Install
Run the installer. VolumeKeys appears in the menu bar. No Terminal and no complicated setup.
Your Mac volume keys.
Working again.
Some audio interfaces and displays disable F10, F11 and F12. VolumeKeys brings them back for your chosen output. No extra window required.
Use your Mac volume keys
F10, F11 and F12 control your external audio interface or compatible display. No additional VolumeKeys window is needed.
VolumeKeys
45-second product tour
External audio.
Native controls.
Watch VolumeKeys bring F10, F11 and F12 back, switch between available outputs and stay quietly in the menu bar.
How it works
Three steps.
Then use your keys.
Install VolumeKeys, choose your interface, and keep using your Mac the way you already do.
Choose your interface
Choose your audio interface or display and the output you want to control. VolumeKeys remembers both.
VolumeKeys
Use the keys
Press F10, F11 or F12 to mute, turn down or turn up. That’s it.
More than volume keys
Simple to use.
Careful with your audio.
VolumeKeys keeps the controls simple and handles the important details in the background.
Digital monitor controller
Switch monitors. Match their level.
Set and remember a separate volume for every output pair, level-match your monitors, then switch globally to compare the same track at a consistent listening level without repatching cables.
High-precision 32-bit floating-point volume processing designed for transparent monitor control.
Digital attenuation
Control level without adding gain.
VolumeKeys attenuates the routed Mac signal and is not designed to add gain above the source level. Set your interface or monitor control for the physical listening level you want.
Private by design
VolumeKeys processes your audio on your Mac.
Your audio is processed locally and is not sent to our servers by VolumeKeys. The app contains no ads or app-usage analytics.
Controlled changes
Fade into each saved monitor level.
VolumeKeys fades device and output-pair changes through silence, then fades into the volume saved for the destination pair. Match different monitor pairs once and compare them at a consistent listening level without a second jump after the switch.
Mono check.
Hear both channels together to spot phase and balance problems.
Bass Focus + Night.
Focus isolates everything below 150 Hz for precise low-end decisions. Night focuses its processing where bass becomes physical. A purpose-built low-frequency DSP algorithm reduces the deep energy that makes rooms and walls vibrate while keeping the musical body of the mix intact. You hear a full, balanced sound at night, while less bass travels next door.
Automatic buffer.
Follows the active hardware/DAW buffer without a second competing setting.
Automatic output fallback.
If the selected interface or display disconnects, VolumeKeys automatically returns system playback to the current macOS default output.
Recording
Keep your DAW connected directly.
Select the physical interface in your DAW for recording. VolumeKeys can control normal Mac audio at the same time.
Global shortcuts
Digital monitor control.
Right from your keyboard.
From anywhere on your Mac: switch monitor pairs, toggle VolumeKeys, check mono and audition both bass modes.
Keyboard preview
Point at a shortcut
VolumeKeys·On / Off
Bass Focus·On / Off
Bass Night·On / Off
Mono·On / Off
Monitor pair·Select
All shortcuts·Ready
1234567890
ZXCVBNM
fn⌃control⌥option⌘command
VolumeKeysOn / Off
⌃control⌥option⌘commandV
Monitor pairSelect1–2 → 19–20
⌃control⌥option⌘command1
Bass FocusOn / Off
⌃control⌥option⌘commandB
Bass NightOn / Off
⌃control⌥option⌘commandN
MonoOn / Off
⌃control⌥option⌘commandM
Only available output pairs get a shortcut. Each global shortcut is registered independently, so a conflict on one shortcut does not disable the others.
7 days free.
Experience every feature. Buy only when you are completely satisfied.
Download VolumeKeys, set it up in minutes and explore the complete app on your own Mac for 7 days. No payment details are required, and you decide whether to buy.
7 days free. Just download. No payment details required.
Questions?
Clear answers.
Try the complete app free for 7 days on your own Mac. Then decide in your own time.
Why do my Mac volume keys stop working with an audio interface or display?+
Many audio interfaces and digital display outputs do not give macOS a settable volume control, so F10-F12 stop changing the level. VolumeKeys creates a software-controlled route for compatible Core Audio outputs and brings the keys back.
Does VolumeKeys add digital gain?+
VolumeKeys attenuates the routed Mac signal and is not designed to add gain above the source level. Actual loudness still depends on the source audio, interface, amplifier, headphones and speakers.
How does Bass Focus reveal everything below 150 Hz so precisely?+
Bass Focus uses a fourth-order Linkwitz–Riley low-pass (24 dB per octave) set to 150 Hz. Two cascaded Butterworth stages create a smooth, monotonic curve with −6 dB at the labelled cutoff, while left and right are filtered independently so the low end stays stereo. Its coefficients are calculated for the active sample rate, and a 30 ms crossfade with fixed safety headroom makes switching clean without look-ahead or added buffering latency. You hear kick, bass and low-frequency buildup in isolation, not through a crude one-knob EQ.
How does Bass Night reduce low frequencies for your neighbours without ruining the mix?+
Bass Night targets long-wavelength low frequencies, which typical walls and floors attenuate less effectively and can transmit through a building’s structure. A second-order Butterworth high-pass at 60 Hz attenuates deep sub-bass; then a −6 dB low shelf at 200 Hz, based on Robert Bristow-Johnson’s biquad design, progressively reduces the remaining low end while keeping the mids and highs intact. The stereo, sample-rate-aware cascade runs without look-ahead or extra buffering and blends over 30 ms, so it sounds balanced instead of abruptly thin. It reduces low-frequency energy entering the room; listening level and the building still determine how much reaches your neighbours.
Why does macOS ask to record system audio?+
VolumeKeys needs this macOS permission to receive your Mac audio, change its level and send it to your interface. VolumeKeys does not record or upload that audio; its audio processing remains on your Mac.
Which macOS version do I need?+
The minimum system version is macOS 14.2. VolumeKeys supports Apple silicon and Intel Macs. Every feature is included free for 7 days, so you can experience the complete app on your own Mac before you decide.
Will it work with my interface or display?+
VolumeKeys supports compatible Core Audio outputs, including USB and Thunderbolt interfaces as well as HDMI or DisplayPort displays that appear as standard stereo outputs. Every feature is included free for 7 days, so you can experience the complete app with your preferred output before you decide.
Does VolumeKeys need an internet connection?+
Not for normal audio use. Internet is needed to download, buy and activate VolumeKeys. After successful activation, a paid license is designed for normal offline use, subject to its local license state and technical requirements.
Is VolumeKeys a subscription?+
VolumeKeys is a one-time purchase with no subscription. Taxes are included in the price.