How to Fix Realtek ALC256 Audio in macOS High Sierra

It has been a year when we first installed macOS Sierra on our Dell 7000 series laptop. Hackintoshing (hacking macOS for your PC’s or Laptops’ hardware) is a challenging and time-consuming process that includes rebooting system for like 100s time. However, if you keep trying, you will eventually be able to install macOS on your PC or Laptop and fix most macOS post-installation problems mainly with Audio, Trackpad, Power, brightness, and Intel HD.

To assist you, we keep posting new guides on common Hackintosh and macOS installation fixes. We did previously post a guide on fixing audio in macOS using VoodooHDA. However, that did not fix the headphone jack audio and sound output through speakers was poor.

How we Fixed ALC 256 Audio

Recently, we fixed the laptop audio by altering changes in CodecCommander.kext and AppleALC.kext files and made ALC256 codec run on macOS 10.13 and later High Sierra with the help of ALCPlugFix. Audio is now clear from both speakers and headphones.

Just like Windows or your smartphone, when you connect headphones, the audio switches to headphone automatically (not mic) and you get the best audio listening experience with your Hackintosh running macOS High Sierra.

So, here is the complete guide with step by step instructions that will take through the process of fixing the Realtek ALC256 audio that I figured out after several reboots. That was frustrating, really!

Video Guide is Here!

Fix Realtek ALC256 Audio macOS High Sierra 10.13 and Later

Before you begin

• Backup ‘EFI’ folder to a safe location (preferably on the external USB drive)
• Download CodecCommander.kext and move the Kext to Desktop
• Download AppleALC.kext
• Download ALCPlugFix.zip and extract it to Desktop
• Download Kextbeast or Kext utility

Then follow these steps:

• open the ‘Terminal‘ window and paste the following commands one by one.

sudo launchctl unload /Library/LaunchAgents/good.win.ALCPlugFix.plist
sudo rm /usr/bin/ALCPlugFix
sudo rm /usr/bin/hda-verb
sudo rm /Library/LaunchAgents/good.win.ALCPlugFix.plist

• After executing commands, install kext using Kext Utility or Kext Wizard
• Go to EFI>CLOVER and open config.plist with Xcode or Text editor (prefer Xcode)
• Change the following marked information layout-id to 13 or 56 (if using latest AppleALC)

Next, we will modify the CodecCommander.kext before installing it; to make it work with our ALC256.

• Right-click on CodecCommander
• Click Open Contents folder
• Then right-click info.plist and choose open With.. followed by ‘Xcode’ (install Xcode or use any text editor)
• Add new profile and settings as highlighted in following the screenshot
• Go to IOKitPersonalities/CodecCommander/Codec Profile
• Alter the Comment from 0x19 SET_PIN_WIDGET_CONTROL 0x25 or 0x24 to 0x19 SET_PIN_WIDGET_CONTROL 0x20 (see screenshot)
• Save and then, install modified CodecCommander.kext and AppleALC.kext using Kext utility
• Copy both AppleALC.kext and CodecCommander.kext under ‘EFI>Clover>Kext>other‘ folder and then restart the system
• Connect headphones to the audio jack, the system should show headphones as audio output but there will be no sound. If it doesn’t repeat the process before proceeding ahead

Fixing Headphone Jack in Hackintosh

• Extract ALCPlugFix.zip folder. It contains a few important files we need to fix audio from the headphone jack
• Connect headphones and play any random video on the internet or music file on your macOS
• Open extracted ALCPlugFix folder and double-click the ALCPlugFix. You will instantly start to hear sound through your connected headphones
• Next, double-click install Double-click to automatically install.command
• Enter the password in the terminal when asked
• Hit Enter/Return key
• Wait until it has finished and then restart the system

If the headphone jack audio still not fixed, there must be something wrong with the AppleALC and Config.plist or CodecCommander.kext that you need to figure out. Go through each step carefully.

Didn’t Worked?

To make it work, repeat the steps again carefully, cross-check, and if that still does not work (which should not be the case as we have done it several times on the different laptop too), you can leave your comments with system configuration and we will get back to you with the right solution or path ASAP. Alternatively, you can go to Tonymacx86 forum and post the issue. There also, someone like us will definitely help you fix the issue with your system. Just explain what you did and where you reached until now and what you want to fix. Discuss in detail to help them help you better.

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