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when pairing airpods with a mac, the sound quality is poor due to the fact it also uses them for microphone by default...

when I switch the audio input (microphone to internal), then quality of the airpods sound is excellent.

I don't want to do this step each time I pair airpods, is there a way to make the default microphone for mac is the internal one.

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  • permanently or temporary – Ruskes Oct 26 '18 at 23:07
  • preferably both, kindly provide all solutions you know about if possible, thanks. – DeyaEldeen Oct 26 '18 at 23:09
  • FWIW my AirPods use the Internal Mic by default and always sound good. Changing internal mic to AirPods makes the audio terrible. – JBallin Oct 29 '18 at 17:32
  • @JBallin what macos are you using? I'm on high sierra, – DeyaEldeen Oct 29 '18 at 20:08
  • Latest (Mojave) – JBallin Oct 29 '18 at 20:14
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Ok, here is a script that would select Internal Microphone..

Copy Paste following in the Script Editor in Utility folder.

Run it, if you like it we can make it a keyboard short cut.

tell application "System Preferences" to activate
tell application "System Preferences"
    reveal anchor "input" of pane id "com.apple.preference.sound"
end tell

tell application "System Events" to tell process "System Preferences"
    tell table 1 of scroll area 1 of tab group 1 of window 1
        delay 10
        select row 1
        tell application "System Preferences" to quit
    end tell
end tell
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  • doesn't switch the current source, if the input source is airpods, then it doesn't switch to internal... just opens the panel. – DeyaEldeen Oct 26 '18 at 23:30
  • sorry, i was wrong, it works, i changed delay 1 to delay 100, i thought it was milliseconds, .... how to add a shortcut? and is there a way to make this without showing the panels? – DeyaEldeen Oct 26 '18 at 23:32
  • 1
    ok to make it close add ` tell application "System Preferences" to quit' after select row – Ruskes Oct 26 '18 at 23:53
  • What's the delay for? – Paul Brewczynski Jun 9 '20 at 17:00
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If you're willing to spend $5, get ToothFairy.

Not only does it make it much easier to pair with your Mac, but it has a feature to do exactly what you're asking for under Settings » Advanced:

enter image description here

Check that box at the top and voilà!

UPDATE: ToothFairy is now also part of Setapp.

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I am using Mac High Sierra (10.13.6). Here is another suggestion suggested by a user at http://ssrubin.com/posts/fixing-macos-bluetooth-headphone-audio-quality-issues-with-hammerspoon.html#comment-4018174387

"Hi, I found another way to "fix" this without using scripts or apps. Open the standard "Audio MIDI Setup.app" utility, and click the + at the bottom to create an Aggregate Device. Then select the Internal Microphone as the only component in this aggregate device and select it as the default input."

I tried to follow theses steps but I am confused on the internal mic part. I go to Audio.MIDI Set up, click the little + and see a new Aggregate Device. I see only four check boxes, Built in Mic and output and my two airpods. Where is the internal mic? and what do I do after I select it?

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  • Can you edit out the follow on questions and make this a stand alone answer? If not, then this might need to be asked as a separate but linked question. See tour – bmike♦ Mar 3 '20 at 22:44
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I think the solution is to open Sound when they aren't connected, select proper input (Macbook Pro), then close Sound.

Similar to Finder or other windows where that's how you set default sizing, I think this actually sets the default.

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You can use this program: http://milgra.com/airpods-sound-quality-fixer.html

It's open-source project: https://github.com/milgra/airpodssoundqualityfixer

And it allows you to automatically switch to a built-in MacBook microphone, then you don't have to do anything, after connecting your AirPods to your mac.

Anyway, it should be fixed by Apple, it's ridiculous, to automatically decrease audio quality to such a bad level. And it's not so obvious, to go to settings and change the source of the microphone. In the begging, I was struggling to just recognize why this sounds like a ... so bad

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    Bluetooth has 2 modes, 'headphones' & 'headset (with mic)' - it cannot actually handle full-spectrum audio both directions at once. This is not an Apple failing, it's a Bluetooth failing. Presumably as technology gets faster, this limitation will eventually be mitigated. – Tetsujin Dec 17 '20 at 19:33
  • Of course, it is limited by Bluetooth technology. But there is a choice to get great output (earphones) or great input (microphone) quality. And Apple decided to prioritize microphone quality instead of good audio. And I don't understand it, especially in a case, when I'm using MacBook, which has much better microphone quality than AirPods. So I don't even need to use AirPods microphones, because I have better on my laptop. – Skibq Dec 18 '20 at 20:44

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