# KeyClu for macOS: a shortcut overlay that appears when you press Command twice

> KeyClu is a macOS utility that shows the keyboard shortcuts of the app you are currently using. It installs through Homebrew or a DMG, needs Accessibility API access, and is released under BSD-3-Clause-Clear.

**Anze/KeyCluCask** — A simple and handy overview of application shortcuts

- Repository: https://github.com/Anze/KeyCluCask
- Website: https://github.com/Anze/KeyCluExtensions
- Stars: 2,583 · Forks: 40
- Language: Unknown
- License: BSD-3-Clause-Clear
- Published: 2026-09-28 · Updated: 2026-09-28 · Language: en
- Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/anze-keyclucask

## The problem KeyClu solves for people who already know the app

Most shortcut references live outside the app you are using. You leave the window, open a PDF, a wiki page or a website, and search for the key combination you half remember. KeyClu removes that context switch. The README describes the core interaction in one line: press the Command key twice and hold, and a list of the current application's shortcuts is presented. There is an alternative trigger, pressing Command once and holding, which the README lists under basic usage.

The intended user is someone who works in a handful of macOS applications with deep menu structures and does not want to memorise all of them. The repository topics list hotkeys, productivity, shortcuts, utilities and mac-app, which matches that positioning. It is a reference tool, not a trainer. It does not quiz you or track which shortcuts you use. It shows what the frontmost app exposes, when you ask for it.

The macOS requirement is Big Sur or later, and the badge in the README also names Intel, so the project does not present itself as Apple Silicon only. That matters if you maintain older machines in a team.

## How KeyClu reads shortcuts from the frontmost application

The README states that KeyClu requires access to the Accessibility API to operate. That is the mechanism behind the overlay: the app reads the menu structure of the frontmost application through the accessibility layer and renders the key equivalents it finds there. Notification Center access is recommended, but only for update notifications, so it is optional in a way the Accessibility permission is not.

This design explains both the coverage and the gaps. Anything an app exposes as a menu item with a key equivalent is discoverable. Anything handled by a private event tap, a global hotkey registered outside the menu, or a gesture layer is not, unless it comes from one of the sources the README lists separately. Those extra sources are macOS hotkeys, macOS gestures, skhd hotkeys, Jitouch2 gestures and the user's own shortcuts. The features list also includes collapsible groups of shortcuts and the ability to hide known shortcuts, which suggests the overlay can get long in menu-heavy applications.

Persistence is handled with SQLite. The credits section names SQLite.swift and SQLiteMigrationManager.swift, so bookmarks and settings are stored in a local database with a migration path. The presence of a migration manager implies schema changes across versions are expected, and the changelog.txt at the repository root is where those changes are recorded.

## Installing KeyClu with Homebrew and holding Command twice

The README gives two installation routes. Homebrew is the shorter one. Open Terminal and run the cask:

```bash
brew install --cask keyclu
```

The cask name is keyclu, and Homebrew installs it as a macOS application, not a CLI binary. The manual route is to download the latest .dmg from the releases page, open it, and move the KeyClu app to the Applications folder.

On first launch you will be asked for permissions. The README states that Accessibility API access is required for the app to operate, so the overlay will not work until that is granted in System Settings. Notification Center access is recommended and only affects update notifications.

Once running, the first real use is the trigger itself. Press the Command key twice and hold. The README calls this the default behaviour. If that conflicts with something else in your setup, the alternative is to press Command once and hold.

If the menu bar icon is hidden and you cannot find the settings window, the README's own FAQ says to launch the app again. That is the documented recovery path, and it is worth knowing before you assume the app failed to start.

## Where KeyClu is the wrong tool, and what it does not do

KeyClu shows shortcuts. It does not change them. The README lists CustomShortcuts as an integration for customising shortcuts, which is an explicit handoff to another product rather than a feature of this one. If your goal is to remap keys, KeyClu is not the answer.

Coverage depends on the Accessibility API, so applications that do not publish their shortcuts through the menu bar will appear sparse or empty. The README does not claim otherwise. The listed display sources (macOS hotkeys, gestures, skhd, Jitouch2, own shortcuts) are additions on top of the per-app menu reading, not a universal capture layer.

There is also a stability caveat the project states in its own FAQ, under the heading App just crashed. The advice is to open an issue with details, relevant logs and a description of what you were doing, and the wiki page FAQ - KeyClu just crashed describes how to collect that information. A utility that holds an Accessibility connection to arbitrary applications has failure modes, and the README treats crashes as something users should expect to report rather than something it claims never happens.

