Mechvibes Not Working on Mac: Opening, Permissions and Updates

The Mac version of Mechvibes asks for more setup than the Windows one. macOS protects the keyboard closely, and the Mac build is not yet notarized by Apple, so there are three things to get right: opening the app, granting two permissions, and relaunching at the right moment. This post goes through each, in the order you will meet them.

First, a fair warning: the Mac build of Mechvibes is experimental. It runs on Apple Silicon Macs (M1 and later) only, and the maintainer has not tested it on real hardware. Intel Macs are not supported yet (issue #128). If you need something polished on the Mac today, our list of keyboard sound apps for Mac has good native options.

"Mechvibes can't be opened"

Because the app is not notarized, macOS refuses to open it the first time you double-click it.

1. In Finder, open Applications, right-click Mechvibes and choose Open, then Open again.
2. On newer macOS versions this option may be missing. Try to open the app once, then go to System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll down, and click Open Anyway next to the Mechvibes message.

"Mechvibes is damaged and can't be opened"

This message usually means macOS has put the downloaded file in quarantine, not that the file is broken. Open Terminal and run:

xattr -cr /Applications/Mechvibes.app

Then open Mechvibes again.

The app opens, but typing makes no sound

Mechvibes needs two permissions in System Settings > Privacy & Security, both switched on for Mechvibes:

• Accessibility lets it hear keys while its own window is in front.
• Input Monitoring lets it hear keys while you type in other apps.

The quickest way to check is the Mechvibes icon in the menu bar. Click it, and each permission shows Granted in green, or a red Grant … line that opens the right settings page. It updates about a second after you change something.

Sounds only play while the Mechvibes window is in front

This is the most common Mac problem, and it means Input Monitoring is missing or not active yet. macOS only lets an app capture keys from other apps if it had Input Monitoring when it started. So after you switch it on:

1. Quit Mechvibes from the menu bar icon.
2. Open it again.

Until you relaunch, the menu can say "Granted" while sounds still stop as soon as you switch to another app.

It worked, then stopped after an update

The Mac build is signed without an Apple developer certificate, so macOS ties the permissions to that exact copy of the app. After installing a new version, the switches in Privacy & Security stay on but no longer apply. To fix it:

1. In both Accessibility and Input Monitoring, select Mechvibes and remove it with the − button.
2. Add /Applications/Mechvibes.app back with + in both lists.
3. Relaunch Mechvibes.

Or reset both permissions from Terminal, and macOS will ask again the next time Mechvibes opens:

tccutil reset ListenEvent com.hainguyents13.mechvibesdx
tccutil reset Accessibility com.hainguyents13.mechvibesdx

Installing packs on a Mac

The Install in Mechvibes button in the library works on Windows and Linux. On a Mac, click Download zip on a pack's page, then in Mechvibes open Sound packs, choose the Keyboard or Mouse tab, click Add and select the file.

Still stuck?

Check the basics in the no sound checklist, then export logs from Settings > Debug and open an issue with your Mac model and macOS version. Reports from real Macs help make the Mac build stable.