Typing sounds for Mac: how to make your keyboard sound mechanical

Updated October 2026. Written by the person who makes Kiiwi, so read the comparison with that in mind.

macOS has no setting for typing sounds. The built-in keyboard on a MacBook is silent apart from the quiet tap of the keys, and an external keyboard only sounds as good as its switches. If you want the clack of a mechanical keyboard without buying one, or without annoying the people around you, a small app that plays a sound for every keypress is the way to do it.

How it works

A keyboard sound app runs in your menu bar. Every time you press a key, it plays a short recording of a real mechanical switch, in every app: your editor, your browser, Slack, Terminal. It plays through your Mac's speakers or your headphones. Nothing changes about what you type.

macOS asks you to allow Accessibility once, because that is how an app is told a key was pressed. A well-made one only listens for the key, never records which one.

What to look for

• Real recordings or synthesized sound. Recorded switches sound like the real thing. Synthesized ones can sound thin after a few minutes.
• A choice of switches. Linear, tactile and clicky switches sound very different, and everyone has a favourite. Look for an app where you can hear them all.
• Key-up sounds. A real keyboard clicks on the way up too. Apps that play both sound far more convincing.
• Your macOS version. Some apps need macOS 15 or later. Check before you buy.
• Trying it first. A sound is a taste, so find an app that lets you hear it before you pay.

The options

• Kiiwi. 38 recordings of 32 named switches, including the Holy Panda, Topre, Cherry MX Blue and an IBM Model M. Runs on macOS 14 and later, also plays mouse click and scroll sounds, and you can hear every switch in your browser before downloading. $4.99 once for the first 100 buyers, then $6.99. See the switch library.
• Klack. A well-established paid app from the Mac App Store, $4.99, needs macOS 15 or later. See Kiiwi vs Klack.
• Keeby. A paid Mac App Store app, $4.99, with 12 switch profiles and support for macOS 13. See Kiiwi vs Keeby.
• Mechvibes. Free and open source, with community sound packs on macOS, Windows and Linux. See Kiiwi vs Mechvibes.

None of them is the right pick for everyone. Mechvibes is free, Klack and Keeby come from the App Store, and Kiiwi covers the most switches and older macOS versions.

Set it up in a minute

1. Download the app and move it to your Applications folder. 2. Open it and allow Accessibility when macOS asks. This is the permission that lets it hear key presses. 3. Pick a switch from the menu bar and type anywhere.

With Kiiwi, ⇧⌘K turns the sound on and off when you want the quiet back.

Typing sounds on a MacBook

The built-in MacBook keyboard works the same as any other, because these apps listen for key presses at the system level. If you use a MacBook with an external keyboard, the sound plays for both. Headphones help if you type in a shared space: the sound goes only to them.

Try the sounds first

The quickest way to find out which sound you like is to hear it. Type in the playground on the homepage and every switch plays on your own keys, with nothing to download. If you buy Kiiwi and it isn't right, there is a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Questions

Can you get typing sounds on a Mac?

Yes. macOS has no built-in setting, but a menu bar app such as Kiiwi, Klack, Keeby or Mechvibes plays a mechanical keyboard sound for every key you press, in every app.

What is the best app for mechanical keyboard sounds on Mac?

It depends on what you need. Mechvibes is free. Klack and Keeby are on the Mac App Store. Kiiwi has the most named switches of the paid apps, works on macOS 14, and lets you hear every switch in your browser first.

Does it work on a MacBook keyboard?

Yes. The apps listen for key presses at the system level, so they work with the built-in MacBook keyboard and with any external keyboard.

Does a typing sound app record what I type?

It shouldn't. Kiiwi reads a key press only to choose which sound to play, then discards it, and the counts for its typing stats never note which key it was. Check any app you try says the same.

Will it slow my Mac down?

Kiiwi uses no CPU while you aren't typing, and about 58 MB of memory, because only the switch you're using is loaded.

Can I try it before I buy?

With Kiiwi, yes. The playground on the homepage plays every switch in your browser. You don't need to download anything or make an account.

Kiiwi isn't affiliated with Klack, Keeby or Mechvibes. Prices and requirements were checked on 5 October 2026 and may have changed since.

Sources: each app's own website and Mac App Store listing.

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