MonitorControl
Free brightness and volume keys for external monitors
MacFree, open source
The verdict
Your Mac's brightness and volume keys do nothing on most external monitors, and this free, open source menu bar app makes them work, complete with the native macOS on-screen indicator. It talks to monitors over DDC and falls back to software dimming for TVs and DisplayLink docks. It won't fix fuzzy scaling, so if text looks soft too, the paid BetterDisplay Pro is the app to get instead.
Get it if
You use a non-Apple monitor every day and just want the brightness keys on your keyboard to work.
Skip it if
You only use your MacBook's own screen or an Apple display, where the keys already work.
Screenshots 3
What it helps you do
- Dim an external monitor with your Mac's keys
- Change monitor volume from the keyboard
- Adjust several screens with 1 slider
- Dim a screen all the way to black
What changed
Added to The Useful Apps
Pick something else if
BetterDisplayPick it if text looks soft on the non-Apple monitor you plug your MacBook into every day.Free to start
LunarPick it if you want your external monitor's brightness to follow your MacBook's screen automatically.Free to start
PresentifyPick it if you share your screen on calls or record how-to videos and want people to see exactly where to look.$14.99 once
MonitorControl head to head
The details
- Runs on
- Mac
- Version
- 4.4.0
- Menu bar app
- Lives in the menu bar
- Open source
- Code is public
Developer's websiteSpot a wrong price or fact?