The Stream Deck is nice for operating macros in your Mac, however there are methods to do it considerably cheaper. Generally, all it takes is a spare keyboard or a secondary numpad.
Within the pursuit of productiveness, customers can flip to macros as a approach to get issues finished on their Mac. By hitting particular keys or key combos on their keyboard, utilizing configuration software program provided by the producer, duties could be sped up.
These are completely different from keyboard shortcuts, in that you just usually simply have one motion carried out with keyboard shortcuts. Macros, nevertheless, could be complicated sufficient to set off a number of features.
Nonetheless, not everybody desires to spend time studying much more key combos. That is why specialist merchandise exist.
The Elgato Stream Deck is useful, however could be costly.
Objects just like the Elgato Stream Deck lineup are very helpful, in that you may arrange web page after web page of shortcuts to app features which can be rapidly accessible, and could be modified simply. The Logitech MX Inventive Console and the Flexbar do the identical factor, in providing quick-to-access shortcuts that aren’t saved in your keyboard.
The issue is that taking place that route can get costly rapidly. The traditional 15-button Stream Deck Mk.2 is $149 on Amazon, which is sort of costly, whereas the Stream Deck Neo is $96 with eight buttons, and the Stream Deck Mini is $58 with a mere six buttons.
The Logitech MX Inventive Console is not a massively higher choice, until you need a huge dial, as that is $200 as a package deal. The Flexbar, which harkens again to the Contact Bar of discontinued MacBook Professional fashions, can be a purchase order that wants consideration at $179.
Discovering a less expensive approach to get extra macro buttons, if you do not need the bells and whistles, just isn’t that costly to do.
{Hardware} selections
The very first thing to contemplate is what you are going to really use for this makeshift macropad. An apparent alternative is to get an inexpensive one from Amazon, which most likely will match the invoice simply advantageous generally.
The issue right here is that you just’re getting particular software program for the duty. You probably have a spare keyboard or numpad laid round, they’d be capable of do the identical factor, however with out the additional outlay.
In fact, you can’t use them straight as a macropad, as macOS will attempt to use them for his or her supposed functions. Urgent the S key on the second keyboard will do precisely the identical factor because the S key on the primary.
Other than an emergency, a spare keyboard also can turn into helpful as a macropad.
Should you do have to purchase {hardware}, a macropad could possibly be OK, however you could possibly avoid wasting cash and simply get a separate numpad as an alternative. You will get some low-cost fashions for lower than $20, even some identify model variations too for a bit bit extra.
On this case, we shall be demonstrating with the Epomaker EK21 numpad.
A secondary numpad or keyboard could be a super addition right here. The one actual distinction shall be what number of macros you could possibly assign, because of the variety of bodily keys.
Software program – Configurators and Through
We’re going to talk about two methods to make use of your further typing {hardware} as a macropad. The primary and arguably extra quick strategy is to make use of the software program that’s provided along with your keyboard, if that applies to you.
Should you’re spending a good sum of money on a keyboard, you will usually discover that the producer can have some software program they need you to obtain and set up. All so you possibly can configure your peripheral the way you need it.
Generally, it is a producer’s personal app, however for mechanical keyboards, that is usually Through, an internet instrument for keyboard administration.
In lots of producer apps, in addition to Through, there are alternatives to outline a macro by recording your typing or by getting into a script. You then assign that macro to a key, and crucially, you are able to do this on a per-keyboard stage.
Assigning a macro to a numpad key in Through
It’s potential to arrange all the numpad keys on a second bodily numpad for use for various shortcuts, with out affecting any of the keys in your major keyboard.
The one draw back is that you’re restricted to the provided software program by way of what macros you can also make and what number of you possibly can assign. Within the case of Through, it could actually have as much as 16 macros, which covers many of the 20-key numpad readily available.
This can be a respectable strategy in the event you do not wish to fuss round an excessive amount of with further software program. It is also fairly straightforward to get going with, and if it is accessible, most individuals ought to cease right here.
However, as at all times, you possibly can go deeper.
Software program – Karabiner-Parts
Karabiner-Parts is a good piece of open-source software program you will get totally free on macOS. It helps macOS 13 Ventura to macOS 26 Tahoe, and each Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
Very like Through, Karabiner-Parts is a keyboard customization instrument, which helps you to make adjustments to how your keyboards work inside macOS.
It is also one thing that may get actually complicated, actually rapidly. Not like Through, it does contain a obtain and a prolonged installer, together with granting varied permissions inside macOS.
Moving into the instrument, it offers you an enormous functionality to manage all or particular keyboards linked to the Mac.
Adjusting key features in Karabiner-Parts
On the straightforward facet, you possibly can choose Easy Modifications after which the Macropad, then use the dropdowns to create gadgets. On this case, you could possibly set the numpad quantity 5 to maneuver the mouse cursor to the middle of your display screen, to rapidly discover it.
The actual key of the app is in its Complicated Modifications part, the place you add guidelines for keys. In impact, these are macros and alternate shortcut instructions.
Handily, the group surrounding Karabiner-Parts has already made fairly a number of guidelines, so lots of the time you possibly can merely obtain the foundations and apply them.
There may be additionally a whole scripting language accessible for outlining guidelines, which you’ll assign to a key. You probably have a very particular macro aim in thoughts and nothing else has reached it thus far, this might be the place you need to look.
Siri Shortcuts
Whereas lots of this has to do with bodily key presses performing duties, additionally it is price contemplating how this could possibly be utilized in different methods.
One could possibly be to reap the benefits of Siri Shortcuts. Since it’s potential to assign a keyboard shortcut to a Siri Shortcut, it is possible to have a whole macropad filled with Siri Shortcuts, as an alternative of manually triggering them or invoking Siri.
Within the Shortcuts macOS app, open a shortcut for modifying, then faucet the info icon on the right-hand facet. Below Particulars, choose Add Keyboard Shortcut and add one there.
You most likely will not be capable of set a single numpad key press from a secondary keyboard to set off the shortcut. What you are able to do is about up a model new keyboard shortcut, then use a macro or rule to map that keyboard shortcut as a macro to the keyboard.
It is a roundabout manner of doing issues, but it surely does open up a world of recent productiveness choices for the appropriate particular person.
