Mechvibes Setup Tips for Linux, macOS and Windows

A Mechvibes window that opens normally can still be silent. The app needs access to keyboard or mouse input as well as a working audio output. Those requirements differ across Windows, Linux and macOS, so start with the notes for your platform.

These steps describe the setup documented for Mechvibes 3.0.0. Use the download page for the current installer, and keep the getting started guide available for the broader installation walkthrough.

Linux: check input access

On Wayland, Mechvibes reads keyboard and mouse input directly from input devices. Your account needs membership in the input group. Installing the Debian package or launching the AppImage does not add that membership for you.

Run the documented command in a terminal:

sudo usermod -a -G input $USER

Log out and log back in before testing again. This step matters: running the command alone does not update the groups of applications already running in your session. The desktop README says the group change is not needed on X11.

For Debian or Ubuntu, install the downloaded package with sudo dpkg -i followed by its filename. For the AppImage, make the file executable with chmod +x and launch it. If an AppImage will not start normally, the README suggests its --appimage-extract-and-run option.

There are also input limits to keep in mind. Under Wayland, touchpad taps and two-finger scrolling do not produce sounds. Restart Mechvibes after connecting or reconnecting a mouse. Wheel sounds require a pack that defines the wheel events, and 3.0.0 does not add wheel capture on X11.

macOS: opening the app and capturing keys

The macOS download is for Apple Silicon. It is ad-hoc signed and not notarized, so the documented first launch is to right-click Mechvibes and choose Open. On newer macOS versions, System Settings > Privacy & Security may offer Open Anyway.

Opening the app is separate from granting input access. In Privacy & Security, enable Mechvibes in both of these lists:

• Accessibility, for capture while the Mechvibes window is focused.
• Input Monitoring, for capture while another app is in front or Mechvibes is minimized.

After granting Input Monitoring, quit and relaunch Mechvibes. The permission can show as granted before capture actually works, because macOS requires it to have been available when the app started.

The menu bar icon shows the status of both permissions and provides links to the corresponding settings. If sounds work only while the Mechvibes window is in front, check Input Monitoring first.

After replacing the app with a new build, the permission switches can stay enabled while access no longer works. The README recommends removing Mechvibes from both lists, adding the installed application again and relaunching it.

Windows: use the update action

Windows updates start when you choose the update action in Mechvibes. The app downloads the installer, verifies its SHA-256 checksum and installs the update. Opening the app does not install an update on its own.

If the update fails, use the manual download page. The unsigned installer may trigger SmartScreen; the desktop README documents More info followed by Run anyway for that warning.

When moving from MechvibesDX to 3.0.0, run the update or new installer before uninstalling DX. When moving from Mechvibes 2, accept the new installer's offer to remove it so both apps do not play at once.

Test one thing at a time

Select a built-in pack, check mute and volume, then confirm the audio output in Settings. After those basics work, import and test a custom pack.

If you need to report a problem, Settings > Debug includes Export logs. Describe the platform, app version and whether silence happens only with the window hidden. Those details connect the symptom to the setup steps above.