FAQ
How does Barry work?
Barry attaches a process tap to each app that’s playing audio, routes that audio through its own per-app pipeline, applies your volume setting, and lets macOS sum everything back to your output device. The whole engine is written in Swift and runs on top of Apple’s CoreAudio framework — there’s no kernel extension, no virtual audio device installer, and no third-party driver to keep up to date.
Why does macOS ask Barry for audio capture / “recording” access?
The CoreAudio API Barry uses to read each app’s audio (AudioHardwareCreateProcessTap) is gated by macOS as an audio-capture permission. The system phrases the prompt in terms of recording because the same API can technically be used to record — but Barry only reads each app’s audio in real time so it can adjust the volume and immediately re-emit it. Nothing is recorded, written to disk, or sent over the network. You can verify this from System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone (Barry shows up in the audio-capture list).
Why is there a small dot next to the Control Center icon when Barry is running?
Starting with macOS 15, the menu bar shows a small indicator next to the Control Center icon whenever any app is actively capturing audio. Because Barry uses the audio-capture API to tap each app’s output (see the question above), the indicator stays on the whole time Barry’s engine is running. It is not specific to Barry — any app using the same CoreAudio tap API triggers the same indicator. Clicking the dot opens Control Center and confirms it’s Barry holding the audio session.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Barry comes with a 14-day free trial, no credit card required. After that a one-time licence unlocks it permanently — Personal for one Mac, Duo for two. See pricing for current prices.
How does licensing work?
After purchase you’ll receive a license key by email. Open Barry → Settings and enter your key to activate. License verification is powered by Keylight — an offline-ready licensing system that issues a time-limited cryptographic lease so Barry works even without an internet connection after the first activation.
Can I use one licence on more than one Mac?
Yes. Personal activates one Mac; Duo activates two on a single key. If you need more, add seats at checkout — each seat adds two more Macs to the same key, so five seats is one key that activates ten Macs. There are no separate keys to hand out or keep track of, and you can free a slot at any time by deactivating that Mac in Barry → Settings.
What macOS versions are supported?
Barry requires macOS 15 Sequoia or later (Apple Silicon or Intel). The Swift-native engine relies on CoreAudio APIs that only exist on macOS 15+.
Does Barry work with Bluetooth headphones?
Yes. Barry works with all audio output devices recognized by macOS, including Bluetooth headphones, AirPods, and external speakers.
Does Barry affect audio quality?
Not at default settings. Barry never resamples or re-encodes your audio — it receives each app’s stream at its native rate and format and passes it straight through. With the equalizer off and volume at 100%, what reaches your speakers is bit-for-bit what the app sent.
Turn something on and Barry does exactly what you asked for and nothing more. The equalizer shapes the frequencies you move. Boosting past 100% applies gain, and a soft limiter catches the peaks so the result doesn’t clip. Both are opt-in, and both are off until you switch them on.
How do I transfer my license to a new Mac?
On the old Mac, open Barry, click the ? button in the bottom left of Settings, then click Deactivate. Then activate it on the new Mac with the same license key.
Where can I get support?
Email us at [email protected] and we’ll get back to you promptly.