Setting a Recording Audio Device in Mac OS

Many applications, including PowerPoint allow you to record your voice using a connected microphone. In PowerPoint, such recorded voice-overs work very well as slide narrations. However, if your connected microphone does not work using the recording options in PowerPoint or another application, then you may have to first find if the microphone hardware was detected or not by the Mac OS. Also if detected, has it been selected for recording? In this tutorial, we will discover how you can take care of these concerns. Follow these steps to learn more:

1. Select the Mac | System Preferences menu option, as shown in Figure 1, below.
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   Figure 1: Mac | System Preferences menu option
2. Doing so opens the System Preferences dialog box, as shown in Figure 2, below. Then, click the Sound icon, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 2.
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   Figure 2: Sound icon within the System Preferences dialog box
3. This action opens the Sound dialog box, as shown in Figure 3, below. Within the Sound dialog box, make sure that the Input tab is selected, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 3. Here you can see connected recording devices. Make sure your connected microphone is listed. If not, access the support options available for your microphone, such as the support section of the microphone manufacturer's website.
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   Figure 3: Attached recording devices listed within the Sound dialog box
5. If your microphone is indeed connected, but not selected, then click its name so that PowerPoint uses this microphone for recording. In Figure 3 above, you can see that the microphone 'AK5370' is selected. You can also adjust the level of its input volume using the Input volume slider, located below the list.
4. After making the changes, close the Sound dialog box.