RECORDING WEEK 2026: When it comes to making music, there are a lot of elements to consider – each of which have their own separate claim to being the ‘most important part’ of the whole deal.
Microphones? Acoustic treatment? Sixty-year-old microphone preamps? Sure, but today’s democratised recording rigs are all nothing without the humble audio interface.
From the pokiest of bedrooms to the most expensive of cutting-edge recording studios, audio interfaces are pulling serious weight – and now you got to lean on one to carry the load of your own music-making. So, how do you connect your audio interface to your computer? Here, we’ll take you through the process from start to finish – for both Windows PCs and Mac laptops.
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1. Familiarise yourself with your interface
Before you start plugging anything into anything, let’s get familiar with the ins and outs of your interface. Not only will this make getting started with it more intuitive, but it’ll also tell you some important things about how to get started at all. Familiarity is particularly important from a connectivity standpoint, as audio interfaces have enjoyed a number of different connection standards over the years.
On older interfaces that still have some form of support from their manufacturers, you can expect to find a square. boxy USB-B port – meaning it’ll connect via USB-A or USB-C to your computer at the other end with the right cable.
Today, most interfaces have adopted USB-C as the standard. This is because USB-C is significantly better equipped than its predecessors to transmit both data and power. You’ll find a standard USB-C cable (with the same plug at both ends) does the job here.
2. Plug the interface into your computer
Whichever connection your interface uses, it’s time to make it. Use the cable that came with your interface (assuming the manufacturer isn’t so stingy to miss one out) and plug one end into the interface and the other into a corresponding port on your computer.
In the above example, my Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 connects to my computer via its USB-B port; a USB-B to USB-A cable is used to mate the interface with a spare USB socket on my laptop.
3. Complete your audio connections
Your next step is to start making audio connections between your equipment and your audio.
Some of you will have a simple songwriting setup in mind, involving little more than a microphone, an electric guitar, and some headphones. All set to be plugged into your simple 2-in, 2-out interface.
Some of you will have a studio room groaning under the weight of all the synths and hardware waiting to be hooked up to your new rack-mounted multi-Apollo interface megalith.
However, in all cases, you’ll have three things to think about: your inputs, your headphones, and your studio monitors.
Start with the speakers, by plugging your speaker cables into the dedicated monitor outputs at the rear of your interface.
Chances are your interface will feature familiar, quarter-inch, ‘guitar lead’-style sockets. Meanwhile your monitors (the posh studio word for ‘speakers’) can have anything from small red and white RCA sockets through to multi-pinned XLRs. Whatever the choice of ins and outs you’ll find the lead you need at your local freindly music store, or, failing that Amazon.
With your speakers connected things are even simpler with your headphones. Pluge them in (be it stereo quarter inch socket or 3.5mm mini) into your interface’s headphone out – most likely right there on the front.
Now it’s time to plug in your instruments and, most likely, the choice of interface you made was purely determined by how many instruments you have and therefore how many inputs you need.
Got more instruments than inputs? No problem. Very often a home studio mixer can be the central source of all your sound. Plug in all your gear into the mixer then take the left and right output from it into the in and out on your interface.
Thus a simple (affordable) 2-in, 2-out interface can record the sound of an entire band, or expansive keyboard rig.
You can easily unplug the mixer if you want to record with a microphone. Commit a simple guide track (or full finished production) to audio, then unplug your mixer and plug in your mic ready for your vocals or acoustic instrument performance.
4. Turn on your computer
Now, it’s time to turn your computer on. If your interface has a power switch, leave it off until your computer is booted up. Indeed, it’s good to form something of a habit here about this; your computer should come on first, then your interface, then your speakers.
Never turn on your interface with connected speakers powered up already. The electronic ‘pop’ the speakers receive could damage them. And sounds awful.
Similarly, keep the gain down (on your mixer, or on your interface) on any channels until after you’ve plugged in a mic, turned on phantom power, or switched on a synth or pedalboard.
5. Download the relevant software
Some interfaces come with additional software, which enables access to functions you otherwise can’t access on the interface itself. In my case, my trusty Focusrite Clarett 4Pre has an analogue ‘Air’ circuit that aims to ape Focusrite’s ISA 110 mic pre – and which can only be toggled on and off for each of the four front-panel channels via Focusrite’s own software, Focusrite Control.
Other brands make extensive use of software for switching and routing too, including Universal Audio with its UA Connect software.
Your own interface’s manual will undoubtedly hold the keys to any specific information about the software you might need, but either way, you’ll need to go to the manufacturer’s website to get it downloaded.
6. Make your interface the default audio device
At this point, you’re ready to finish up your audio interface’s setup. Make sure your interface is plugged in and powered on (some interfaces, even if powered via USB, still have a power switch on the rear), and then go to your OS’ sound settings or Preferences.
In Windows, this is found in the Sound section of the Settings menu. Click on the Windows logo, then click the cog that appears in the menu. Next, you’ll need to click on system, then sound, or you can just type in ‘sound’ if you like. Under the ‘Choose your output device select your interface.
For Mac users, you’ll need to start by clicking on the Apple logo. Click on ‘System Settings’, then click ‘Sound’ in the column on the left and at the bottom you’ll see a section titled ‘Output Input’. Provided your computer connection above has been made successfully (and your computer is running the right driver software that came with your interface) you should see your audio interface on the list in both the Output and Input sections.
Make sure you select it in both sections.
As a very quick check at this point, fire up YouTube or a music app and try playing something that you know makes audio. You should hear the sound through your interface, playing on your monitors.
That’s the hard part done!
7. Set up the interface in your DAW
Now for the the final step. Open up your favoured DAW and select your audio interface as the primary device for audio input and output. This will menu will be named different things in different DAWs. If you don’t see your DAW below then a quick Google search will point you in the right direction.
In Reaper, for instance, you’ll find this option under the Device subsection of Preferences, accessed either at the bottom of the Options tab or by clicking the audio device information at the top-right of the screen. For my Focusrite, I need to select ‘ASIO’ and then ‘Focusrite USB ASIO’ from the sub-menu.
In Logic, you’ll also find this option under Settings > Audio > Devices… Just use the drop-down menus for Input and Output to select your interface, then click Apply.
In Pro Tools, this menu can be found in Setup > Playback Engine. If you’re changing your audio device in Pro Tools and a project is open, you will need to save and relaunch so bear that in mind if you don’t want to save any recent progress or need to go back on something.
8: Remember – Order is important
Important bit. It’s very easy for your computer and DAW to get confused (and thus confuse you) if it can’t find the hardware you’ve connected.
Start your DAW before turning on your interface and it’s likely that it simply won’t ‘see’ it no matter what you do.
Worse still, your entire project could default to using an audio option that it CAN see, requiring you to do all kinds of undoing and resetting and saving to get things back right again.
So always turn on your computer first. Then your audio interface. Then your speakers (and perhaps have a little test of whether you can hear anything). THEN start your DAW.
And it’s a good idea to have your DAW start up with a simple test project – something that you know plays audio or hits MIDI notes on your keyboards – so you can start up, press play, hear it, and know that everything is working fine.
Conclusion
And there you have it. Hopefully, you should be up and running with your brand new interface and ready to record.
Still labouring in unexpected silence? Don’t worry. We have a troubleshooting guide that solves loads of common issues.
Good luck!
