Hysen LabsMonitorControl
🖥 Control your display's brightness & volume on your Mac as if it was a native Apple Display. Use Apple Keyboard keys or custom shortcuts. Shows the native macOS OSDs.
MonitorControl: external display brightness on a Mac
MonitorControl brings native style brightness and volume control to external displays on macOS, with OSD, keyboard shortcuts, and a few caveats.
The core control
MonitorControl is described as a way to control display brightness and volume on a Mac as if the external display were a native Apple Display. It controls external display brightness and volume and shows the native OSD. Input works through menubar extra sliders or the keyboard, including native Apple keys. The appeal is straightforward: the external monitor finally behaves like a built in screen instead of a separate, forgotten device.
How it talks to displays
The README explains the protocols underneath. Brightness can be adjusted through DDC for external displays, the native Apple protocol for Apple and built in displays, and gamma table control for software dimming. Contrast is also supported alongside brightness and volume. The protocol list matters because not every monitor responds the same way, and knowing which path the app will take helps set expectations on older hardware.
Dimming and syncing
A few behaviors make the app feel polished. Smooth brightness transitions are supported. Hardware and software dimming can be combined to extend below the minimum brightness the monitor allows. Brightness can be synchronized from built in and Apple screens, replicating ambient light sensor and touch bar changes onto non Apple displays. Those details are what separate a utility from something that feels native.
The version 4.2.0 warning
The README carries a warning that is easy to miss and worth repeating. Version 4.2.0 may crash on certain configurations running macOS 15 Sequoia or Tahoe, and it will not automatically update, so users should upgrade manually. A paid alternative with more features, called BetterDisplay, is mentioned for advanced control. The shade control feature covers AirPlay, Sidecar, and Display Link devices plus other virtual screens. Check the version before upgrading, and upgrade deliberately.
Editorial conclusion
For anyone with an external display on a Mac, MonitorControl does the job the operating system refuses to do. The 4.2.0 warning is the one thing to read first, and the manual update note applies to that version specifically.
Community notes