Finally, this is macOS only. The platform badge says macOS plus Intel, and the requirements badge says Big Sur or later. There is no Windows or Linux build in the repository.

## KeyClu against KeyCue and other shortcut reference tools

The most direct comparison people search for is KeyCue, a long-standing macOS shortcut reference. Both present shortcuts for the current application, and both live in the menu bar. The practical difference to check before choosing is the trigger and the extras: KeyClu's README centres on pressing Command twice and holding, and it lists integrations with skhd, Jitouch2, CustomShortcuts and CLI parameters that go beyond plain display. Whether KeyCue matches those specific integrations is not something this repository documents, so verify on the other project's own pages rather than assuming parity.

A second comparison is ShortcutDetective, which is aimed at a different question: which application is intercepting a given key combination. KeyClu tells you what shortcuts exist; it does not claim to diagnose conflicts between apps. If your problem is a shortcut that does nothing because something else swallowed it, a detector is the closer fit.

KeyCombiner belongs to another category again, since it is about learning and practising shortcuts rather than reading them from the running app. KeyClu does not include drills or spaced repetition; the README's feature list is about display, filtering, bookmarks and export. The export feature writes an app's shortcuts to a markdown file, which is the closest it gets to a durable reference you can keep outside the overlay.

## Licence, update cadence and what a version bump costs you

KeyClu is released under BSD-3-Clause-Clear. That is a permissive licence with a patent-related clause, and it is not copyleft, so it does not impose source disclosure on your own work. The repository ships LICENSE and PRIVACY.md at the root, and the README states that the app collects no personal information and uses no services for analytics or advertising. The privacy policy is a claim in the README; the PRIVACY.md file is where the detail lives. Nothing here is legal advice, and if you redistribute the app or bundle it internally, read the licence text itself.

The third-party packages named in the credits are Sparkle for updates, SQLite.swift, SQLiteMigrationManager.swift and a JSON helper. Sparkle explains the recommended Notification Center access: update checks are the reason the app wants to notify you.

On cadence, the release list shows v0.31 in January 2026, v0.32 in July 2026 and v0.33 in August 2026, with the repository's last push on 2026-09-08. The version numbers are still in the 0.x range, so the project does not present itself as API-stable. For a desktop utility that matters less than for a library, but the changelog.txt is the file to read before upgrading, especially given the SQLite migration manager in the stack. Upgrading is a reinstall of the cask or a replacement of the app bundle; the README does not document a rollback procedure, so keep the previous DMG if you need to step back.

## Conclusion

KeyClu suits macOS users on Big Sur or later who keep forgetting shortcuts in apps they already have open, and who are comfortable granting Accessibility API access to a menu bar utility. It is not for anyone who wants a cross-platform tool, a keyboard remapper, or a shortcut editor; the README lists CustomShortcuts as a separate integration for changing shortcuts. Before adopting it, check the v0.33 release notes and the changelog.txt for behaviour changes since v0.31, and confirm your macOS version meets the Big Sur or later requirement.

## FAQ

### What is KeyClu used for?

It presents the keyboard shortcuts of the current application. The README describes it as a simple and handy overview of application shortcuts, shown by pressing the Command key twice and holding.

### Is KeyClu free to use?

Yes. KeyClu is released under the BSD-3-Clause-Clear license, and the repository ships the LICENSE file at its root.

### How do I install KeyClu with Homebrew?

Run brew install --cask keyclu in Terminal. The README also offers a manual route: download the latest .dmg, open it and move the app to the Applications folder.

### What permissions does KeyClu need on macOS?

The README states that KeyClu requires access to the Accessibility API to operate. Notification Center access is recommended, but only for gentle update notifications.

### What macOS version does KeyClu require?

The README's requirements badge lists Big Sur or later, and the platform badge names macOS with Intel support.

### Can KeyClu change or remap my shortcuts?

No. KeyClu displays shortcuts; the README lists CustomShortcuts as an integration for customising them instead.

## Sources

- [Anze/KeyCluCask on GitHub](https://github.com/Anze/KeyCluCask)
- [License: BSD-3-Clause-Clear](https://github.com/Anze/KeyCluCask/blob/main/LICENSE)
- [Project website](https://github.com/Anze/KeyCluExtensions)
- [README](https://github.com/Anze/KeyCluCask/blob/main/README.md)
- [Releases](https://github.com/Anze/KeyCluCask/releases)

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Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/anze-keyclucask