The Sudden Silence
macOS prioritizes privacy and security when you walk away from your desk. When you lock your Mac (using Control + Command + Q, or by letting the screen time out), the operating system assumes you are no longer present. If you were listening to music via a web browser (like YouTube in Safari) or through certain third-party media players, macOS will often automatically pause or completely mute the audio output. While this prevents your office mates from hearing your music while you are at lunch, it is highly frustrating if you specifically locked your computer to listen to an audiobook or ambient music while cleaning your room.
Keeping the Audio Flowing
To ensure continuous playback and stop macOS from automatically pausing your audio when the lock screen engages, you must adjust the behavior of the specific application, as macOS lacks a global “keep playing” toggle.
Because macOS handles audio suspension on a per-app basis, the fix depends on what you are using. If you are using Safari, the browser aggressively sleeps tabs when locked. You must switch to an application that registers as a persistent audio source. The native Apple Music app will continue playing when locked. If you prefer third-party apps, Spotify also maintains a persistent audio session. If you must use a browser, Google Chrome is generally less aggressive about suspending audio tabs on the lock screen than Safari. Alternatively, you can use a small utility like Amphetamine (available free on the Mac App Store) to keep the entire Mac awake, preventing it from truly locking the session, which guarantees the audio engine never suspends.