OPEN-SOURCE PICK · FREE
MonitorControl for Mac
Brightness keys for any display
- Menu bar
- System & monitoring
- Open source · MIT
- Free
- ★ 34.4k on GitHub
MonitorControl is a free, open-source Mac app that lets your keyboard brightness and volume keys control external displays, with the native macOS on-screen display and menu bar sliders.
Key features
BRIGHTNESS, CONTRAST AND VOLUME
Control external displays over DDC, Apple displays natively, and other screens with software dimming.
NATIVE OSD
Uses the familiar macOS brightness and volume pop-ups.
SYNC WITH YOUR BUILT-IN SCREEN
Copy ambient light changes from your MacBook or Apple display to a non-Apple monitor.
DIM FURTHER THAN THE HARDWARE
Combines hardware and software dimming to go below the display minimum.
Who MonitorControl is for
- Anyone with a non-Apple external monitor
- People working late who want darker screens
- Multi-monitor setups
Install
With Homebrew:
Or use the Download button above and drag the app to your Applications folder.
Requirements: Full functionality on macOS 11 Big Sur or newer. DDC over the built-in HDMI port of some Macs (M1, 2018 Intel Mac mini, entry M2 Mac mini) is not supported; use USB-C.
A free alternative to Lunar and BetterDisplay
People often look for MonitorControl when they want what Lunar or BetterDisplay does without paying. MonitorControl is free and its source code is public, so you can see exactly what it does on your Mac.
FAQ
Is MonitorControl free?
Yes, free and open source under the MIT license.
How do I install it?
Download the .dmg from GitHub or run brew install --cask monitorcontrol.
MonitorControl is made by MonitorControl, not by OneClickTool. We list it because we use it and recommend it; we are not paid to. Details checked against its README on 2026-10-07.