How to Fix Mac Sound Output Greyed Out or No Audio from Speakers

When your Mac volume slider is locked or the speaker icon is greyed out in the menu bar, the macOS audio daemon needs to be restarted.

Why This Problem Happens

• coreaudiod daemon crashed.
• A virtual sound card (from Zoom, Teams, or Screenflow) hijacked the default audio bus.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Procedure

Step 1: Restart Core Audio Daemon via Terminal

Objective: Reset low-level audio processing.

1. Open Terminal, type: sudo killall coreaudiod and press Enter.
2. Enter your Mac password. The audio engine will restart automatically in 2 seconds.

Step 2: Check Audio MIDI Setup Utility

Objective: Verify channel balance and mute toggles.

1. Open Spotlight, search for “Audio MIDI Setup” and launch it.
2. Select “MacBook Pro Speakers” in the left column and verify the Mute checkboxes are unchecked and volume sliders are at 100%.

Step 3: Select Proper Output in System Settings

Objective: Switch active routing.

1. Open System Settings > Sound > Output tab.
2. Explicitly select “MacBook Pro Speakers” or your desired headphones.

Verified Troubleshooting Tips

• If you recently unplugged 3.5mm headphones, inspect the jack for a red light indicating optical SPDIF mode is accidentally triggered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will restarting coreaudiod close my open music apps?

It may momentarily pause audio playback, but your apps will stay open.