winner14

macOS menu bar utility that intercepts and routes per-app audio streams to independent output devices

18
3
100% credibility
Found Mar 25, 2026 at 18 stars -- GitGems finds repos before they trend. Get early access to the next one.
Sign Up Free
AI Analysis
Swift
AI Summary

AudioLane is a macOS menu bar app that routes audio output from specific applications to chosen speakers or headphones independently.

How It Works

1
🔍 Find AudioLane

You discover a simple menu bar tool that sends sounds from different apps to different speakers or headphones at once.

2
📥 Easy install

Paste two quick commands into your terminal, and it grabs everything needed to get started.

3
🚀 First open

Click the speaker icon up top, say yes to a one-time permission so it can hear app sounds, and setup finishes on its own.

4
🎛️ Pick and route

Your running apps appear in a neat list—tap the arrow next to your music app and choose your headphones to send sound there.

5
Route another

Do it again for your video player to the room speakers, and both keep playing perfectly side by side.

🎉 Sounds everywhere

Now music whispers in your ears while videos boom from speakers, and it remembers your setup for next time.

Sign up to see the full architecture

4 more

Sign Up Free

Star Growth

See how this repo grew from 18 to 18 stars Sign Up Free
Repurpose This Repo

Repurpose is a Pro feature

Generate ready-to-use prompts for X threads, LinkedIn posts, blog posts, YouTube scripts, and more -- with full repo context baked in.

Unlock Repurpose
AI-Generated Review

What is audiolane?

AudioLane is a Swift-based macOS menu bar app that lets you route audio from individual apps to separate output devices—like Spotify to speakers and YouTube to headphones—while unrouted apps stick to your system default. It solves the chaos of juggling multiple audio sources on macOS 14+, using ScreenCaptureKit for per-app capture and BlackHole as a virtual driver. Install via Homebrew cask (`brew install --cask audiolane`), grant Screen Recording permission, and manage routes from a clean popover; settings persist across sessions.

Why is it gaining traction?

Unlike clunky system sound settings or paid apps, AudioLane offers one-click per-app routing from the macOS menu bar, with auto-recovery for device disconnects, sleep/wake, and app quits. The menu bar icon badges active routes, and it handles macOS menu bar icons without crowding your tray. Developers dig the seamless BlackHole auto-setup and notifications for issues like permission revokes.

Who should use this?

Mac multitaskers with USB headphones, Bluetooth speakers, and built-in audio—like video callers blasting music, podcasters isolating mics, or devs debugging audio in Xcode while streaming. Ideal for anyone tired of macOS menu bar settings swaps during Zoom + Spotify sessions, especially on Sonoma with multiple outputs.

Verdict

Worth a spin for macOS audio power users despite 18 stars and 1.0% credibility score—docs are thorough, uninstall is clean, but it's early-stage with a roadmap for volume controls and no-BlackHole mode. Test on a non-critical setup; monitor for App Store polish.

(198 words)

Sign up to read the full AI review Sign Up Free

Similar repos coming soon.