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Remote audio#

Remote audio is the streaming of the host's sound to your device during Fluid sessions. From a Mac, you can also send your microphone to a Mac host. Use remote audio to follow a video playing on the host, and your microphone to speak into an app on a Mac host.

Applies to#

  • Host: Windows, macOS, or Linux Alpha running Jump Desktop Connect, connected with Fluid.
  • Hear remote audio: Jump Desktop on Windows, macOS, iPhone, iPad, and Android Beta, and in a web browser.
  • Send your microphone: Jump Desktop on macOS, connected to a Mac host.

Hear the host's sound#

  1. On a Mac host, allow Connect Microphone access, which Connect uses to capture the Mac's sound. See Grant macOS permissions to Connect.
  2. In Jump Desktop, turn audio on:
    • Windows: in the computer's settings, Sharing > Play Audio
    • macOS: in the computer's settings, Sharing > Play Audio on Mac
    • iPhone and iPad: in the computer's settings, the audio switch
    • Android: tap the Settings button in the session toolbar and clear Mute Sound. This action also updates Start Sessions Muted in Settings, so subsequent sessions start with the same setting.
    • Web browser: in the settings drawer, Sharing > Audio

Audio is on by default for new Fluid computers. Team administrators can turn it off with the Audio Streaming setting in a Connect Configuration.

Where the sound plays on a Windows host#

Connect copies the sound from the Windows host's default output device without muting or switching that device. The sound plays on your device and continues to play on that output device on the host.

Windows hosts with no sound device#

Sound works without additional configuration on Windows hosts with no sound device, such as virtual machines. Jump Desktop Connect 10.15.23 or later installs a virtual speaker named Jump Desktop Virtual Speaker on Windows 10 version 22H2 or later and Windows 11. On a host with an existing sound device, Connect keeps that device as the default.

Where the sound plays on a Mac host#

When you connect, Connect switches the Mac's sound output to Jump Desktop Audio so that Connect can capture the sound. You hear the sound on your device, and the Mac host's speakers are silent. When the last session disconnects, Connect restores the previous output device.

Hear sound on the Mac host too#

On the Mac host, while connected:

  1. Open Audio MIDI Setup.
  2. Click + > Create Multi-Output Device.

  3. Select Jump Desktop Audio and the speakers you want to use.

    Audio MIDI Setup with a Multi-Output Device using Jump Desktop Audio and Built-in Output

  4. In the macOS sound menu, choose Multi-Output Device as the output.

    macOS sound menu with Multi-Output Device selected

Stop Connect switching the Mac's output#

  1. On the Mac host, open Jump Desktop Connect and click the settings icon.
  2. Click Advanced.

  3. Under Fluid Remote Desktop, clear Change Audio Device.

    Connect Advanced settings with Change Audio Device cleared

With this setting off, you hear only apps that output to the Audio Capture Device (normally Jump Desktop Audio).

Team administrators control this behavior with the Change System Audio Output setting in a Connect Configuration.

Sound from a Mac host is too quiet#

The Jump Desktop Audio device currently lowers the volume of captured sound to prevent clipping. We are working on a fix in Jump Desktop Audio. In the meantime, for louder sound, capture from another virtual audio loopback device, such as BlackHole:

  1. On the Mac host, install a virtual audio loopback device.
  2. Open Jump Desktop Connect and click the settings icon.
  3. Click Advanced.
  4. Under Fluid Remote Desktop, choose the loopback device in Audio Capture Device.
  5. Reconnect, then play audio on the host to check the volume.

With Change Audio Device on (the default), Connect switches the Mac's output to the selected device while you are connected. If Change Audio Device is off, choose the loopback device as the output on the Mac host before you reconnect, in either the macOS sound menu or the app playing the sound.

Send your microphone to a Mac host#

  1. On your Mac, during a session, choose Remote > Audio > Send Audio, then select your microphone.
  2. If the menu shows Requires microphone permission..., click it and allow Jump Desktop to use the microphone. If you previously denied access, allow it in macOS privacy settings, then restart Jump Desktop.
  3. On the Mac host, select Jump Desktop Microphone as the input in the app that needs it.

To stop sending your microphone, choose None (Mute).

Limitations#

  • A Mac host does not stream audio from the login screen.
  • On Windows N editions, audio requires the Windows Media Feature Pack.