TapNoiseKnock commands
Knock twice to pause the music.
Knock on the MacBook, near the trackpad, to play or pause music, mute your mic in a call, lock the screen or answer a waiting agent. Typing never counts.
A knock is a light, sharp hit on the MacBook body. It’s lighter than a slap, and there is no typing or clicking around it. Two or three knocks, each less than six-tenths of a second apart, count as a double or a triple knock, and TapNoise runs the action you chose.
Knocks work even when TapNoise’s sounds are off, because they are a tool and not a sound. Most actions answer with a soft tok tok, so you know it was heard.
Music shaking the body through the speakers is a steady rumble, not a knock, so it doesn’t count.
Two or three knocks
Each count runs its own action.
Eight actions
Play or pause, next track, mute, lock the screen and more.
Calls first
In a call, a double knock mutes or unmutes your mic by default.
Answers agents
With Knock twice to answer on, a double knock jumps to a waiting agent.
Turn it on.
Settings › MacBook › Knock commands
- Click the keycap in the menu bar, then Settings, then MacBook.
- Under Knock commands, turn on Knock to control your Mac.
- Choose what Knock twice and Knock three times do.
- If it asks, allow TapNoise to send keys in System Settings › Privacy & Security › Accessibility.
Options.
- Knock to control your Mac
Turns knock commands on. Needs a motion sensor.
Default: Off- Knock twice
In a call, mutes or unmutes the mic. Otherwise plays or pauses music.
Default: Play / pause, or mute mic in calls- Knock three times
Locks the screen by default. Choose any action from the list.
Default: Lock the screen- Choices
Play / pause or mute mic in calls, Play / pause music, Mute / unmute microphone, Next track, Mute / unmute, Lock the screen, Turn TapNoise on or off, and Nothing.
Limits.
- Needs an Apple silicon MacBook with a motion sensor: a MacBook Pro with M1 Pro or M1 Max and later, or a MacBook Air with M2 and later.
- Actions that send keys need Accessibility: play, pause, next track, mute and lock the screen, and the default for Knock twice. The microphone, Turn TapNoise on or off, and Nothing don’t.
- Knock commands only run while TapNoise is unlocked.
Questions.
Will a single knock do anything?
No. Only a finished double or triple knock runs an action.
Can a double knock lock the screen?
Yes. Set Knock twice to Lock the screen. The lock sends ⌃⌘Q, so it needs Accessibility.
Do knocks work when TapNoise sounds are off?
Yes. Knocks are a tool, not a sound, so they keep working with sounds off.
Related.
- Slap soundsGive your MacBook a gentle slap and it says ouch. Harder hits are louder.
- Agent soundsA chime when Claude Code, Codex or Cursor is done, needs you or hits an error, and a knock to jump to the waiting window.
- Guard ModeArm it, walk away, and a loud alarm sounds if the MacBook is lifted, tilted, has its lid moved or loses its charger.
Every key, a little joy.
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