# IOUserAudioObject The base class for most classes in the framework. ``` class IOUserAudioObject; ``` ## Overview All classes in the framework subclass [`IOUserAudioObject`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject), except for [`IOUserAudioDriver`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioDriver), which subclasses from . Don’t subclass or instantiate [`IOUserAudioObject`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject) directly. ## Topics ### Creating an Audio Object [`virtual bool init(IOUserAudioDriver *in_audio_driver);`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/init-1ar2z) Initializes an instance of the audio object base class. [`virtual bool init();`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/init-26qwx) Initializes an empty object. ### Freeing an Audio Object [`virtual void free();`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/free) Frees the audio object. ### Getting Information About the Class [`virtual IOUserAudioClassID GetClassID();`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/GetClassID) Gets the audio class identifier of the object. [`virtual IOUserAudioClassID GetBaseClassID();`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/GetBaseClassID) Gets the audio class identifier of the base class object. [`enum IOUserAudioClassID : uint32_t;`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioClassID) An identifier for the type of audio object. [`IOUserAudioObjectID GetObjectID();`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/GetObjectID) Gets the object’s identifier. [`typedef uint32_t IOUserAudioObjectID;`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObjectID) An identifier that provides a handle on a specific audio object. [`OSSharedPtr GetWorkQueue();`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/GetWorkQueue) Gets the work queue created by the audio object, as a pointer to a dispatch queue. ### Working with Object Names [`OSSharedPtr GetName();`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/GetName) Gets the name of the object. [`kern_return_t SetName(OSString *in_name);`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/SetName) Sets the name of the object. ### Using Custom Properties [`virtual kern_return_t AddCustomProperty(IOUserAudioCustomProperty *in_custom_property);`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/AddCustomProperty) Adds a custom property to the audio object. [`virtual kern_return_t RemoveCustomProperty(IOUserAudioCustomProperty *in_custom_property);`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/RemoveCustomProperty) Removes a previously-added custom property object from the audio object. [`class IOUserAudioCustomProperty;`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioCustomProperty) A custom property to associate with audio objects. ### Instance Methods [`OSSharedPtr GetElementCategoryName(IOUserAudioObjectPropertyElement in_element, IOUserAudioObjectPropertyScope in_scope);`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/GetElementCategoryName) [`OSSharedPtr GetElementName(IOUserAudioObjectPropertyElement in_element, IOUserAudioObjectPropertyScope in_scope);`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/GetElementName) [`OSSharedPtr GetElementNumberName(IOUserAudioObjectPropertyElement in_element, IOUserAudioObjectPropertyScope in_scope);`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/GetElementNumberName) [`IOUserAudioObjectID GetOwnerObjectID();`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/GetOwnerObjectID) [`kern_return_t SetElementCategoryName(IOUserAudioObjectPropertyElement in_element, IOUserAudioObjectPropertyScope in_scope, OSString *in_category_name);`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/SetElementCategoryName) [`kern_return_t SetElementName(IOUserAudioObjectPropertyElement in_element, IOUserAudioObjectPropertyScope in_scope, OSString *in_name);`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/SetElementName) [`kern_return_t SetElementNumberName(IOUserAudioObjectPropertyElement in_element, IOUserAudioObjectPropertyScope in_scope, OSString *in_number_name);`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioObject/SetElementNumberName) ## Relationships ### Inherited By [`IOUserAudioControl`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioControl) [`IOUserAudioBox`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioBox) [`IOUserAudioClockDevice`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioClockDevice) [`IOUserAudioStream`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioStream) [`IOUserAudioCustomProperty`](/documentation/AudioDriverKit/IOUserAudioCustomProperty) ### Inherits From [`OSObject`](/documentation/DriverKit/OSObject) --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)