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ljmng7/macmix

Analysis updated 2026-05-18

30SwiftAudience · generalComplexity · 2/5LicenseSetup · easy

TLDR

A macOS menu bar app for controlling system volume, audio devices, microphones, and individual app volume levels.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((MacMix))
    What it does
      Menu bar audio mixer
      Per app volume control
      Device switching
    Tech stack
      Swift
      SwiftUI
    Use cases
      Switch output devices
      Boost quiet apps
      Control microphone
    Audience
      Mac power users
      Multi device audio users

Code map

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What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Quickly switch between speakers, headphones, and AirPods without opening System Settings.

USE CASE 2

Turn down one noisy app while boosting a quieter one, up to 200 percent.

USE CASE 3

Control microphone input and volume without leaving the menu bar.

USE CASE 4

Adjust volume on supported external displays over DDC/CI.

What is it built with?

SwiftSwiftUI

How does it compare?

ljmng7/macmixbytonylee/mac-whisperleozhaorx/openclaw-desk-pet
Stars303030
LanguageSwiftSwiftSwift
Setup difficultyeasyeasymoderate
Complexity2/52/53/5
Audiencegeneralgeneraldeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Needs a one time System Audio Recording permission for per-app mixing.

Code is free to use, copy, and modify under MIT, but the app icon and other visual assets are not covered and may not be reused.

In plain English

MacMix is a small macOS app that lives in your menu bar and gives you quick control over audio on your Mac. Instead of opening System Settings every time you want to change volume, switch speakers, or adjust a microphone, you click the menu bar icon and everything is right there in a compact panel. The main feature is per app volume control. If one app is too loud and another is too quiet, you can turn each one down or up separately, even boosting a quiet app up to 200 percent while it is actively playing sound. Alongside that, MacMix lets you switch between different output devices like speakers, headphones, or AirPods, and switch or adjust microphones from the same panel. It also supports controlling volume on some external displays that have DDC or CI support, though this depends on the display and cable or dock being used, so it will not work everywhere. The app is built with SwiftUI and requires macOS 15 or later. It runs mostly on its own in the background as a menu bar utility, with an optional main window for settings, and it checks for updates automatically using a tool called Sparkle. On privacy, all audio processing happens locally on the Mac. To adjust individual apps, macOS requires a one time permission called System Audio Recording, but the README states MacMix does not record, save, or upload any audio, it only uses this permission to change volume levels in real time. The project's source code is released under the MIT license, so it can be used, copied, and modified freely, though the app icon and other visual assets are kept separate and are not covered by that license. This is aimed at people who often switch between audio devices or want more control over which apps make noise, rather than casual users who never touch their sound settings.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
Explain how MacMix uses macOS audio process taps to control per app volume.
Prompt 2
Help me build a macOS menu bar app in SwiftUI similar to MacMix.
Prompt 3
Show me how Sparkle auto update works for a Swift macOS app like MacMix.

Frequently asked questions

What is macmix?

A macOS menu bar app for controlling system volume, audio devices, microphones, and individual app volume levels.

What language is macmix written in?

Mainly Swift. The stack also includes Swift, SwiftUI.

What license does macmix use?

Code is free to use, copy, and modify under MIT, but the app icon and other visual assets are not covered and may not be reused.

How hard is macmix to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is macmix for?

Mainly general.

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