
Keep music loud during Mac calls

Keep music loud during Mac calls
CallLane is a macOS menu bar application designed to prevent audio ducking during voice and video calls. Audio ducking is a system behavior in macOS that automatically lowers the volume of other audio sources, such as music, videos, or games, when a call is active. CallLane addresses this by assigning the call application its own dedicated audio device, ensuring that the system's ducking only affects the call audio while all other media continues to play at its original volume. The app also resolves a common issue with Bluetooth headphones, such as AirPods, where the microphone activation during a call forces the audio codec to switch to a lower quality, headset profile. CallLane maintains full audio quality by routing the microphone input to the Mac's built-in microphone or an external USB microphone instead of the headset's mic. The application is controlled through a single icon in the macOS menu bar. Its primary features include stopping the system from muting background media during calls and preserving high fidelity audio output on Bluetooth headphones. CallLane works with a wide range of call applications, including FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Meet, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Discord. The installation process involves downloading a signed and notarized installer package, which places the app in the Applications folder and adds an audio driver. Users must grant microphone access and enter a license key. After setup, users select "CallLane" as the speaker output device within each call application, a one time configuration per app. Typical use cases include watching a film or listening to music with someone over a call without the media volume being reduced, and maintaining high quality audio from AirPods or other Bluetooth headsets for the duration of a call. The app adds approximately 10 to 15 milliseconds of latency to call audio, which is generally imperceptible during use. Spatial Audio and head tracking features may not apply to the call audio. CallLane requires macOS 14 or later and has been tested on macOS 26 with AirPods Pro 3. The software is sold as a one time purchase with no subscription, and a single license key works on up to three Mac computers. Free updates for version 1 are included, and a 14 day refund policy is offered.