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To record a microphone through an audio interface in GarageBand for Mac, connect the interface to your Mac, plug the microphone into the correct interface socket, choose the interface in GarageBand > Settings (or Preferences) > Audio/MIDI, and then assign that interface channel to an audio track. Select mono for one microphone, set a safe input level, enable monitoring only when needed, and make a short test recording before the real take.
The hardware connection by itself is not enough. GarageBand has a global input-device choice and a separate per-track channel choice; both must point to the signal coming from your microphone. The labels can differ slightly between GarageBand and macOS releases, so use the closest equivalent shown in your installation.
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What you need before opening GarageBand
This guide covers GarageBand on Mac, including the workflow documented for GarageBand 10.4.14. You need a Mac with GarageBand installed, an audio interface with a Mac-compatible USB or Thunderbolt connection, a microphone and its cable, and headphones or speakers for playback. Confirm the interface manufacturer’s connection, driver and macOS requirements for your particular model; the general GarageBand procedure does not establish compatibility for every interface.
Use headphones for live monitoring whenever possible. Speakers can send the monitored microphone signal back into the microphone and create feedback. If you only need to record and do not need to hear the live input, leave monitoring off.
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Choose the connection that matches your equipment
| Connection route | What to select in GarageBand | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone through an audio interface | The interface as the global Input Device, then the numbered channel receiving the microphone on the track | Most flexible choice for XLR microphones, gain control, headphones and multiple inputs |
| USB microphone directly to the Mac | The USB microphone as the input device and track source | Useful when the microphone has its own USB connection and you do not need an interface |
| Mac built-in microphone | Built-in Microphone | Quick voice notes, practice or troubleshooting without external hardware |
| Microphone into the Mac’s audio input | Built-in Input | Only when your Mac and microphone connection support this route |
With an interface, the number shown in GarageBand corresponds to the physical input carrying the signal. For example, a microphone connected to the interface’s second socket normally requires the channel labeled Input 2, but verify the interface’s own labeling and channel order.
Connect the interface and microphone safely
- Turn down the interface’s input gain and monitor volume before connecting equipment.
- Connect the interface to the Mac with the USB or Thunderbolt cable supported by that interface. If the interface requires external power, switch it on according to its instructions.
- Connect the microphone to an interface input. A microphone that needs phantom power should only receive it when the microphone and cable are connected and the gain is turned down; use the interface’s instructions for the power procedure.
- Connect headphones to the interface if you will monitor through it. Otherwise, plan to select the Mac output or another device that feeds your speakers.
- Open GarageBand after the interface is connected. If macOS asks for microphone access, allow it; if you miss the prompt, use the privacy steps in the troubleshooting section below.
Do not assume that seeing the interface in macOS means GarageBand is using it. The application still needs the correct global input selection and track channel assignment.
Select the interface as GarageBand’s input and output
- Open GarageBand and a project, or create a new project.
- Choose GarageBand > Settings. Some releases call this menu Preferences.
- Open the Audio/MIDI pane.
- Set Input Device to your audio interface. This tells GarageBand which hardware supplies incoming audio.
- Set the Output Device to the device connected to the headphones or speakers you intend to use. Input and output can be different devices.
- Close the settings window and return to the project.
The input-device setting is global for the project or GarageBand session. It does not by itself select a physical socket for an individual track; that choice is made in the track’s Recording Settings.
If the interface is not listed
- Check that the interface is powered and connected through a supported cable or port.
- Quit and reopen GarageBand after connecting the interface.
- Confirm that macOS recognizes the interface and that any manufacturer-required software is installed and current.
- Return to GarageBand > Settings/Preferences > Audio/MIDI and select the interface again. The interface’s numbered channels should then become available in the track input menu.
Create an audio track for the microphone
- Choose Track > New Track or click the Add Track button.
- Choose an audio track described as Mic or Line.
- In the new-track details, choose the available input source or device. If GarageBand offers a monitoring option, enable it only if you need to hear the live microphone while performing.
- Create the track, then make sure its track header is selected.
