In the macOS environment, managing audio sources can be crucial for tasks such as scripting, automation, and troubleshooting. While "SwitchAudioSource" is not a native command or tool in macOS, there are third-party utilities and built-in command-line tools that can help achieve similar functionality. This article will guide you through how to switch audio sources using command-line tools on macOS, emphasizing the importance of this capability for users who need to automate audio settings or manage them remotely.

Examples:

1. Using SwitchAudioSource Utility:

SwitchAudioSource is a third-party utility that allows you to switch audio input and output devices from the command line. You can download it from GitHub and use it as follows:

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  Installation:

  
  

   brew install switchaudio-osx

  
  


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  List Available Audio Devices:

  
  

   SwitchAudioSource -a

  
  


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  Switch to a Specific Output Device:

  
  

   SwitchAudioSource -s "MacBook Pro Speakers"

  
  


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  Switch to a Specific Input Device:

  
  

   SwitchAudioSource -t input -s "Built-in Microphone"

  
  

2. Using osascript for Audio Management:

osascript can be used to execute AppleScript commands from the command line. This can be useful for more complex audio management tasks.

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  Set Output Device Using AppleScript:

  
  

   osascript -e 'set volume output volume 50'

  
  


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  Mute/Unmute Output:

  
  

   osascript -e 'set volume with output muted'

  
  


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  Get Current Output Device:

  
  

   osascript -e 'output volume of (get volume settings)'

  
  

3. Using Audio MIDI Setup for Advanced Configurations:

For more advanced audio configurations, you can use the Audio MIDI Setup utility, which can be controlled via AppleScript.

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  Open Audio MIDI Setup:

  
  

   open -a "Audio MIDI Setup"

  
  


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  Configure Aggregate Device:
  This requires manual setup through the GUI, but you can automate the opening process and script other parts of your workflow.