EQBaseGuide
How to use an equalizer with Spotify on a Mac
Last updated: October 6, 2026 · By Taha Bozdemir, who builds EQBase
Spotify's Mac app has an equalizer of its own: click your profile picture, choose Settings, and switch on Equalizer under Playback. It shapes only what the Spotify app plays, and Spotify doesn't offer it in the web player. To put one curve over Spotify, YouTube, a browser and every other app, use a system-wide equalizer instead. EQBase's free tier is one, and in Pro it can also give Spotify a curve of its own.
Spotify's own equalizer
It is built into the desktop app, so there is nothing to install:
- Open the Spotify app, not the web player in a browser.
- Click your profile picture at the top and choose Settings.
- Under Playback, switch Equalizer on.
- Choose a preset, or drag the dots on the curve until it sounds right.
Three limits, all from how Spotify built it. It affects only the Spotify app, so a podcast in another app, a video in Safari or a game is untouched. Spotify's own instructions cover its iOS, Android and desktop apps but not the web player. And while you play to another device over Spotify Connect, the audio settings can't be changed.
How can I apply EQ to Spotify playback and every other app on my Mac?
Use a system-wide equalizer, which sits on the Mac's audio output and shapes every app the same way, Spotify included. macOS has no system-wide equalizer of its own, so this takes an app; here are the steps in EQBase's free tier.
- Install EQBase (macOS 14.4 or later) and allow the one audio permission it asks for.
- Choose Equalizer in the sidebar and switch to Advanced for ten bands.
- Pick a curve from the Starter curve pop-up on the Bands card (Bass Boost, Vocal Boost, Treble Boost and five more), or open Headphones, search for your model and apply its measured correction.
- Turn on Auto headroom, so a boost trims the overall level instead of clipping on loud tracks.
- In Spotify, switch its own Equalizer off. Two equalizers in a row stack, so a bass boost in each one doubles.
What to expect: the same tone on Spotify, YouTube, Safari, calls and games, with every band still editable after you pick a curve. Set the bands flat and EQBase passes the audio through bit-perfect, so leaving it running costs nothing in quality.
A different EQ for Spotify only
Sometimes the point is the opposite: a curve on the music, and nothing on a call. EQBase Pro's App Mixer gives every app its own 10-band equalizer on top of the system-wide one. Open App Mixer, click the arrow on Spotify's row, and set its bands or pick a preset from that row's EQ presets menu. Spotify keeps its curve while a meeting in another app stays flat. Per-app EQ is Pro; the system-wide equalizer above is free. More on what each app can be given in per-app volume control on a Mac.
What about YouTube?
YouTube has no equalizer of its own, and Spotify's never reaches it. Browser extensions that equalize a tab only reach audio in that one browser. The system-wide equalizer above covers YouTube in Safari, Chrome or any other browser with the same curve as Spotify, and with per-app EQ in Pro the browser as a whole can carry a curve of its own.
Which one to use
| Spotify's equalizer | Music app's equalizer | EQBase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reaches | Spotify app only | Music app only | every app |
| YouTube and browsers | – | – | ✓ |
| Measured headphone correction | – | – | 8,600+, free |
| A separate curve per app | – | – | ✓ (Pro) |
| Cost | free | free | free tier |
If everything you listen to is in Spotify, its own equalizer is enough and costs nothing. Once a second app matters (YouTube, a browser, a game), a system-wide equalizer is the only way to keep one sound across all of them. Why macOS leaves that gap is in does macOS have a built-in equalizer?
Common questions
How can I apply EQ to Spotify playback on my Mac?
In the Spotify desktop app, click your profile picture, choose Settings, and switch on Equalizer under Playback. It shapes only what the Spotify app plays, and Spotify doesn't offer it in the web player. To EQ Spotify together with YouTube, a browser and every other app, use a system-wide equalizer such as EQBase's free 10-band EQ, and switch Spotify's own equalizer off so the two don't stack.
Does Spotify have an equalizer on Mac?
Yes, in the desktop app: profile picture, Settings, then Equalizer under Playback, with presets or a curve you drag. Spotify documents it for its iOS, Android and desktop apps but not for the web player, and while you play to another device over Spotify Connect, the audio settings can't be changed.
Can I use a different EQ for Spotify than for other apps?
Yes, with a per-app equalizer. EQBase Pro's App Mixer gives every app its own 10-band EQ on top of the system-wide one, so Spotify can carry a curve while a call in another app stays flat. Sound Control, SoundSource and FineTune also equalize apps separately; the alternatives page sets out what each one costs.
Related
Does macOS have a built-in equalizer? · How to boost bass on a Mac · Headphone EQ settings for Mac · Per-app volume control on a Mac