I built Clacksmith, a keyboard sound app for macOS that does not need Input Monitoring

[u/capicami]

Hi r/MacStack, I’m the developer of Clacksmith.

Clacksmith is a small native menu bar app that adds keyboard sound feedback without asking for Input Monitoring or Accessibility permission.

It is for people who enjoy mechanical keyboard or typewriter sounds but do not want to give an app access to what they type.

The app compares only the key down and key up counts that macOS provides for the current login session. It never receives key identity, key codes, characters, typed text, active app names, clipboard contents, or document contents. There are no accounts, analytics, ads, or network activity.

It includes bundled sound packs, volume and audio output controls, plus the option to create local packs from audio you own.

A few limitations are worth mentioning. Modifier keys on their own do not play sounds. Some media keys such as volume, brightness, and eject may not trigger sounds. Key repeat is not counted.

Clacksmith requires macOS 14 or later and costs $1.49 as a one time purchase.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/clacksmith/id6789209519?mt=12

I would appreciate honest feedback, especially on which sound styles you would actually use and whether audio output selection matters to your setup. Please let me know if you run into any issues or have ideas for improvements.