Mac Mini Audio Wake Fix

Fixes the macOS bug where audio output defaults to the built-in speaker after waking from sleep, even when external speakers or headphones are connected to the 3.5mm audio jack.

How It Works

1. sleepwatcher monitors system sleep/wake events
2. When your Mac wakes, it triggers a script (~/.wakeup)
3. The script checks to make sure an output device/3.5mm plug is occupying the headphone port.
4. If something is plugged in, the script uses SwitchAudioSource to set audio output to your 3.5mm device
5. A 2-second delay ensures the system is fully awake before switching

Installation

chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

The installer will:

• Install switchaudio-osx and sleepwatcher via Homebrew (if not present)
• Auto-detect your 3.5mm audio device (or prompt you to select one)
• Create the wake script and configure it to run automatically

Requirements

• macOS (tested on Ventura/Sonoma on Apple Silicon Mac Mini)
• Homebrew package manager

Manual Configuration

If you need to change the audio device after installation:

1. List available devices:

   SwitchAudioSource -a -t output

2. Edit the script:

   nano ~/.config/audio-wake-fix/set-audio-output.sh

3. Change the DEVICE= line to match your desired output

Troubleshooting

Check if sleepwatcher is running:

launchctl list | grep sleepwatcher

View the log:

cat ~/.config/audio-wake-fix/audio-wake.log

Manually test the switch:

SwitchAudioSource -s "External Headphones" -t output

Restart the service:

launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.audio-wake-fix.sleepwatcher.plist
launchctl load -w ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.audio-wake-fix.sleepwatcher.plist

Intel Mac users:

Change /opt/homebrew/ paths to /usr/local/ in the scripts.

Uninstallation

chmod +x uninstall.sh
./uninstall.sh

Files Created

Path	Purpose
~/.config/audio-wake-fix/set-audio-output.sh	The wake script
~/.config/audio-wake-fix/audio-wake.log	Event log
~/.wakeup	Symlink to wake script (sleepwatcher convention)
~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.audio-wake-fix.sleepwatcher.plist	Auto-start sleepwatcher

Alternative: Using pmset (No Dependencies)

If you prefer not to install additional tools, you can use a native approach with pmset notifications, but it's less reliable. The sleepwatcher method above is the most robust solution.

Known Device Names

Common 3.5mm audio device names on Mac Mini:

• External Headphones (most common on Apple Silicon)
• Headphones
• Built-in Output
• Line Out

License

MIT - Use freely