BlackHole is a modern macOS audio loopback driver that allows applications to pass audio to other applications with zero additional latency.
The problem BlackHole solves is enabling inter-application audio routing on macOS without the latency penalties typical of software-based solutions. It works as a virtual audio device that applications can route audio through, functioning as a bridge between audio sources and destinations. The driver operates at the system level without requiring kernel extensions or modifications to macOS security features, and it achieves zero additional driver latency by operating directly within the audio pipeline.
BlackHole suits developers and audio professionals who need to route audio between applications on macOS—such as those building audio processing chains, recording applications, or live sound setups. The tool offers multiple channel configurations ranging from 2 to 256 channels, allowing users to choose the version that matches their needs without unnecessary overhead. It supports a wide range of sample rates from 8kHz up to 768kHz and runs on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. Installation is straightforward through either a standard installer or Homebrew package management.
The project maintains active engagement with its user community through a dedicated Discord server and accepts feature requests. Development activity shows ongoing compatibility work across macOS versions and processor architectures, with builds maintained for both Intel and Apple Silicon platforms. The codebase is written in C and remains compatible with macOS versions going back several releases.
