MacPipAnswer
Does Clacky work on Intel Macs and Apple silicon?
Yes. Clacky is a universal app, so the same download runs natively on Apple silicon Macs (M1 and later) and on Intel Macs, with no Rosetta needed.
What decides which parts you get is your macOS version, not your chip: sounds and the ripple from macOS 13, screenshots from macOS 14 and the screen recorder from macOS 15.
Your macOS decides, not your chip
There is one download and one licence. If you move from an Intel Mac to an Apple silicon Mac, move the licence and carry on: choose Move to another Mac in Clacky on the old Mac, then paste your key on the new one.
| Your macOS | Apple silicon | Intel |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Ventura | Sounds, ripple, notch, Clackyland | The same |
| 14 Sonoma | Plus the screenshot studio | The same |
| 15 Sequoia or later | Plus the screen recorder and Studio editor | The same |
How to check which Mac you have
- Click the Apple menu → About This Mac.
- A line called Chip (Apple M1, M2 and so on) means Apple silicon. A line called Processor (Intel Core) means Intel.
- The same window shows your macOS version, which is what decides the screenshot studio and the recorder.
Notes for Intel Macs
- Intel Macs have no notch. Clacky draws its own notch on screens without one, and you can pick which screens show it.
- Intel MacBook trackpads, Magic Mice and keyboards work the same way: every click, tap and key press macOS reports gets a sound.
- Our CPU check (about 1 to 3% of one core in the background) ran on an Apple silicon MacBook Pro. We haven’t measured an Intel Mac, so we won’t guess a number. How to check it yourself.
Apps that need Apple silicon or a newer MacBook
A few keyboard sound apps read how hard you type from the MacBook’s motion sensor. That is something Clacky doesn’t do, and it limits which Macs they run on. From our comparison of 17 keyboard sound apps:
| App | Which Macs, as the app states it |
|---|---|
| Haptyk | Newer Apple silicon MacBooks only. Not desktop Macs, Intel Macs, the M1 MacBook Air or the 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro |
| Clank Keys | Apple silicon only, macOS 13 or later |
| Keeby | macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon |
| Keyslam, Kiiwi, Typemac | Apple silicon and Intel |
| Clacky | Apple silicon and Intel, macOS 13 or later |
Where these facts come from
- Haptyk: haptyk.com
- Clank Keys: clankkeys.web.app
- Keeby: getkeeby.com
- Keyslam: keyslam.com, Kiiwi: kiiwi.app, Typemac: typemac.app
- Checked on 5 November 2026.
Questions
Do I need Rosetta to run Clacky?
Is there a separate Intel download?
Can Clacky play softer or harder sounds by how hard I type?
Facts checked on 5 November 2026.
Related
- Does Clacky work on a Mac mini, iMac or Mac Studio?Yes. Clacky works on desktop Macs with any mouse, trackpad or keyboard. It needs no built-in trackpad and no motion sensor, only macOS 13 or later.
- Does Clacky work on macOS 13 Ventura?Yes. Clacky runs on macOS 13 Ventura with every sound, the click ripple and Clackyland. Screenshots need macOS 14 and the recorder macOS 15.
- Clacky vs HaptykHaptyk vs Clacky on a Mac: price, free trial, keyboard and click sounds, which Macs they run on, a ripple, a recorder and screenshots. Fair and sourced.
- The best keyboard sound apps for Mac (2026)The best keyboard sound apps for Mac, side by side: price, trial, sounds, privacy and network, macOS version. Free and paid, every fact sourced.
- Does Clacky slow down my Mac or drain the battery?Clacky is light: about 1 to 3% of one CPU core in the background in our own check. Battery life isn’t measured yet. Check it in Activity Monitor.
- How do I move my Clacky licence to a new Mac?On the old Mac, open Settings → Licence and click Deactivate… under Move to another Mac. Then paste your key on the new Mac and click Activate.
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