About
Auto Ducking is a Mac menu bar utility that lowers your Mac's system volume while your microphone is in use and restores it when the microphone turns off. You can keep music, videos or ambient sound playing while you dictate, record or talk to an AI assistant. You choose the level the volume drops to, the restore delay and the fade, and you can save presets and set different levels for each sound output. Calls stay at full volume, and you can limit ducking to specific apps or use every app with a microphone.
Auto Ducking only checks whether the microphone is in use and adjusts the system volume. It never records, transcribes or uploads audio, and settings, presets and usage stats stay on your Mac. Anonymous crash reports can be turned off in Settings. The app runs in the App Sandbox and lives in the menu bar rather than the Dock.
Every feature is free for a 7-day trial. After that, a one-time Lifetime Unlock keeps automatic ducking enabled, with no subscription. It is available on the Mac App Store.
What's new
All release notesAuto Ducking 2.0 is a big update. • Calls stay at full volume. Auto Ducking now lowers only when something else is playing, so you can still hear everyone on video and voice calls. • Restore Now keeps the volume up until your microphone turns off. • A redesigned status panel and menu bar icon, in light and dark. • Settings are simpler, grouped into five pages. • A short welcome guide helps you set up and try it in seconds. • You get a notice when your trial ends. • Optional crash reports help fix problems faster. You can turn them off in Settings. • More reliable volume restore after device changes, sleep, and relaunch.