You can also select an existing audio track. The important part is that the selected track is an audio track, not a software-instrument or drummer track, and that its source is changed in Recording Settings.
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Assign the microphone’s channel and format
- With the microphone track selected, open Smart Controls.
- Open Recording Settings.
- Open the track’s Input menu and select the numbered interface channel where the microphone is connected.
- Choose the channel format beside the input menu. Select mono for one microphone feeding one channel. Select stereo only when the source is genuinely a left/right stereo signal or a matched pair being recorded as stereo.
- Speak into the microphone or play the instrument and watch the track meter. Raise the Record Level gradually until the signal is healthy without reaching the meter’s maximum.
A single microphone does not become stereo merely because the interface has two inputs. Selecting stereo for a single-channel source can leave one side silent or produce an incorrect recording format. Match the track format to what the microphone and interface are actually delivering.
What the two input choices mean
| GarageBand control | Purpose | Typical value for one interface microphone |
|---|---|---|
| Audio/MIDI > Input Device | Chooses the hardware GarageBand receives audio from | Your audio interface |
| Track > Smart Controls > Recording Settings > Input | Chooses the channel or source assigned to this track | The numbered channel connected to the microphone |
| Audio/MIDI > Output Device | Chooses where GarageBand playback and monitoring are sent | The interface, Mac output or other headphone/speaker device |
Set gain, recording level and monitoring
Use the correct level control
Smart Controls normally provides a recording-level control for the selected track. If the GarageBand level slider is dimmed or unavailable, adjust the connected interface’s physical input gain instead. Increase the gain while speaking or performing at the loudest expected level, and reduce it if the meter overloads or the sound becomes distorted. Digital clipping recorded at the input cannot be repaired reliably by lowering the track later.
GarageBand also provides Automatic Level Control in the pre-recording workflow. Apple describes it as reducing an overly high recording level to help prevent feedback and raising a level that is too low. Treat it as a safeguard, not a substitute for checking the interface gain and making a test take.
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Monitoring routes the live microphone signal through GarageBand so you can hear it with the project. Turn it on from the track header or from Recording Settings when you are performing. Turn it off when you are not performing or when you are editing a recorded region. Use headphones rather than open speakers to reduce the chance that the monitored signal will re-enter the microphone and create a loud loop.
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If monitoring is enabled but you hear nothing, check the selected Output Device, the interface’s headphone volume and the track’s monitoring state. If the output is sent to a different device than the headphones you are wearing, the input meter can work normally while the performer hears silence.
Make a test recording and verify the result
- Select the microphone track header.
- Place the playhead where the test should begin.
- Optionally enable the metronome and count-in if they are part of your intended recording workflow.
- Click the Record button or press R.
- Speak a few words or play the loudest part you expect to record. Watch for a moving input meter and a waveform being drawn on the track.
- Stop with the Stop button or the Space bar.
- Select the new audio region and play it back through the chosen output device.
A successful test has three separate signs: the meter moved while you performed, a region appeared on the intended track, and playback came from the headphones or speakers you selected. Test before an important take because it catches a wrong channel, muted monitoring path or excessive gain without wasting the performance.
Why isn’t GarageBand picking up my microphone?
GarageBand says audio input is inaccessible
macOS may be blocking GarageBand’s microphone access. Quit GarageBand completely, change the permission for your macOS version, then reopen the application.
- macOS Ventura or later: open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone and enable GarageBand.
- macOS Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina or Mojave: open System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Microphone and enable GarageBand.
After changing the permission, reopen GarageBand and repeat the meter test. Apple’s external-input troubleshooting guidance published June 1, 2026 uses these version-specific paths; older or newer releases may use slightly different wording.
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The interface is connected, but no channels appear
- Open GarageBand > Settings/Preferences > Audio/MIDI.
- Set Input Device to the interface rather than the Mac’s built-in microphone or input.
- Return to the microphone track’s Smart Controls > Recording Settings > Input menu.
- Select the numbered channel that matches the interface socket containing the microphone.
