How It Works
Kern can tap into the audio output of any running app on your Mac. Only the selected app is captured — Kern’s own playback is excluded to prevent feedback loops.
Capturing Audio
- Open the Command Palette with
⌘K
- Search for Capture App Audio
- Select the app you want to capture from the list of running applications
- A capture sheet appears with a live timer — the target app is brought to the foreground automatically
- Play audio in the target app
- Click Stop Capture (or press Return) when done
Kern creates a new sample track named Capture - [App Name] with the recorded audio placed as a clip at the beginning of the timeline.
Permissions
On first use, macOS will ask for Screen Recording permission. This is required to access app audio — Kern does not capture any video. You can manage this in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Screen Recording.
Details
- Captures in stereo at the project’s sample rate
- Audio is saved as a WAV file in a temporary directory
- The captured app is automatically brought to the foreground so you can trigger playback
- Kern’s own audio output is excluded from the capture
Last modified on March 19, 2026
