Mac Teams Audio Settings: How to Route Microsoft Teams to Different Output

Why Mac Teams Audio Control Matters

Microsoft Teams is essential for remote work, but macOS doesn't make it easy to control Teams audio separately from other apps. You might want Teams notifications and calls through your headphones while keeping Spotify playing through your speakers. Or maybe you need to quickly adjust Teams volume during a meeting without affecting your background music.

Unlike Windows, which has had a built-in volume mixer since 2007, macOS treats all audio as one system-wide stream. This creates real problems for Teams users who need granular audio control.

The Problem with Mac's Default Teams Audio Handling

When you're in a Teams meeting, adjusting your Mac's volume affects everything - your music, notification sounds, and the meeting audio. This leads to common frustrations:

• You can't turn down loud Teams notifications without making your music too quiet
• Background apps interrupt important calls because you can't isolate Teams audio
• Switching between speakers and headphones affects all apps, not just Teams
• You have to manually pause music apps when joining calls

Method 1: Teams Built-in Audio Settings

Teams has some basic audio controls, but they're limited:

1. Open Microsoft Teams
2. Click your profile picture → Settings → Devices
3. Choose different devices for Speaker, Microphone, and Camera
4. Test your settings using the "Make a test call" option

This lets you route Teams to specific hardware, but you still can't control Teams volume independently or have different apps use different outputs simultaneously.

Method 2: macOS Audio MIDI Setup (Advanced)

For tech-savvy users, Audio MIDI Setup can create virtual audio devices:

1. Open Applications → Utilities → Audio MIDI Setup
2. Click the + button → Create Multi-Output Device
3. Select which physical outputs to include
4. Set Teams to use this virtual device

This approach is complex and doesn't solve the volume mixing problem - you still can't adjust Teams volume independently.

Method 3: Per-App Audio Control with Soundish

The most straightforward solution is using a dedicated per-app audio controller. Soundish brings Windows-style volume mixing to macOS:

Key benefits for Teams users:

• Control Teams volume (0-200%) without affecting other apps
• Route Teams to headphones while keeping music on speakers
• Quickly mute Teams during calls without system-wide muting
• Save audio profiles for different meeting scenarios

Soundish works with Teams' multi-process architecture, so it properly handles both the main Teams app and helper processes that handle calls and notifications.

Setup is simple:

1. Install Soundish and complete the one-time driver setup
2. Teams will appear automatically in the app list once it's running
3. Adjust Teams volume independently or route it to different outputs
4. Create profiles for different scenarios (meetings, casual chat, etc.)

Pro Tips for Better Teams Audio on Mac

Use Favorites for Quick Access
If you frequently adjust Teams audio, mark it as a favorite in your audio control app for faster access.

Set Up Meeting Profiles
Create different audio configurations:

• "Deep Work": Teams notifications low, music normal
• "Meeting Day": Teams to headphones, everything else muted
• "Casual Chat": Balanced levels across all apps

Test Your Setup
Before important meetings, use Teams' "Make a test call" feature to verify your audio routing works correctly.

Consider Hardware Solutions
Some USB headsets have built-in mixing controls, but software solutions are more flexible and work with any audio hardware.

Common Teams Audio Issues and Solutions

Teams Audio Cutting Out
This often happens when multiple apps compete for audio resources. Per-app routing can help by dedicating specific outputs to Teams.

Volume Levels Inconsistent
Teams sometimes has quiet or loud participants. Having independent volume control lets you boost Teams without affecting other apps.

Background Noise During Calls
Use Teams' noise cancellation in combination with per-app routing to keep your audio environment clean.

Why This Matters for Productivity

Proper audio control isn't just about convenience - it's about maintaining focus during remote work. When you can't quickly adjust Teams audio without disrupting your workflow, you lose productivity to constant audio juggling.

Per-app audio control lets you:

• Keep background music at optimal levels for concentration
• Respond to urgent Teams messages without volume hunting
• Seamlessly transition between calls and focused work
• Avoid the awkward "can you repeat that?" moments caused by audio issues

Mac's lack of built-in volume mixing is a real limitation for Teams users, but with the right tools, you can get the audio control that Windows users have always had.

---

Originally published at appish.app