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mactools-app

mactools-app/MacTools

A free, open-source collection of native macOS menu bar tools with customizable panels, quick controls, automation, and plugins.

Open-source alternative to:BartenderAlfred

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What is it?

MacTools is a native macOS app that puts everyday utilities into the menu bar. Each panel can combine live system widgets, quick controls, and feature rows, and users can arrange them, move them between panels, and choose their icons.

The toolbox covers screenshots with annotation and OCR, an encrypted local clipboard history, window switching through a Command Palette, display brightness and resolution controls, audio and power management, fan control, system monitoring, disk cleanup, and a calendar view. Workflows can chain actions and be triggered by schedules, apps, power, displays, or network changes. Themes can be imported from iTerm2 and Base16/Base24 palettes.

MacTools requires macOS 14 or later, and some plugins need newer macOS versions or specific hardware. It can be installed with Homebrew or downloaded from GitHub Releases, and it ships a Nightly build with an experimental `mactools` command-line interface.

Key features

  • 01Customizable menu bar panels that mix live widgets, quick controls, and feature rows.
  • 02Screenshot annotation, OCR, QR recognition, and scrolling capture.
  • 03Encrypted local clipboard history with snippets and paste queues.
  • 04Workflow automation triggered by schedules, apps, power, displays, or network changes.
  • 05Command Palette and Window Switcher for finding windows, settings, and actions.
  • 06Fan speed control, system performance monitoring, and battery details.

Use cases

  • Replacing several small menu bar utilities with one customizable app.
  • Managing display brightness, audio volume, and power settings from the menu bar.
  • Keeping a searchable clipboard history for frequent copy-and-paste work.
  • Automating repeated Mac tasks based on schedules or app and network events.

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install with Homebrew

    brew install --cask mactools
  2. 2

    Open MacTools, then choose plugins in Settings → Marketplace

Things to know

  • Requires macOS 14 or later, and some plugins need newer macOS versions or compatible hardware.
  • The CLI is an experimental Nightly feature on Apple silicon only.

Topics

#macos#menubar#swiftui#system-utilities#automation#clipboard#screenshot#productivity#fan-speed-control

FAQ

What is MacTools?
A free, open-source collection of native macOS menu bar tools with customizable panels, quick controls, automation, and plugins. MacTools is a native macOS app that puts everyday utilities into the menu bar. Each panel can combine live system widgets, quick controls, and feature rows, and users can arrange them, move them between panels, and choose their icons.
Is MacTools free to use? What license does it have?
MacTools is open source under the GPL-3.0 license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is MacTools still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to MacTools was on Oct 19, 2026.
What can I use MacTools for?
Replacing several small menu bar utilities with one customizable app. Managing display brightness, audio volume, and power settings from the menu bar. Keeping a searchable clipboard history for frequent copy-and-paste work. Automating repeated Mac tasks based on schedules or app and network events.
How do I install MacTools?
Install with Homebrew: brew install --cask mactools Open MacTools, then choose plugins in Settings → Marketplace
Where can I get MacTools?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/mactools-app/MacTools

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