Install Soundflower on Mac properly

Soundflower is an open source kernel extension for Mac OS which helps users route sounds to any Mac app instead of the default speakers. If you want to record internal audio on Mac, such as iTunes music, online radio, online music, video game music, Soundflower is what you need. Today, we will walk you through the install process step by step. 

Download the installer package to Mac

Download the signed version of Soundflower on github for Mac OS Mojave (10.14) and earlier from this link.

You can find the installer named “Soundflower-2.0b2.dmg” in the Download folder in Finder. It is the most recent version as of now. 

Double click the Soundflower-2.0b2.dmg installer file in Finder to open it. You will find four files in it, a license file in txt format, a readme file in rtf format, a uninstallation script file and the installation file in pkg format. 

We use a MacBook Pro which is running on the latest Mac Mojave in this demo. 

Install Soundflower on Mac for the first time

Do NOT double click the pkg installer. You have to press and hold the control key on your keyboard, then click on the pkg file, you will get the context menu. Choose Open from the drop-down menu to open the Soundflower.pkg installer. After that a warning message pops up as below.

open Soundflower installer on Mac

“Soundflower.pkg” is from an unidentified developer. Are you sure you want to open it? Opening “Soundflower.pkg” will always allow it to run on this Mac. 

Click the Open button to run the installer. The first time you run the installer (Soundflower.pkg), it will ask for your admin password. The installation will FAIL the first time you run it because the GateKeeper on your Mac will block it. We need to give the installer the permission before it can be installed. 

Soundflower system extension installation blocked on Mac

Grant Soundflower permission from security preferences

Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > General, there should be an “Allow” button at the bottom. Click on it to give permission to use Soundflower. 

allow third-party system software installation from security & privacy on mac

Install Soundflower again

Run the installer again. This time, you should be able to install the signed version of Soundflower on Mac without any problem. It will inform you the installation was successful.

Soundflower installed successfully on Mac

Extra tips:

If you see an “Open Anyway” button in the Security Preferences,  most likely because you tried (and failed) opening the installer by double clicking without holding down the control key. 

If so, click the “Open Anyway” button which will display another window. Then click the “Open” button in that window to launch the installer. Now you can follow the instructions above to get the “Allow” button to appear in the Security Preferences. Hit the Allow button and continue to install Soundflower on Mac.

9 thoughts on “Install Soundflower on Mac properly”

  1. I did the install trick and it was fine , but I don’t have an icon or anything to check preferences on,10.14.6 . It will not communicate with Audacity at all.

  2. This doesn’t work for me. The install says it is successful the first time and there is no option in security and privacy to allow software from Matt Ingalls.

  3. Followed instructions exactly and worked well for me, first install fails, then authorize from security and privacy settings, then second install succedeed ! Great !

  4. I’ve been using SF for many years. A very useful app for me. It will not install on MacBook Pro with 10.13.6. I allowed the installation through the Sys Prefs. The install simply fails.

    1. I also have a failed installation (OS 10.14.5). Did you find a way round or alternative?

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