Merge pull request #485 from OpenWhispr/core-audio-tap

feat(audio): add native macOS system audio tap

Author: gabrielste1n

electron-builder.json

@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@
   "extraResources": [
     ".env",
     "src/assets/**/*",
+    "resources/bin/macos-audio-tap",
     "resources/bin/macos-globe-listener",
     "resources/bin/macos-fast-paste",
     "resources/bin/macos-mic-listener",

main.js

@@ -89,16 +89,6 @@ if (process.platform === "linux" && process.env.XDG_SESSION_TYPE === "wayland")
   app.commandLine.appendSwitch("enable-features", "UseOzonePlatform,WaylandWindowDecorations");
 }
 
-// Enable system audio loopback capture on macOS via CoreAudio Taps (Electron 39+).
-// Without these flags, getDisplayMedia({ audio: "loopback" }) returns a live audio track
-// that produces only silence (all-zero samples).
-if (process.platform === "darwin") {
-  app.commandLine.appendSwitch(
-    "enable-features",
-    "MacLoopbackAudioForScreenShare,MacSckSystemAudioLoopbackOverride,MacCatapSystemAudioLoopbackCapture"
-  );
-}
-
 // Set desktop filename so Wayland compositors can match windows to the .desktop entry.
 // This allows XDG portals (e.g. PipeWire) to persist permissions across sessions.
 if (process.platform === "linux") {
@@ -197,6 +187,7 @@ const WhisperCudaManager = require("./src/helpers/whisperCudaManager");
 const GoogleCalendarManager = require("./src/helpers/googleCalendarManager");
 const MeetingProcessDetector = require("./src/helpers/meetingProcessDetector");
 const AudioActivityDetector = require("./src/helpers/audioActivityDetector");
+const AudioTapManager = require("./src/helpers/audioTapManager");
 const MeetingDetectionEngine = require("./src/helpers/meetingDetectionEngine");
 const { i18nMain, changeLanguage } = require("./src/helpers/i18nMain");
 const { ensureYdotool } = require("./src/helpers/ensureYdotool");
@@ -218,6 +209,7 @@ let textEditMonitor = null;
 let whisperCudaManager = null;
 let googleCalendarManager = null;
 let meetingDetectionEngine = null;
+let audioTapManager = null;
 let ipcHandlers = null;
 let globeKeyAlertShown = false;
 let authBridgeServer = null;
@@ -294,6 +286,7 @@ function initializeCoreManagers() {
   updateManager.setWindowManager(windowManager);
   windowsKeyManager = new WindowsKeyManager();
   textEditMonitor = new TextEditMonitor();
+  audioTapManager = new AudioTapManager();
   windowManager.textEditMonitor = textEditMonitor;
 
   // IPC handlers must be registered before window content loads
@@ -310,6 +303,7 @@ function initializeCoreManagers() {
     whisperCudaManager,
     googleCalendarManager,
     meetingDetectionEngine,
+    audioTapManager,
     getTrayManager: () => trayManager,
   });
 }
@@ -534,28 +528,6 @@ async function startApp() {
     }
   );
 
-  // Handle getDisplayMedia() calls from the renderer — auto-select the first
-  // screen source with loopback audio so no system picker dialog is shown.
-  const { desktopCapturer } = require("electron");
-  session.defaultSession.setDisplayMediaRequestHandler(async (_request, callback) => {
-    try {
-      const sources = await desktopCapturer.getSources({ types: ["screen"] });
-      debugLogger.debug("Display media sources", {
-        count: sources.length,
-        names: sources.map((s) => s.name),
-      });
-      if (!sources.length) {
-        debugLogger.error("No screen sources available — System Audio permission may be denied");
-        callback({});
-        return;
-      }
-      callback({ video: sources[0], audio: "loopback" });
-    } catch (err) {
-      debugLogger.error("Display media handler error", { error: err.message });
-      callback({});
-    }
-  });
-
   windowManager.setActivationModeCache(environmentManager.getActivationMode());
   windowManager.setFloatingIconAutoHide(environmentManager.getFloatingIconAutoHide());
   windowManager.setPanelStartPosition(environmentManager.getPanelStartPosition());
@@ -1150,6 +1122,9 @@ if (gotSingleInstanceLock) {
     if (googleCalendarManager) {
       googleCalendarManager.stop();
     }
+    if (audioTapManager) {
+      audioTapManager.stop().catch(() => {});
+    }
     if (ipcHandlers) {
       ipcHandlers._cleanupTextEditMonitor();
     }

package.json

@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
     "compile:linux-paste": "node scripts/build-linux-fast-paste.js",
     "compile:media-remote": "node scripts/build-media-remote.js",
     "compile:mic-listener": "node scripts/build-macos-mic-listener.js",
-    "compile:native": "npm run compile:globe && npm run compile:fast-paste && npm run compile:winkeys && npm run compile:winpaste && npm run compile:linux-paste && npm run compile:text-monitor && npm run compile:media-remote && npm run compile:mic-listener",
+    "compile:audio-tap": "node scripts/build-macos-audio-tap.js",
+    "compile:native": "npm run compile:globe && npm run compile:fast-paste && npm run compile:winkeys && npm run compile:winpaste && npm run compile:linux-paste && npm run compile:text-monitor && npm run compile:media-remote && npm run compile:mic-listener && npm run compile:audio-tap",
     "prestart": "npm run compile:native",
     "start": "electron .",
     "predev": "npm run compile:native",

preload.js

@@ -170,8 +170,7 @@ contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("electronAPI", {
   // Clipboard functions
   checkAccessibilityPermission: (silent) =>
     ipcRenderer.invoke("check-accessibility-permission", silent),
-  promptAccessibilityPermission: () =>
-    ipcRenderer.invoke("prompt-accessibility-permission"),
+  promptAccessibilityPermission: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("prompt-accessibility-permission"),
   readClipboard: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("read-clipboard"),
   writeClipboard: (text) => ipcRenderer.invoke("write-clipboard", text),
   checkPasteTools: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("check-paste-tools"),
@@ -362,7 +361,9 @@ contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("electronAPI", {
 
   // System settings helpers for microphone/audio permissions
   requestMicrophoneAccess: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("request-microphone-access"),
+  checkMicrophoneAccess: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("check-microphone-access"),
   checkSystemAudioAccess: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("check-system-audio-access"),
+  requestSystemAudioAccess: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("request-system-audio-access"),
   openMicrophoneSettings: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("open-microphone-settings"),
   openSoundInputSettings: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("open-sound-input-settings"),
   openAccessibilitySettings: () => ipcRenderer.invoke("open-accessibility-settings"),
@@ -607,9 +608,6 @@ contextBridge.exposeInMainWorld("electronAPI", {
   gcalGetUpcomingEvents: (windowMinutes) =>
     ipcRenderer.invoke("gcal-get-upcoming-events", windowMinutes),
 
-  // Desktop audio capture
-  getDesktopSources: (types) => ipcRenderer.invoke("get-desktop-sources", types),
-
   // Google Calendar event listeners
   onGcalMeetingStarting: registerListener(
     "gcal-meeting-starting",