This guide covers basic troubleshooting steps to determine whether your USB MIDI device is recognized, and working properly on a Mac computer.
- Testing to see if a MIDI device is recognized on Mac
Testing to see if a MIDI device is recognized on Mac
- Open Spotlight by pressing Command + Spacebar, or clicking the magnifying glass in the top right corner of your desktop.
- Type in Audio MIDI Setup.
- Hit Enter or select Audio MIDI Setup from the list.
- Two windows should open the Audio Devices, and MIDI Studio.
- If not click on Window at the top and make sure MIDI Studio is checked.
- With the MIDI Studio window open, plug in your USB/MIDI keyboard or controller. Once the device is plugged in and recognized it will appear in the window as solid. If the device is grayed out it is currently unavailable. If your device is not listed or grayed out you may want to try a different USB cable and or USB port.
In the example above you can see that the Numark USB Audio Device is plugged in and recognized. The Keystation Mini 32 is either not plugged in or not recognized.
Testing to see if MIDI devices are transmitting data using MIDI Monitor
What is MIDI Monitor?
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for iConnectivity mio 1-in 1-out USB to MIDI Interface for Mac and PC at the best online prices at. Mio - Ableton 10 theme by Juan.
Midi Monitor is a free utility for Mac OS X which displays MIDI signals in a variety of formats. It can watch both incoming and outgoing MIDI streams, and can filter them by message type and channel. Musicians will find it handy for tracking down confusing MIDI problems. Programmers can use it to test MIDI drivers and applications. MIDI Monitor is free to download and use.
- Download, and Install MIDI Monitor.
- Download
- Open Midi Monitor.
- Click on the Sources tab to view MIDI devices. Confirm that your USB/MIDI device is listed.
- Once you confirm your MIDI device is connected and listed. Play any key(s) on your keyboard/controller to confirm each button or key is sending data to your computer. If you device is working you will see a message with data like below. The device is not sending data you may have a hardware issue. Contact the hardware manufacture for further support.
?
What to do if your MIDI device is not connecting to your Mac
Often, after an update or migration, you will need to 'refresh' certain MIDI devices. This is done quickly and easily in your Mac's Audio MIDI Setup.
- On your Mac, navigate to Utilities>Audio MIDI Setup
- Go to Window>Show MIDI Studio
- Make sure your MIDI device is unplugged
- After you've unplugged your MIDI device, click on it and choose Remove Device
- Plug your MIDI device back into your computer
If the above steps do NOT resolve your issue...
- Empty the contents of the following two folders by moving their files into to two new folders on your desktop:
Macintosh HD > Library > Audio > MIDI Drivers
Macintosh HD > Users > [Your User Name] > Library > Audio > MIDI Drivers
Note: the second location above is hidden on Mac OS X 10.7 and above. To access it see these instructions. - These are the places where third-party MIDI drivers are stored. If they have become corrupt, or they haven't been installed correctly, removing them and starting over may help.
- Restart your computer.
- Try your MIDI device again.
- If the symptom has been resolved, you should...
- Reinstall each of these drivers by visiting the home page for the respective device manufacturers. Note, if your MIDI device is Class Compliant, it doesn't require any extra drivers to be installed.
- Find and download the latest drivers for the product(s), and install them.
- Confirm all of your devices now work properly, then trash the files you had moved from your MIDI Drivers folder to your desktop.
Also see...
More on Ableton.com:
More from Ableton:
Knowledge Base
Find help articles on all of our products plus support for your shopping and product licence questions.
Most asked
Latest Live Version
Live10 and macOS 10.15 Catalina Compatibility
MacOS Compatibility
Windows Compatibility
Installing Live
Authorizing Live
How to reduce latency
Using external hardware
Learn Live
Video tutorials from getting started through to mastering the latest features, plus further training options.
Learn Push
Mio Midi Mac Ableton 10
From setup to sound design and beyond – our growing collection of tutorials shows how you can make music with Push.
Learning Music
Learn the fundamentals of music making – beats, melodies, harmonies, basslines, and song structure – and make music right in your browser.
Learning Synths
Learn the fundamentals of synthesis at your own pace with a powerful but easy-to-learn synthesizer that runs in your web browser.
Making Music
Some tips from 74 Creative Strategies for Electronic Producers – Dennis DeSantis’ book on solving musical problems, making progress and finishing what you start.
More learning resources
Live & Push manual
Everything you need to know about Live and Push.
Certified Training
All over the globe, a growing group of trainers and institutions are offering approved Ableton teaching at all skill levels, both for individuals and groups.
Training in Hamburg:
4 trainers and institutions offer certified training in Hamburg
User Groups
For beginners and seasoned users alike, Ableton User Groups are open to any Live user who wants to share their knowledge and learn from others in person.
Learn finger drumming
Practice your finger drumming skills with Melodics, a standalone app that offers a great way to learn and refine your playing. Its free to download and comes with 20 lessons to get you started.
Contact Support
Sales support
Get in touch with us if you’ve got some questions before you buy a product, or if you need help with your order, license or the authorisation process.
Sales support is available by phone in English and German.
Tel: +49 30 568 39112*
Mo–Fr 12:00 to 22:00 CET
(German support until 18:00 CET only)
Iconnectivity Mio Xm
Phone support is available right now
*Local, national and international telephone rates apply.
Due to the special situation we are all experiencing right now, our phone support service is unavailable. Also, we are currently experiencing high support volumes, therefore our response time is delayed. We kindly ask for your patience and will get back to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, check out our Knowledge Base for solutions to common issues.
Mio Midi Mac Ableton Free
Technical support
Iconnectivity Mioxl
Need help with setting up or other technical issues?