Balance Lock1.1

Balance Lock keeps headphone audio centered when the left-right balance shifts, correcting drift that can occur as headphones are plugged into or removed from a computer. It runs quietly in the background, monitoring audio levels and restoring the chosen balance automatically instead of making you reopen System Preferences after each connection.

By default, playback is locked to the middle, but a left-right slider lets you select any point toward either ear. This adjustment is useful for listeners with hearing loss who want sound directed primarily or exclusively to one side. An optional notification announces each correction, while the drop-down menu shows the last device fixed and when the correction occurred.

It suits headphone listeners affected by the operating system’s balance-drifting bug, particularly those who frequently connect and disconnect headphones. Unlike a broader audio suite, it concentrates on stopping balance drift rather than adding unrelated audio functions. Balance Lock is freeware in the Music & Audio category for macOS; its current release, 1.1, dated May 15, 2021, supports versions 10.12 Sierra through 14 Sonoma.

The Universal App runs natively on Intel and Apple silicon hardware, using near-zero CPU while waiting for a balance problem, and its interface is translated into English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese. Mac Geek Gab featured Balance Lock in Episode 1027.