What CallLane works with: call apps, dictation apps, headphones and macOS versions
CallLane stops call apps ducking your music on a Mac, and it works with any call app that lets you pick a speaker: FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Discord and Google Meet in Chrome. Its input lock keeps AirPods and other Bluetooth headphones in high quality with any dictation app that records from the Mac's mic or the System default. It needs macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel. Calls in Safari can't use it, because Safari has no per-site speaker picker.
Tested on macOS 27.0.1 with CallLane 1.0.5, .
Call apps
CallLane works with any call app that lets you choose its speaker. You pick CallLane as the speaker once per app, and macOS then ducks only the call. Here’s where each app keeps that setting:
| App | Where to pick the speaker and mic |
|---|---|
| FaceTime | Menu bar, Video, then Output (and Microphone) |
| Settings, Calls, then Speaker | |
| Zoom | Settings, Audio, then Speaker |
| Microsoft Teams | Settings, Devices, then Speaker |
| Slack | Preferences, Audio & video, then Speaker |
| Discord | User Settings, Voice & Video, then Output Device |
| Google Meet in Chrome | In a call, the speaker menu in the bottom bar, or More options, Settings, then Audio |
Google Meet runs in a browser. In my tests, Meet in Chrome does not duck your other audio at all, because Chrome does its own echo cancellation instead of asking macOS for it. What Meet does do is take the AirPods mic, and Lock input fixes that. If Meet on your Mac does lower your music, pick CallLane from Meet’s speaker menu; Chrome lets each site choose its speaker. Safari has no per-site speaker picker, so calls in Safari can’t use CallLane.
Dictation apps
CallLane’s Lock input keeps the Mac’s input on its own mic (or a USB mic) and puts it back if macOS moves it to your AirPods. A dictation app benefits when it records from the Mac’s mic or the System default:
- Apple Dictation
- Wispr Flow
- Superwhisper
- MacWhisper
- Aqua Voice
- VoiceInk
- Willow
An app set to the AirPods mic directly ignores the lock. Switch it to the System default or the built-in mic once. There are step-by-step guides for Wispr Flow, Superwhisper and MacWhisper.
Your audio
Anything that plays to the Mac’s normal output keeps its full volume during calls: Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, Safari, Chrome, games and anything else. There is no player to switch to and nothing to set per app.
Headphones
The quality fix helps any Bluetooth headphones that drop to headset quality when their mic turns on:
- AirPods, Pro & Max
- Beats
- Sony
- Bose
- Galaxy Buds
- Pixel Buds
- any Bluetooth headphones
Wired headphones and speakers don’t have the headset problem, but they still get the ducking fix. Why headset mode happens.
macOS and hardware
CallLane needs macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel. I test it on macOS 26 and 27 with AirPods Pro 3. The latest check was on macOS 27.0.1 with CallLane 1.0.5.
Known limits
- It adds about 10 to 15 ms of latency to call audio. Imperceptible in use.
- Spatial Audio and head tracking may not apply to the call.
- It requires macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel.
- Calls in Safari can’t use CallLane, because Safari has no per-site speaker picker.
- An app set to the AirPods mic directly ignores Lock input until you switch it to the System default.
Questions
Does CallLane work with Google Meet?
Yes, in Chrome. In my tests Meet in Chrome does not duck your music, so the fix you need there is Lock input, which keeps AirPods in high quality while Meet uses the mic. If Meet does lower your music, pick CallLane from the speaker menu in Meet's bottom bar, or under More options, Settings, Audio. Safari has no per-site speaker picker, so Meet calls in Safari can't use CallLane.
Does CallLane work with my dictation app?
Yes, if the app records from the Mac's mic or the System default, which most do by default. That includes Apple Dictation, Wispr Flow, Superwhisper, MacWhisper, Aqua Voice, VoiceInk and Willow. An app set to the AirPods mic directly ignores the lock, so switch it to the System default once.
Does CallLane work with headphones other than AirPods?
Yes. The quality fix helps any Bluetooth headphones that drop to headset quality when their mic turns on, AirPods included. Wired headphones and speakers don't have that problem, but CallLane still keeps your media loud during calls.
Which macOS versions does CallLane support?
macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel. It is tested on macOS 27.0.1 with CallLane 1.0.5.