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SoundPipe vs Soundflower

Soundflower's last release was 2014. Here's what to use instead.

Soundflower was the Mac's original free virtual audio device, but the project is unmaintained: there is no Apple Silicon build, and its kernel extension won't load on modern macOS. SoundPipe does the same job today, with a signed and notarized driver and a routing UI, for $10.

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When to pick SoundPipe over Soundflower

01

It installs on today's Macs

Soundflower is a kernel extension whose last release, 2.0b2, shipped in December 2014. It was never built for Apple Silicon, and its own GitHub page marks it deprecated. SoundPipe ships a signed and notarized driver built on Apple's current audio-driver API, installed with one click from the app.

02

Everything Soundflower did, with a UI

Soundflower gave you two fixed devices (2ch and 64ch) and left the wiring to Audio MIDI Setup. SoundPipe creates up to 16 devices you can rename and resize live, and you wire apps, microphones, and outputs together by dragging in one window.

03

Listen while you route

Hearing Soundflower's audio meant running Soundflowerbed, its menu-bar extra, or hand-building a multi-output device. SoundPipe routes to your headphones or speakers directly, with per-channel volume.

04

No security settings to fight

Loading a third-party kernel extension on a modern Mac means approval prompts, restarts, and on Apple Silicon a trip into Recovery to lower the security policy. Even that wouldn't help here, since Soundflower has no Apple Silicon build at all. SoundPipe needs none of it: no kernel extension and no reduced security, just an admin password once.

SoundPipe vs Soundflower: feature by feature

Soundflower deserves respect: free, open source, and for over a decade it was how Mac audio routing got done. But development stopped in 2014 and macOS moved on, so this table is less a fair fight than a status report.

Does it run in 2026?

FeatureSoundPipeSoundflowerNotes
Works on Apple Silicon MacsYesNoSoundflower was never built for M-series chips.
Works on current macOSYesNoSoundflower's kernel extension predates today's security model; installs fail or the devices never appear.
Actively maintainedYesNoSoundflower's last release shipped in December 2014, and the project is marked deprecated.
No kernel extension requiredYesNoSoundPipe uses Apple's supported user-space driver API, the same approach as BlackHole.

Routing and control

FeatureSoundPipeSoundflowerNotes
Virtual audio devicesYesYesSoundflower: two fixed devices (2ch and 64ch). SoundPipe: up to 16, resizable from 2 to 64 channels.
Capture system or app audioYesYesBoth can act as an output you record from. SoundPipe can also capture individual apps without changing your system output.
Graphical routing UIYesNoSoundflower had no routing UI; configuration happened in Audio MIDI Setup.
Per-channel volumeYesNoSoundflower passed audio through at a fixed level.
Monitor through headphones or speakersYesPartialSoundflowerbed, the bundled menu-bar extra, could mirror a Soundflower device to one output.
Automatic sample-rate handlingYesNoSample-rate mismatches were a classic source of Soundflower crackle and silence.

Price and upkeep

FeatureSoundPipeSoundflowerNotes
Free and open sourceNoYesSoundflower is free, where it still runs. SoundPipe is $10 once, covering 3 Macs, with a free trial.
Updates and supportYesNoSoundPipe is actively developed with automatic updates. Soundflower's open issues have gone unanswered for years.

SoundPipe vs Soundflower FAQs

Does Soundflower still work in 2026?
Not on any Mac you can buy today. There is no Apple Silicon version, and the project's last release was December 2014, with the GitHub page marked deprecated. Some older Intel Macs can still coax it into loading, but on anything recent the installer fails or the devices never show up. If you're setting up a new machine, use a modern virtual audio driver instead.
Why does the Soundflower installer fail?
Soundflower is a kernel extension, a technology Apple has been phasing out since macOS Catalina. Modern macOS requires explicit approval and restarts to load third-party kernel extensions, and on Apple Silicon it also requires lowering the security policy from Recovery. Even then it cannot work on M-series Macs, because Soundflower was never built for Apple Silicon.
Where can I download Soundflower?
The 2014 release (2.0b2) is still hosted on the project's GitHub releases page, and that is the only download worth trusting; skip third-party mirror sites. But before you download it, check the compatibility reality above: on Apple Silicon it will not work at all.
What can I use instead of Soundflower?
Two modern options, both built on Apple's supported audio-driver API. BlackHole is free and open source, the closest spiritual successor: a bare driver you configure yourself in Audio MIDI Setup. SoundPipe is $10 and adds the routing UI, per-channel volume, and monitoring that Soundflower never had. If you only used Soundflower as a recording target and don't mind manual setup, BlackHole will serve you well; we compare the two honestly on our SoundPipe vs BlackHole page.
How do I record internal audio on a Mac without Soundflower?
Install a modern virtual audio device, set it as your Mac's output (or capture an app directly with SoundPipe), then record from it in QuickTime, Audacity, or your DAW. Our guide to recording internal audio on a Mac walks through every option, including the free ones.
How do I uninstall Soundflower?
The Soundflower DMG includes an uninstall script; run it and restart. If you no longer have the DMG, remove Soundflower.kext from /Library/Extensions and restart your Mac. Its devices disappear after the reboot.
Is SoundPipe based on Soundflower?
No. SoundPipe shares no code with Soundflower. It ships its own driver built on the AudioServerPlugIn API that Apple introduced to replace audio kernel extensions.

The kext era is over.

Try SoundPipe free: the routing Soundflower used to do, on the Macs you actually own. $10, once.

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