MacPipAnswer
Can I change Clacky's volume without changing my Mac's volume?
Yes. Clacky has its own volume slider, right in its menu-bar menu and in Settings → Sounds, and moving it changes only Clacky's clicks.
Keyboard sounds have a second slider of their own, so you can have loud clicks and quiet typing, or the other way round. Music, calls and other apps are not touched.
The quick way: the menu-bar slider
- Click Clacky's icon in the menu bar.
- Drag the volume slider under the sound switches. Clacky plays a sample click a moment after you let go, so you hear the new level.
- For typing sounds, open Settings → Keyboard and set the Volume row there ("Separate from the click volume").
Every volume control in Clacky
The Levels sliders are for fine-tuning: for example, keep the press at full level and make the release and scroll ticks softer.
| Control | Where | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Click volume | Menu-bar menu, or Settings → Sounds → Volume | 70% |
| Keyboard volume | Settings → Keyboard → Volume | 60% |
| Press, Release and Scroll levels | Settings → Sounds → More options → Levels | 100% each, under the main volume |
| Interface sounds | Settings → Appearance | On. A switch for Clacky's own small app sounds |
How it fits with your Mac's volume
Clacky plays through your Mac's sound output, so your Mac's volume sits on top of Clacky's. If you turn the Mac down, Clacky gets quieter too, and if the Mac is muted, you hear nothing. Clacky's slider sets how loud its clicks are next to everything else.
A good way to set it: play some music at your normal level, then lower Clacky until the clicks sit under the music instead of over it.
Send Clacky to a different speaker or headphones
Settings → Sounds → Output decides where Clacky plays. Follow system output is the default. Pick a device instead and Clacky plays there while it is connected, even if the rest of your Mac plays somewhere else. Only with headphones (Settings → General) keeps Clacky off the speakers completely. See Can Clacky play sounds only in my headphones?
Other ways to make Clacky quieter
- Pick a softer sound. The Studio family (Hush, Tap, Felt, Whisper, Thock) is made to stay quiet.
- Turn off Release sound for one sound per click instead of two.
- Turn off scroll ticks or keyboard sounds with their switches in the menu.
- Quiet in these apps (Settings → General → More options) silences Clacky in the apps you choose.
Questions
Why is Clacky quiet even with its slider at 100%?
Can Clacky be louder than my Mac's volume?
Does lowering Clacky's volume change my music or calls?
Facts checked on 5 November 2026.
Related
- Sounds where you want themOnly with headphones, on the output you pick, or only in the apps you choose. Ripples still show everywhere.
- Can Clacky play sounds only in my headphones?Yes. Turn on Only with headphones and Clacky plays in AirPods, Bluetooth or wired headphones, and stays quiet on your Mac's speakers.
- Can Clacky play sounds only in some apps?Yes. Add apps to Quiet in these apps, or flip the list to Only in these apps. Keyboard sounds can also use a different sound, or none, per app.
- How do I pause or turn off Clacky quickly?Click Clacky in the menu bar and flip the switch at the top. Or set an on/off shortcut, mute one sound type, or let Quiet during calls do it for you.
- Keyboard sounds for focus and study on a MacDo typing sounds help you focus? How to use keyboard sounds on a Mac for study, writing and coding: soft sounds, headphones only, quiet during calls.
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