Early test build: live call compatibility is still being verified. FaceTime uses a shared calls group. Zoom would use its app’s audio; Google Meet uses browser-wide audio, which also affects other tabs. Individual speakers cannot be adjusted separately.
FREE FOR YOUR MACYour Mac.
Your Mac.
Your mix.
A native menu-bar mixer for Mac. Free to download.
Download for Mac ↓v0.15.0 test build · Apple Silicon + Intel Macs · macOS 14.2 or later
Installation and permissions
- Download the ZIP and open it in Finder.
- Move Aural.app into Applications, then open it.
- Allow System Audio Recording when prompted so Aural can adjust app volume.
- Start audio in an app, then click Aural in your menu bar to adjust its level.
This is an early test build, signed locally and not notarized by Apple. Move Aural into Applications after unzipping. macOS may block it; review the app before allowing it in Privacy & Security. System Audio Recording permission is needed for volume control. Apple Silicon, Bluetooth, calls and recovery behavior have not completed hardware testing. Check the release details above for the architectures included in this download.
GOOD TO KNOW
A few details.
Can I mute my DAW during an online bounce?+
Aural’s app mute is intended to quiet the audio you hear while your DAW continues running. It does not control the DAW’s bounce or export command. This workflow has not yet been verified across DAWs and audio interfaces. Test a short real-time bounce with your own routing and check the exported file before using it on a project, especially with hardware inserts, loopback or external recording.
Is Aural really free?+
Yes. The download is free, and donating is entirely optional. You get the same app either way.
Is this a DAW plugin or a Mac app?+
Aural is a standalone native menu-bar app for controlling audio from your Mac’s applications. It does not load as an audio plugin inside a DAW.
Does Aural record my audio?+
No. Aural processes audio locally to adjust volume. It does not record or upload your audio, and it does not request microphone access. Optional artwork loading may contact the artwork’s image host.
Which Macs can use this download?+
This download is version 0.15.0 for Apple Silicon + Intel Macs running macOS 14.2 or later. Apple Silicon audio testing is still pending.
Can I turn down FaceTime, Zoom or Google Meet?+
Aural is designed to control incoming audio at the app level. FaceTime is grouped with shared Apple call services, so its control may affect other Apple calls. Zoom would be controlled as an app. Google Meet runs in your browser, so adjusting browser volume also affects YouTube and other tabs in that browser. Live call, Bluetooth and microphone/echo behavior remain unverified in this test build.
Does mute silence me or other people?+
Aural’s mute silences the selected app’s audio on your Mac: the sound you hear from the call. It does not mute your microphone, remove anyone from the call or mute participants for everyone. It cannot adjust individual participants separately; use your meeting app’s controls for that.
What about YouTube and music playback?+
Apple Music and Spotify have optional playback controls through Automation permission. YouTube is an example of browser audio: volume and mute apply to the browser as a whole, rather than to individual videos or tabs. The preview is illustrative and does not play or control real audio.
A little support.
A lot of possibility.
If Aural is useful to you, an optional donation helps support its development.
Support with Venmo ↗Always optional. Always appreciated.