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System sounds coming through internal speakers ... and I don't want that

Hi, 2016 MacBook Pro running Mojave 10.14.6. I have an output device (headphones, wired) configured through a USB Audio CODEC (so I can input musical instruments, microphones, etc, and monitor via heaphones). It works great. I can listen to music or videoconference streams or my instruments, no problem. However, the system sounds (like the sent mail or received mail sounds or application error sounds) are still coming out of the internal speakers and only the internal speakers. I have my preferred output device selected via the volume control pulldown in the menu bar and if I check it through Control Panel. This is new: I've had this device for a year or so and this problem just cropped up. I'm not sure if I flipped a bad switch somewhere or this came with a system patch. But I can't figure it out. Is there a CLI config that I can do to force *all* the sounds through my chosen output device?


MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.14

Posted on Dec 9, 2021 12:48 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 10, 2021 5:43 PM

Hello duckandpenguin,



Thanks for that info and for choosing the Apple Support Communities. If we understand correctly, you are unable to get notification alerts to not play through the speakers on your Mac, even after trying some good steps. To help with this, please check System Preferences > Sound > Sound Effects and make sure the "Play sound effect through" is set to your external audio device, and here are some resources with more info that could be helpful:



Change the alert sounds on Mac

Change the sound output settings on Mac

If your Mac switches to a different audio device



Cheers!

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 10, 2021 5:43 PM in response to duckandpenguin

Hello duckandpenguin,



Thanks for that info and for choosing the Apple Support Communities. If we understand correctly, you are unable to get notification alerts to not play through the speakers on your Mac, even after trying some good steps. To help with this, please check System Preferences > Sound > Sound Effects and make sure the "Play sound effect through" is set to your external audio device, and here are some resources with more info that could be helpful:



Change the alert sounds on Mac

Change the sound output settings on Mac

If your Mac switches to a different audio device



Cheers!

System sounds coming through internal speakers ... and I don't want that

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