# How to Switch the Audio Output with a Keyboard Shortcut on Mac

Updated: November 12, 2026

Supercharge: Price: $20, one-time purchase, plus tax where applicable. Platforms: macOS. Get it from: [Setapp](https://go.setapp.com/stp181?refAppID=742&utm_medium=vendor_program&utm_content=button), [Gumroad](https://sindresorhus.gumroad.com/l/supercharge?wanted=true). Free trial: [download](https://sindresorhus.com/supercharge#trial). Requires macOS 26.4 or later. Free older versions for macOS 15: [download](https://sindresorhus.com/supercharge#older-versions).

URL: https://sindresorhus.com/guides/switch-audio-output-shortcut-mac

macOS has no keyboard shortcut to change the sound output. Click Sound in Control Center or in the menu bar, and choose the device. [Supercharge](https://sindresorhus.com/supercharge) switches to the next output device with a keyboard shortcut.

## With Supercharge

1. Open the settings of [Supercharge](https://sindresorhus.com/supercharge), and click “Shortcuts”.
1. In the “Cycle audio device” section, set a shortcut for “Cycle audio output device”.
1. Press the shortcut to go to the next output, like from the speakers to the headphones. After the last device, it starts again at the first.

“Cycle audio input device” does the same for microphones.

## Without an app

- **Control Center:** Click Control Center in the menu bar, and choose the device in the Sound controls.
- **System Settings:** Open “[System Settings › Sound](x-apple.systempreferences:com.apple.Sound-Settings.extension)”, click “Output”, and select the device. [Apple’s instructions.](https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mchlp2256/mac)

To save a click, open “[System Settings › Menu Bar](x-apple.systempreferences:com.apple.ControlCenter-Settings.extension)”, and set Sound to “Always Show in Menu Bar”. Then click Sound in the menu bar, and choose the device. This is enough when you switch now and then. Supercharge is for when you switch many times a day, like between meetings and music.