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Guide · Webex · Mac

How to play music or a video with sound in Webex on a Mac

You’re sharing a video in a Webex meeting and nobody can hear it. Or you want a bit of music at the start of a call. Here’s the quick fix, the Mac step people miss, and a way to play music without sharing your screen at all.

The quick fix

  • Click Share, then turn on Share computer audio before you pick your screen or app.
  • On a Mac, Webex installs an audio driver the first time. Say yes when it asks.
  • Want the music under your voice, without sharing your screen? Put it in your microphone instead.

Share your screen with sound

  1. In the meeting, click Share.
  2. Turn on Share computer audio. For a video, turn on Optimize for motion and video too.
  3. Choose the screen or app with your video or music.
  4. Play it. If it was already playing, pause it and play it again.

Everyone sees what you share and hears your Mac’s sound. That means all of it, notification sounds included, so turn on Do Not Disturb first.

The Webex audio driver on a Mac

On a Mac, Webex needs its own audio driver to share computer audio. The first time you turn on Share computer audio, Webex asks to install it. Say yes; your Mac may ask for an administrator password. On a work Mac, you may need your IT team to allow it.

If Share computer audio is on and people still hear nothing, the driver is the usual reason. Our no sound when screen sharing guide has the full checklist.

Play music without sharing your screen

Webex hears one microphone. If the music goes into that microphone along with your voice, everyone hears both, at the levels you choose, and you don’t have to share anything.

Patch, which we make, does this on a Mac with Apple silicon and macOS 26 or later. It mixes your mic and up to four apps into one microphone called Patch Mix.

  1. Add your microphone and the music to Patch. Open Patch, add your microphone, then add the app that plays the music or video: Spotify, Music, Safari, Chrome or a video player.
  2. Set the music under your voice. Turn on Send for both, and pull the music’s slider down until it sits under your voice. Turn on Hear locally so you hear it too.
  3. Choose Patch Mix in Webex. In Webex, open Settings, then Audio. Under Microphone, choose Patch Mix. Under Speaker, choose your headphones.
  4. Turn on Music mode. In the meeting, open Audio options next to Mute and choose Music mode, so Webex doesn’t remove the music as noise.
  5. Go live. Click Go live in Patch. Everyone in the meeting hears your voice and the music, and you never have to share your screen.

If Microphone in Webex is set to Follow system setting, choose Patch Mix instead. In a meeting, you can switch microphone from the menu next to Mute. Wear headphones, so your real microphone doesn’t hear the music a second time, and always choose your headphones as the speaker in Webex, never Patch Pass-Thru.

Stop Webex cutting the music

Webex is built for voices, and its noise removal can chop music up. This matters most when the music goes through your microphone.

  • Music mode: in a meeting, open Audio options next to Mute and choose Music mode. It turns noise removal off. Before a meeting, it’s in Settings › Audio › Smart audio.
  • Mic Mode: if your Mac’s Control Center shows Mic Mode during a call, choose Standard. Voice Isolation removes music.

Questions

Why can’t people hear my video in Webex?

Usually Share computer audio was off when you shared. Stop sharing, click Share again, and turn on Share computer audio first. On a Mac, Webex also needs its audio driver: if it asks to install it, say yes. If the video was already playing, pause it and play it again.

Can I play music in Webex without sharing my screen?

Yes, if the music goes into your microphone. Share computer audio comes with a share, so people see what you share as well. A virtual mic such as Patch puts the music in your microphone instead, with nothing on screen.

What is Music mode?

One of Webex’s smart audio options, for playing music. It turns off noise removal, so the music comes through. In a meeting, find it under Audio options next to Mute. Before a meeting, it’s in Settings › Audio › Smart audio.

Does Patch work with Webex?

Yes. Webex hears Patch Mix like any microphone: choose it in Settings › Audio › Microphone. Patch has guided setup built in for Zoom, Meet, Discord and OBS; for Webex, these steps are all it takes.

Will everyone hear my notifications?

With Share computer audio, your Mac’s sound is shared, so notification sounds can go too. Turn on Do Not Disturb first. Patch only sends the apps you add, so notifications stay out.