To check or change where your Mac plays sound, click Control Center in the menu bar, open Sound, and choose an available output device. For microphone input, use Apple menu > System Settings > Sound > Input: Control Center’s Sound control adjusts playback and output selection, but Apple documents microphone selection and input-level checking in Sound settings. Use this quick check before a call, recording, or media session, then verify the active device in the app you plan to use.
Check and switch your Mac’s audio output
Click Control Center at the right side of the menu bar, then click Sound to reveal its options. Apple describes the Sound control as a way to adjust volume and switch the speaker or device used for audio output. Choose the intended destination, such as the Mac’s speakers, connected headphones, USB speakers, or an available AirPlay device. Drag the Sound slider to set playback volume. Quickly change settings with Control Center on Mac
The device choices depend on what your Mac can currently access. Apple’s Sound settings documentation lists internal speakers, equipment connected to the sound port, USB speakers, and AirPlay devices as examples. If the device you expect is absent, check that it is connected or available to the Mac, then reopen Sound. For more detail, open Apple menu > System Settings > Sound > Output and select a device from the listed output devices. Change the sound output settings on Mac
Select and check the microphone input
Control Center’s Sound control is not the documented place to select a microphone. Open Apple menu > System Settings > Sound, click Input, and choose an input device from the list. Apple notes that available options can include the built-in microphone, a display’s microphone, an iPhone microphone, or an external microphone, depending on the Mac and connected equipment. Change the sound input settings on Mac
While you are on the Input pane, speak or make a test sound and watch the input level meter. The meter gives a visual indication of sound reaching the selected input. You can adjust Input volume there, although Apple specifically describes that adjustment for recordings through the computer’s sound port: lower it when a source is too loud, or raise it when the source is quiet. Input controls and options vary by Mac model. Change Sound settings on Mac
Run a quick end-to-end check
A menu selection confirms the device macOS is set to use; testing in the destination app checks whether that app is using the expected devices. For a call or recording, use this sequence:
In Control Center > Sound, choose the intended speaker or headphones and set a reasonable output level.
In System Settings > Sound > Input, select the intended microphone and watch the input level meter while speaking.
Start a brief preview or test in the call or recording app, if it provides one. Confirm you can hear playback and that the app receives input.
If the app still uses the wrong device, check its own audio settings. Recheck macOS Sound settings after connecting or disconnecting audio equipment.
This sequence is a practical diagnostic based on the separate output and input controls Apple documents. It does not establish that every third-party app has the same test feature or settings layout. An app can expose its own audio controls, so a correct macOS selection alone may not complete the app-side check.
What the menu bar can and cannot tell you
Control Center is useful for a quick output switch and volume adjustment. It does not provide the documented input-device list or input-level meter; go to Sound settings for those checks. If you want Sound available more directly, Apple lets you customize Control Center and pin supported controls to the menu bar: click Control Center, choose Edit Controls, and use its customization options. Availability and labels can vary with the macOS version. Quickly change settings with Control Center on Mac
A microphone privacy indicator answers a different question from the input meter. Apple says the orange dot by Control Center indicates that the Mac microphone is in use; clicking a privacy indicator can show which app is using the microphone. It does not identify the selected input device or confirm that the microphone is capturing sound clearly. Use Sound > Input to inspect the selected device and meter. Use Control Center on Mac
If your routine includes moving among open Mac windows and related to-dos, Wallo can organize those locally by goal and help focus between them. Audio-device selection and microphone checks remain macOS tasks performed through Control Center and Sound settings.