# Waveform Plays But No Audio Output in Audacity **URL:** \ **Category:** macOS\ **Tags:** playback, podcast\ **Created:** [May 4, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614 "2025-05-04T19:24:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alien](https://forum.audacityteam.org/user_avatar/forum.audacityteam.org/alien/32/67635_2.png) [@Alien](https://forum.audacityteam.org/u/Alien)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614/1 "2025-05-04T19:24:49Z")
Hello, Please, I need help. My audio files remain silent even though the waveform moves when I play them (whether recorded or imported into Audacity). All my preferences are correctly set, and I’ve already uninstalled and reinstalled Audacity four times. What could be the issue? ---
**Author:** ![DVDdoug](https://forum.audacityteam.org/user_avatar/forum.audacityteam.org/dvddoug/32/32925_2.png) [@DVDdoug](https://forum.audacityteam.org/u/DVDdoug)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614/2 "2025-05-04T19:40:05Z")
Two things to check… The recording and playback volume sliders are now “hidden” behind the recording and playback meters. Make sure you’ve selected the correct [Playback Device](https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/audio_setup_toolbar.html). Sometimes if you plug-in a USB mic or a USB turntable, your operating system may set that as your default record and playback device. ---
**Author:** ![kozikowski](https://forum.audacityteam.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/919ad9/32.png) [@kozikowski](https://forum.audacityteam.org/u/kozikowski)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2025, 7:43pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614/3 "2025-05-04T19:43:44Z")
Laptop? how are you listening? Do you get sound from anything else such as YouTube or the Mac’s Delete or other sounds? If you have a newer machine, did you turn the startup chime back on? [CHONG!]. Now you know why it was a bad idea to stop including that. Has it ever worked? Did it crash at the last update? Which Audacity and which Mac/OS? Koz ---
**Author:** ![Alien](https://forum.audacityteam.org/user_avatar/forum.audacityteam.org/alien/32/67635_2.png) [@Alien](https://forum.audacityteam.org/u/Alien)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 1:24pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614/4 "2025-05-05T13:24:57Z")
It used to work but suddenly stopped. Yes, my music and YouTube sounds are both audible. I use Audacity 3.7.3 on MacOS 12.7. ---
**Author:** ![Alien](https://forum.audacityteam.org/user_avatar/forum.audacityteam.org/alien/32/67635_2.png) [@Alien](https://forum.audacityteam.org/u/Alien)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 1:27pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614/5 "2025-05-05T13:27:07Z")
Thanks so much for your response. There’s no issue with the two but still no solution. ---
**Author:** ![kozikowski](https://forum.audacityteam.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/919ad9/32.png) [@kozikowski](https://forum.audacityteam.org/u/kozikowski)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 4:09pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614/6 "2025-05-05T16:09:01Z")
> [@kozikowski](#): > > Laptop? how are you listening? Let’s hit that one. Ae you plugging headphones into your laptop? We have to build your system in our head to do effective troubleshooting. Koz ---
**Author:** ![Alien](https://forum.audacityteam.org/user_avatar/forum.audacityteam.org/alien/32/67635_2.png) [@Alien](https://forum.audacityteam.org/u/Alien)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614/7 "2025-05-05T19:23:52Z")
I didn’t plug headphones ---
**Author:** ![pyrocles](https://forum.audacityteam.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@pyrocles](https://forum.audacityteam.org/u/pyrocles)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 10:22pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614/8 "2025-05-29T22:22:18Z")
I have experienced exactly the same problem, and for me too it happened suddenly and only to Audacity. I therefore trashed my old copy of the app and installed version 3.7.3, but the problem remained. Then I read responses to a different but related problem and found this: " There might be some Audacity settings which causes the problem. What you can try: In the Finder, **while Audacity is not open,** use the Menu “Go To → Go to Folder…” and enter there (or copy the line below): ~/Library/Application Support/ There is a folder called “audacity”, therein are all the Audacity settings you created. Just drag the whole folder “audacity” to your desktop (or anywhere else). Audacity then will start “from scratch” without specific settings." I did not notice the warning to close Audacity first, but I managed anyhow. In the “Go To” menu I found the path where the folder in question resides. I then used the Finder to follow that path to the folder itself. I dragged it to my desktop, closed and restarted Audacity, and found that the problem had disappeared. ---
**Author:** ![Alien](https://forum.audacityteam.org/user_avatar/forum.audacityteam.org/alien/32/67635_2.png) [@Alien](https://forum.audacityteam.org/u/Alien)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614/9 "2025-05-29T23:24:51Z")
Thanks so much for this ---
**Author:** ![system](https://forum.audacityteam.org/uploads/default/original/1X/81a69b20bcd548215067cfaceccc8a10bfa2d176.png) [@system](https://forum.audacityteam.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2025, 7:25pm UTC](https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/waveform-plays-but-no-audio-output-in-audacity/138614/11 "2025-06-03T19:25:06Z")
Closed on June 3, 2025, 7:25pm UTC This topic was automatically closed after 30 days. New replies are no longer allowed.