Does Mac have an equalizer?

Only in the Music app. Open Music and choose Window › Equalizer, but it changes only songs played in Music, not Spotify, videos in your browser, games or calls. For all sound, you need an app such as eqMac or MrFixable's System Equalizer, which adds a 10-band equalizer to everything your Mac plays.

Yes, the main version is free. It includes a 10-band equalizer, headphone presets, volume boost and balance. eqMac Pro adds an equalizer with unlimited bands, the App Mixer for per-app volume and spatial audio, for $3 a month, $30 a year or $40 once for one Mac, according to eqmac.app.

How do I adjust EQ on a Mac?

Turn on System Equalizer in MrFixable, then pick a preset such as Bass Boost or Vocal from its menu, or open its settings and drag the ten sliders. Double-click a slider to put it back to 0 dB. If boosted music sounds squashed, lower the preamp. For the Music app only, use Window › Equalizer.

Can I use eqMac and MrFixable at the same time?

Yes, but don't run both equalizers at once, or your sound is shaped twice and the boosts add up. Pick one for equalizing. If you keep eqMac for its headphone presets, leave System Equalizer off in MrFixable and use MrFixable's other fixes as usual.

Alternatives

eqMac alternative for Mac

eqMac is a free system-wide equalizer for Mac, with Pro features from $3 a month, $30 a year or $40 once. MrFixable's System Equalizer does the core job: a 10-band equalizer with presets for everything your Mac plays. eqMac offers more, like headphone presets and unlimited bands in Pro. MrFixable bundles its equalizer with 67 other fixes.

Try MrFixable free for 14 daysBuy for $19.99 Lifetime license

By Mohammed Chaara. Updated October 21, 2026. Facts about eqMac come from its own website or App Store page, listed at the end.

What eqMac is

eqMac is a system-wide audio equalizer for Mac. The free version has a basic equalizer for bass, mids and treble, an advanced equalizer with 10 fixed bands, reference presets for more than 4,600 headphones, Super Presets that switch on their own by output device or app, volume boost beyond 100%, and volume and balance for HDMI and DisplayPort devices. eqMac Pro adds an expert equalizer with unlimited bands and adjustable frequency, gain, bandwidth and filter type, a spectrum analyzer, an App Mixer for per-app volume, spatial audio and Audio Unit hosting. Pro costs from $3 a month or $30 a year, or $40 once for one Mac. eqMac runs on macOS 10.13 or later, on Intel and Apple silicon. Its GitHub repository holds the free parts of an older version, 1.3.2, under the Apache-2.0 license.

eqMac vs MrFixable

	eqMac	MrFixable
Price	Free; Pro from $3 a month or $30 a year, or $40 once for one Mac	$19.99 once (Lifetime license) for all 68 fixes, free for 14 days
Equalizer bands	10 fixed bands free; unlimited bands with frequency, gain, bandwidth and filter type in Pro	10 bands from 32 Hz to 16 kHz, up to 12 dB up or down
Presets	Reference presets for 4,600+ headphones; Super Presets switch by device or app	8 presets: Flat, Bass Boost, Bass Reducer, Treble Boost, Vocal, Loudness, Laptop Speakers, Headphones
Volume	Boost beyond 100%, balance, HDMI and DisplayPort volume	Preamp from −12 to +6 dB, with a limiter that keeps boosted sound from crackling
Per-app volume	App Mixer, in Pro	App Volume, a separate fix included in the price
Spectrum analyzer and Audio Units	Yes, in Pro	No
macOS	macOS 10.13 or later, Intel and Apple silicon	macOS 14.2 Sonoma or later
Source code	Free parts of version 1.3.2 on GitHub (Apache-2.0)	Closed source

Where each one is better

eqMac is better for

The 10-band equalizer, volume boost and balance are free.
It has reference presets for more than 4,600 headphones, and Super Presets that switch on their own by output device or app.
Pro gives a fully adjustable equalizer with unlimited bands, plus a spectrum analyzer, spatial audio and Audio Unit hosting.
It runs on much older macOS, from macOS 10.13.
Part of its code is open source on GitHub.

MrFixable is better for

One price, $19.99 once, with no subscription, for the equalizer, App Volume and MrFixable's other fixes.
Presets for common problems, like Laptop Speakers for small MacBook speakers, and you can switch presets from the MrFixable menu without opening a window.
A built-in limiter keeps boosted sound from crackling.
Sound only passes through the equalizer while something plays and the curve isn't Flat.
Switch it off and your Mac sounds exactly as it did before.

Choose eqMac if

Listeners who want presets made for their exact headphones, as many equalizer bands as they like, a spectrum analyzer or Audio Units, and anyone who wants a free equalizer or runs an older macOS.

Choose MrFixable if

People who want their Mac to sound better with a few presets and ten sliders, and who'd also use App Volume and MrFixable's other sound fixes.

Switching from eqMac

Quit eqMac so your sound isn't equalized twice, then open System Settings › Sound, click Output and pick your speakers or headphones. In MrFixable, turn on System Equalizer and allow System Audio Recording when macOS asks: nothing is recorded or saved. Choose the preset closest to what you used in eqMac, or drag the ten sliders to match your old curve. MrFixable remembers your settings.

Questions

Does Mac have an equalizer?
Only in the Music app. Open Music and choose Window › Equalizer, but it changes only songs played in Music, not Spotify, videos in your browser, games or calls. For all sound, you need an app such as eqMac or MrFixable's System Equalizer, which adds a 10-band equalizer to everything your Mac plays.
Is eqMac free?
Yes, the main version is free. It includes a 10-band equalizer, headphone presets, volume boost and balance. eqMac Pro adds an equalizer with unlimited bands, the App Mixer for per-app volume and spatial audio, for $3 a month, $30 a year or $40 once for one Mac, according to eqmac.app.
How do I adjust EQ on a Mac?
Turn on System Equalizer in MrFixable, then pick a preset such as Bass Boost or Vocal from its menu, or open its settings and drag the ten sliders. Double-click a slider to put it back to 0 dB. If boosted music sounds squashed, lower the preamp. For the Music app only, use Window › Equalizer.
Can I use eqMac and MrFixable at the same time?
Yes, but don't run both equalizers at once, or your sound is shaped twice and the boosts add up. Pick one for equalizing. If you keep eqMac for its headphone presets, leave System Equalizer off in MrFixable and use MrFixable's other fixes as usual.