If the channel list remains absent, reconnect the interface, restart GarageBand and check the interface manufacturer’s macOS compatibility and software-update information.
The channel is selected, but the meter and waveform stay still
- Confirm the microphone is connected to the physical input represented by the selected channel.
- Confirm the intended audio track is selected and record-enabled as required by your project.
- Check that the track is set to mono for a single microphone, or stereo only for a stereo source.
- Raise the interface’s input gain or GarageBand’s Record Level if that control is available.
- Speak close enough to the microphone for a clear test, and verify that any microphone mute switch is off.
- Recheck macOS microphone permission before concluding that the interface or microphone has failed.
If an external microphone or interface still does not work after these checks, consult the hardware manufacturer for compatibility information or software updates. GarageBand’s general setup instructions cannot certify every third-party device.
The recording is present, but playback is silent
Playback uses the Output Device, which is separate from the Input Device. Reopen GarageBand > Settings/Preferences > Audio/MIDI and choose the device feeding your headphones or speakers. Then check the interface’s headphone or monitor volume and make sure the track and master output are not muted.
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Monitoring produces a howl or repeating sound
Turn monitoring off immediately, lower the monitor level and move from speakers to headphones. The loop occurs when the microphone hears the output being sent to the room. Re-enable monitoring only after the microphone and playback route are isolated enough to prevent feedback.
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Recording with several microphones or separate devices
A single interface with enough inputs is the simplest way to record multiple microphones. Each microphone can then be assigned to its own numbered channel, with one audio track per source. You generally do not need an Aggregate Device for that arrangement.
An Aggregate Device is for advanced cases such as combining several USB microphones, or using inputs from one device while taking output from another. Apple documents creating it in Audio MIDI Setup.
- Open Audio MIDI Setup on the Mac.
- Create an Aggregate Device and add the relevant audio subdevices.
- Note the order of the devices and their channels; that order determines the channel numbers GarageBand will show.
- Choose a reliable clock source for the aggregate.
- Enable Drift Correction for devices that are not the clock source.
- In GarageBand’s Settings/Preferences > Audio/MIDI, choose the Aggregate Device as Input Device.
- Choose the device connected to the headphones or speakers as Output Device.
- Create or configure one audio track for each microphone, assigning each track to its own aggregate channel.
- Enable recording on every track required for the take and make a short multichannel test.
GarageBand can output to only one device at a time. If several people need headphone feeds, use a suitable splitter or headphone amplifier connected to the selected output device. Aggregate Devices add clocking and channel-order complexity, so use one compatible interface instead whenever it meets the input requirement.
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| Your situation | Recommended route | Important checks |
|---|---|---|
| One XLR microphone and occasional recording | Microphone into one interface input | Select the interface globally, then its numbered mono channel; use headphones for monitoring |
| One USB microphone with no interface | USB microphone directly to the Mac | Select the USB microphone as Input Device and as the track source |
| Quick voice memo while troubleshooting external gear | Mac built-in microphone | Select Built-in Microphone and use a new Mic or Line track |
| Two or more microphones at the same time | One multichannel interface, one track per channel | Verify channel capacity, channel numbering and separate mono assignments |
| Inputs and outputs spread across multiple devices | Aggregate Device in Audio MIDI Setup | Set clock source, enable Drift Correction where required and test channel order |
A repeatable pre-recording checklist
- The interface is connected through its supported Mac connection and powered.
- The microphone cable is fully inserted into the intended interface socket.
- GarageBand has microphone permission in macOS.
- Audio/MIDI > Input Device is the interface or other source you actually intend to record.
- Audio/MIDI > Output Device feeds the headphones or speakers you are using.
- The selected track is an audio track made with Mic or Line.
- The track’s Recording Settings input number matches the physical microphone socket.
- The track format is mono for one microphone, or stereo only for a stereo source.
- Gain is high enough for a clear meter but low enough to avoid overload.
- Monitoring is on only when needed, with headphones used when possible.
- A short test take produces a visible region and audible playback.
Once these checks pass, the same routing remains in place for the rest of the project unless you change the interface, channel, output device or track format.
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