MIDI to keystroke on a Mac: every app, compared
InputConfig is completely free on the Mac App Store. You don't have to make an account, there are no subscriptions, and nothing is locked. Optimized for Apple silicon.
The free MIDI to keystroke apps for a Mac are InputConfig and MIDI Mapper. Bome MIDI Translator Pro is the powerful paid option, and Keyboard Maestro or BetterTouchTool handle MIDI if you already own one of them. I make InputConfig, so the bias is stated up front. People call this job MIDI to keystroke, MIDI to hotkey, MIDI to key press, or a MIDI macro pad. It is the same thing.
On this page
Compare every MIDI to keystroke app
| App | Price | Last version | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| InputConfig | Free, open source | 1.8, October 2026 | MIDI notes, CC, pitch bend, aftertouch, program change, and Start, Continue and Stop to keys, mouse, scroll, macros and system functions; knobs as dials, nudges or volume faders; also sends MIDI from game controllers; Mac App Store. |
| MIDI Mapper | Free | 0.2.14 | MIDI pad to shortcuts, text, app launch, volume, brightness and media; Mac, Windows and Linux. |
| Bome MIDI Translator Pro | EUR 79, trial available | 1.9.2, Dec 2025 | Rules, logic, layers and MIDI routing in both directions; Mac and Windows. |
| Keyboard Maestro | US$36 | 11.1.1 | MIDI note and CC triggers inside a general automation app. |
| MidiShortcut | US$24.99 | 2.0.2, Feb 2022 | Notes and CC to shortcuts, on the Mac App Store. |
| CoyoteMIDI | Free tier, paid Pro | Not shown | MIDI to keys and mouse, app-specific. |
| Midi2Macro | Free for 5 macros, Pro US$5 | Not shown | Notes to shortcuts and app launch. |
| midiStroke | Free, open source | 1.4 | Notes, CC and program change to keystrokes; built for much older macOS. |
| ControllerMate | Legacy | 4.11.1, Oct 2018 | Ran on macOS 10.13 and 10.14 only. |
| BetterTouchTool | US$15, or US$25 lifetime; 45-day trial | Current | MIDI knobs and pads as triggers for any of its actions, and it can send MIDI. A general Mac automation app. |
Checked on 22 September 2026 against each maker's site and the App Store. Midikey2Key is Windows only. Final Cut Pro users also look at CommandPost, which is open source and integrates MIDI controllers with Final Cut, but its site now says it needs at least one paid LateNite app installed.
Pick by what you need
- Shortcuts, app launches and volume from a pad. Free is enough: InputConfig or MIDI Mapper.
- Rules, conditions and MIDI routing between devices. Bome is the tool.
- Keyboard Maestro already runs your Mac. Add MIDI triggers there.
- A game controller that sends MIDI too, or MIDI and controllers in one setup. That combination is what InputConfig adds.
I would pay for Bome only if you need its rules and routing, because for pressing shortcuts a free app does the job.
Set it up in InputConfig
- You: Plug in the MIDI device, add a row, press Scan, and touch a pad, key or knob. Then pick the output: a key combination, a macro, Open App, Type Text, volume or a system function.
- InputConfig: Fills in the note or CC it heard. Pressing play on a sequencer or DAW scans as MIDI Start.
- Check: Press Activate, then touch the pad, and the output fires in the app in front.
For a knob, open the row's second menu and choose a Knob mode:
- Switch (past halfway). Acts like a button.
- Dial (speed from center). Acts like a stick or a scroll wheel.
- Turn (nudge per step). Presses its output once per step of rotation: volume, brightness, arrow keys, zoom.
A CC knob or the pitch wheel can also drive System Volume as a real fader. It takes over only once you move the knob, so plugging in does not yank the volume. The MIDI to keystroke page covers every option. To make a keyboard type letters, see a MIDI keyboard as a computer keyboard.
What to check before you pick
- Knobs as continuous controls. Many apps treat a knob as one more button. If you want a knob to scroll, act as the volume fader, or step through frames, check that the app reads its position, not just a threshold.
- Current macOS and Apple silicon. An app last updated years ago may still launch, but when it breaks there is no fix coming.
- Accessibility permission. Every app on this list that sends keystrokes needs it. Grant it once in System Settings, Privacy & Security, Accessibility.
- Where it comes from. A Mac App Store app is reviewed by Apple and updates itself. A download from a website asks you to trust the maker directly.
- What else is on your desk. If a game controller or a pedal should run the same shortcuts, one app for all of them is simpler than two.
What InputConfig does not do
- Rules and logic. There is no Bome-style rule engine or MIDI routing between devices.
- Relative encoders. An encoder in a relative mode, sending 65 and 63, or 1 and 127, is not decoded. Set it to absolute, and Turn mode steps through its positions.
The short version
- Free. Use InputConfig or MIDI Mapper for pads, knobs and shortcuts.
- Paid and powerful. Use Bome when you need rules and routing.
- Already own one. Keyboard Maestro or BetterTouchTool can take MIDI triggers.
Start with a free app, and pay only when you need rules a mapper cannot do.
Questions
How do I map MIDI to keyboard shortcuts on a Mac?
Use a MIDI to keystroke app, because macOS has no setting for it. In InputConfig, pick the MIDI device as the input, press Scan and play the note or turn the knob, then choose the key or shortcut it should press. It is free on the Mac App Store.
Is there a free MIDI to keystroke app for Mac?
Yes. InputConfig and MIDI Mapper are free. MidiStroke is free but old.
Can a MIDI knob control the Mac's volume?
Yes. In InputConfig a CC knob or the pitch wheel can drive System Volume as a real fader. It takes over only once you move the knob, so plugging in does not yank the volume.
Can MIDI Start and Stop press a key?
In InputConfig, yes. A sequencer's or DAW's Start, Continue and Stop bind like a pad, so pressing play can start an OBS recording. MIDI Start and Stop as shortcuts walks through it.
Is there a free Bome MIDI Translator alternative?
For turning MIDI into shortcuts, InputConfig and MIDI Mapper are free. For Bome's rules and routing, there is no free equivalent on this list.
Does BetterTouchTool do MIDI?
Yes. Its site lists MIDI knobs and pads as triggers for any of its actions, and it can send MIDI. It costs US$15, or US$25 for a lifetime license, after a 45-day trial. If you already use it for trackpad gestures, it is a reasonable place to add MIDI.
Can a MIDI controller run Final Cut Pro?
Final Cut has no MIDI mapping of its own, so a MIDI controller runs it through keyboard shortcuts. In InputConfig, pads press the shortcuts and a knob in Turn mode can press the arrow keys to step frames, with the preset switching on only while Final Cut is in front. CommandPost goes deeper into Final Cut but now needs a paid LateNite app installed. See a MIDI controller for Final Cut Pro.
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