Activate aptX on macOS 11 Big Sur again

bring back aptX macOS Big Sur

aptX can still be switched on under macOS Big Sur.

Everybody who would like to activate aptX for Bluetooth on macOS 11 Big Sur again can do that relatively easily. The process is just a bit annoying.

As already with macOS Catalina it could happen that the Bluetooth connection was not established with the to AAC compared better aptX standard. You could check this by alt-clicking on the Bluetooth symbol. This does not work anymore. So it is not possible to find out which standard the Mac is using.

macOS 11 Big Sur aptx

You have to download a software tool from Apple’s developer area and then monitor the data rate and if necessary force the aptX standard. A completely absurd process, but somehow Apple doesn’t know if the supported aptX standard should be used or not. In the end it will only be made available to tinkerers.

The complete procedure is completely congruent with the one under macOS Catalina, which is why we simply refer to the older instructions for reactivating aptX.

8 thoughts on “Activate aptX on macOS 11 Big Sur again

  1. FYI This is not included in version 12.x anymore, older versions from 11.x don’t work on latest MaacOS iterations.

    1. Hi Dominik,

      thanks for your feedback. So aptX will be gone on Macs with macOS 12 for good? Has been always a good way to conveniently connect to an aptX stereo.

      Thanks, Stephan

  2. Just open terminal and type/paste these: for aptx:
    sudo defaults write bluetoothaudiod “Enable AptX codec” -bool true

    for AAC:
    sudo defaults write bluetoothaudiod “Enable AAC codec” -bool true

    for verification:
    sudo defaults read bluetoothaudiod

  3. not working, if you went to the Audio Graph interface, you will see it’s still SBC. Tested with my MDR1000X, which was AptX codec in Catalina

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