Setup, troubleshooting & updates

Output Jockey Support

Last updated: 14 October 2026

Contact us

Email michael@siblify.com and we will get back to you. Please tell us your macOS version, which audio devices you are using, and what you expected to happen.

Output Jockey is developed by Michael Sibley at Siblify. Siblify is a trading name of The New Office Network Ltd, registered in England and Wales under company number 10414644.

What Output Jockey does

macOS gives a Multi-Output Device no volume control of its own, so its volume keys do nothing and the on-screen indicator never moves. Output Jockey restores a working volume for those outputs, adds an equaliser and a subwoofer crossover for each individual speaker, and can switch the system output automatically when a chosen app starts playing.

Output Jockey requires macOS 26 (Tahoe) or later. It runs in the menu bar and has no Dock icon; click the turntable icon in the menu bar to open it.

Installing

1. Download Output Jockey and open the downloaded disk image.
2. Drag Output Jockey onto the Applications folder beside it.
3. Open Output Jockey from Applications. Run it from there, not from the disk image: a copy inside the disk image cannot update itself or start at login.

Output Jockey is signed with our Apple Developer ID and checked by Apple (notarized), so macOS opens it without warnings.

Getting started

1. Click the Output Jockey icon in the menu bar.
2. Choose your speakers under Output.
3. Switch Output Jockey on with the toggle at the top right.
4. Allow System Audio Recording when macOS asks. Output Jockey cannot process audio without it. Audio files are saved only when you press Record.

To use several speakers at once, create a Multi-Output Device in Apple's Audio MIDI Setup (Options → Open Audio MIDI Setup), then select it under Output.

Common questions

The volume keys still do nothing

Output Jockey deliberately leaves the volume keys alone for outputs macOS can already control itself, such as built-in speakers and most USB audio interfaces. Those keep the normal macOS keys and the normal macOS indicator. Output Jockey takes the keys only where macOS cannot set the volume at all: Multi-Output Devices, aggregate devices, and monitors connected over HDMI or DisplayPort.

If you are using one of those and the keys still do nothing, check that Output Jockey has Input Monitoring in System Settings → Privacy & Security. The setup window opens automatically at every launch until permissions are granted; you can also reopen it from Options → Set Up Permissions. After granting Input Monitoring in System Settings, return to the setup window and press I've Done It.

There is no sound after switching Output Jockey on

Check that Output Jockey has System Audio Recording permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security. If the permission is granted and there is still no sound, try Options → Restart Audio Engine. Switching Output Jockey off restores ordinary playback immediately.

The volume indicator still shows the macOS one, and it does not move

Replacing the indicator needs Accessibility permission. Grant it in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility, then return to the setup window and press I've Done It. Until the permission is granted, macOS keeps drawing its own indicator. You can reopen the setup window from Options → Set Up Permissions.

I cannot see the Role or Crossover controls

Roles (Full range, Subwoofer, Speakers) and the crossover only appear when the selected output has more than one physical speaker to divide the signal between. In practice, this means a Multi-Output Device. A single speaker still gets its own level and Sound preset.

Output Jockey switched itself off

Output Jockey switches off and hands playback back to macOS if the selected output is changed elsewhere or disconnected, so you are never left with silence. Reconnect the device, select it again under Output, and switch Output Jockey back on.

My speakers have unhelpful names

Options → Device Labels lets you rename any speaker or microphone. Labels appear only inside Output Jockey and are remembered when devices reconnect.

How do I start again from scratch?

Options → Reset Saved Settings deletes saved audio settings, device labels, app-output rules and local diagnostics, then quits the app. Your recording files are kept; delete them in Finder. macOS permissions and Login Items are managed separately in System Settings.

Does Output Jockey record or upload my audio?

Audio is processed live on your Mac. Press Record to save the selected output’s clean stereo mix to a local file; Stop finishes it. On first use, choose Desktop (or another folder) to grant access. Options → Recording offers M4A (default), WAV, and a folder picker. Audio is never uploaded. There is no account, no analytics and no advertising. See the privacy policy for the full detail.

How do I update Output Jockey?

Output Jockey checks for updates once a day and offers new versions itself. To check now, choose Options → Check for Updates. Your settings and permissions carry over. You can turn automatic checks off with Options → Check for Updates Automatically.

How do I uninstall Output Jockey?

To keep nothing behind, first choose Options → Reset Saved Settings, which clears its settings and quits. Then drag Output Jockey from Applications to the Bin. Remove it from the lists in System Settings → Privacy & Security and from General → Login Items. Your recordings stay where you saved them.

Reporting a problem

If something is not working, email michael@siblify.com with your macOS version, your audio devices, and what happened. If we ask you to, you can turn on local diagnostics by running this in Terminal, reproducing the problem, and telling us what you saw:

defaults write com.siblify.outputjockey diagnostics -bool true

Diagnostics are stored locally and are never sent anywhere automatically. Turn them off again with -bool false.