Boost the bass or change the EQ for music on your Mac

Why it happens

macOS doesn't have one equaliser for the whole Mac, so System Settings has no bass or treble control. The Music app has its own equaliser, which works on songs you play there, from your library or from Apple Music. Other apps play sound without it.

How to fix it

1. Open the Music app from the Dock, or press Command-Space, type Music and press Return.

2. In the menu bar, choose Window, then Equalizer. A small window with sliders opens.

   Music›Window›Equalizer

3. Tick On at the top left of the Equalizer window. Nothing changes until this box is ticked.

4. Open the pop-up menu at the top and pick a preset. Bass Booster adds low end, and Small Speakers suits a MacBook's built-in speakers.

5. To fine-tune, drag the sliders yourself. The ones on the left are bass, the ones on the right are treble, and Preamp sets the overall level. Play a song while you adjust so you can hear the change.

Still not fixed?

1. If music sounds flat even with the equaliser on, try Sound Enhancer in Music's settings. It adds width and presence to stereo playback.

   Music›Settings…›Playback›Sound Enhancer

2. If the sound is thin or comes from the wrong place, open Sound settings and check that the right speakers or headphones are selected under Output, and that the balance slider sits in the middle.

   Sound›Output

3. Turning the bass up a lot can make small speakers distort. If it crackles, pick a gentler preset or lower Preamp a little.

4. If the built-in speakers rattle, buzz or crackle at normal volume with the equaliser off, that's likely a hardware fault. Contact Apple Support or an Apple Authorized Service Provider to have the speakers checked.