Quwire.

Help

Support.

Getting started, answers to common questions, the beta, and how to reach me.

Getting started

  1. Connect your headphones, speakers or display to your Mac the usual way.
  2. Open Quwire. The first time, a short setup helps you pick your first mix. After that, Quwire lives in the menu bar: look for the q at the top right of the screen.
  3. Click the q, then click the round icon of each output you want in the mix.
  4. Turn on the switch at the top and play something. It plays on every output in the mix.
  5. For more room, choose Open Quwire: drag outputs in from Nearby, set each one’s volume, and press + to make another mix.

Press in any app to turn Quwire on or off. You can change it in Settings › Shortcut.

Questions

Expect a small echo between Bluetooth and wired outputs

Bluetooth headphones and speakers play a moment later than built-in and wired outputs. In the same room, you may hear that as a short echo, and Quwire tells you when a mix has both. It’s hardly noticeable when each person or room hears one of them: headphones for you, speakers for the room.

The volume keys don’t change the combined output

macOS gives a combined output no volume control of its own, so the keyboard’s volume keys and Control Center can’t change it. Use Quwire’s volume slider in the menu bar or in the Quwire window, or set Volume up and Volume down shortcuts in Settings › Shortcut.

A device isn’t in the list

Quwire lists the outputs macOS offers. If a Bluetooth device is connected but missing from the Sound output list, pick it once in Control Center › Sound, and it shows up in Quwire. macOS hides connected AirPods that nobody is wearing: put them on, and they appear within a few seconds. A fuller in-app fix is coming. If 3 Bluetooth audio devices are already connected, see the next question. Virtual devices, such as BlackHole, appear when you turn on Show virtual devices in Settings › General.

How many Bluetooth devices can play at once?

macOS gives Bluetooth audio to at most 3 devices at a time. A 4th shows “Connected” but gets no sound and disconnects after a few seconds. Connected headphones count even when nobody wears them. For more listeners, add wired outputs: the built-in speakers, the headphone jack, USB or HDMI. Quwire plays on any number of those alongside up to 3 Bluetooth devices. With 3, Bluetooth may stutter.

One AirPod out pauses the movie

Taking one earbud out pauses playback for everyone: macOS does this, and apps can’t prevent it. To keep playing, turn off Automatic Ear Detection in that headset’s settings (System Settings, then the headset’s name in the sidebar while it’s connected).

AirPlay speakers

Not yet. AirPlay speakers and TVs don’t appear in Quwire for now.

How do I get my old sound back?

Turn Quwire off, or quit it. Quwire puts back the output, input and volumes you had before. If Quwire ever quits unexpectedly, it puts them back the next time it opens.

Join the beta

Quwire is in beta on TestFlight, Apple’s app for trying apps before they reach the App Store. You need a Mac with macOS 15 or later.

  1. Email me at [email protected] and ask for an invite.
  2. I’ll send a TestFlight invitation to that address. Open it on your Mac and follow its steps: they install TestFlight from the Mac App Store, then Quwire.
  3. To send feedback, open TestFlight, select Quwire and choose Send Beta Feedback.

Quwire is coming to the Mac App Store.

Contact

Email [email protected]. It helps to include your Mac model and macOS version, the outputs you use, and what happened.