Disabling Audio Device on my MacBook

I want to be able to disable an audio device.


I come from Windows, where you can simply disable an audio input or output device. Something like this:

This is useful, for example, when connecting Bluetooth headphones that happen to have a microphone, and only use them as headphones (because BT headphones suck when using them as mic + headphone, they sound in mono, and it's awful).

It's also so that I never have to select a device that I will simply never use. Not having it on the list all the time makes it easier to manage the device I want to use. I will know that the OS will never switch to it automatically, and I will simply… work!.

In this image, everything marked in red I will never use. I don't want to remove a device. I want to simply disable it. I can't find a way to do it. I couldn't find an app that does it, either. Every app seems to be unable to disable devices. I want the same feature I had on Windows since (at least) Windows XP. Is there a way to do this?


For more context: The devices listed are not the full list, I also have a pair of BT headphones (Sony XM3). I want the headphones to never EVER use the mic attached. I can do that on Windows. I want to be able to do that in macOS.



FOR SOME REASON, MY PREVIOUS QUESTION, EVEN THOUGH IT HAD NO OFFICIAL ANSWER AND SEVERAL UPVOTES, WAS CLOSED BY A MODERATOR. I EXPECT AN ANSWER FROM "SOMEONE".




[Edited by Moderator]

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 15.5

Posted on Jul 24, 2025 5:28 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 24, 2025 5:34 AM

Hi.


macOS doesn’t let you disable audio devices like Windows does. There’s no built-in option to hide or disable inputs or outputs. You can only select which device to use but all connected devices stay listed.

For Bluetooth headphones, you can manually select which input or output to use but you can’t remove the mic or disable it completely.


No way to fully disable devices in macOS at this time.


Hope that helps.


Edit: I also come from windows and got pretty bummed to that devices you don't want there cannot be removed at the moment.

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 24, 2025 5:34 AM in response to persi93

Hi.


macOS doesn’t let you disable audio devices like Windows does. There’s no built-in option to hide or disable inputs or outputs. You can only select which device to use but all connected devices stay listed.

For Bluetooth headphones, you can manually select which input or output to use but you can’t remove the mic or disable it completely.


No way to fully disable devices in macOS at this time.


Hope that helps.


Edit: I also come from windows and got pretty bummed to that devices you don't want there cannot be removed at the moment.

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Disabling Audio Device on my MacBook

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