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[GH-ISSUE #274] Touchbar support #214

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opened 2026-05-05 05:25:40 -06:00 by gitea-mirror · 11 comments

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:25:40 -06:00

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Originally created by @galambosmisi on GitHub (Aug 12, 2020).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl/issues/274

Originally assigned to: @waydabber on GitHub.

Checklist

I have searched for existing issues
I have updated MonitorControl to the latest version

Issue description
I installed the app. It works well from the menu bar and with the extended touch bar where all the standard funcion keys simulated on it.

But if I want to control the brightness of the external display with the "closed" touch bar, only the built-in screen is set by the application, even if the external monitor is active.

Expected behavior
I want to change the brightness of the active monitor with the "closed" TouchBar brightness controller button.

Environment Information:

macOS version: 10.15.6
MonitorControl version: 2.0.0
Monitor(s): LG #23MP67VQ-P
Mac model: MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, 2016)

Originally created by @galambosmisi on GitHub (Aug 12, 2020). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl/issues/274 Originally assigned to: @waydabber on GitHub. **Checklist** - [x] I have searched for existing issues - [x] I have updated MonitorControl to the latest version **Issue description** I installed the app. It works well from the menu bar and with the extended touch bar where all the standard funcion keys simulated on it. <img width="1085" alt="TouchBarShot_large" src="https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/28294854/90008817-3bd4cf00-dc9d-11ea-8b42-5859aa879ca1.png"> But if I want to control the brightness of the external display with the "closed" touch bar, only the built-in screen is set by the application, even if the external monitor is active. <img width="1085" alt="TouchBarShot_standard " src="https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/28294854/90008822-3d9e9280-dc9d-11ea-9237-1d7e5fe0a517.png"> <img width="1085" alt="TouchBarShot_small" src="https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/28294854/90008821-3d9e9280-dc9d-11ea-96e0-7e1b31f20239.png"> **Expected behavior** I want to change the brightness of the active monitor with the "closed" TouchBar brightness controller button. **Environment Information:** - macOS version: 10.15.6 - MonitorControl version: 2.0.0 - Monitor(s): LG #23MP67VQ-P - Mac model: MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, 2016)

gitea-mirror

2026-05-05 05:25:40 -06:00

closed this issue
added the
enhancement
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gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:25:45 -06:00

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@alex955 commented on GitHub (Jan 1, 2021):

Why is this close? I only change my brightness with the compact Touch Bar. I would love to have this feature.

@alex955 commented on GitHub (Jan 1, 2021): Why is this close? I only change my brightness with the compact Touch Bar. I would love to have this feature.

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:25:47 -06:00

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@JoniVR commented on GitHub (Jan 1, 2021):

@alex955 it's not closed 🙂

@JoniVR commented on GitHub (Jan 1, 2021): @alex955 it's not closed 🙂

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:25:48 -06:00

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@agrml commented on GitHub (Jan 19, 2021):

First of all, I wanna thank the author for that amazing app! I thought that I have to buy an apple display to control it's brightness over mac's keyboard. Now I don't have to!)

Secondary, slider doesn't work on my Mac Pro (16, 2019) Catalina 10.15.7 (19H114). And it would be awesome if it were!

@agrml commented on GitHub (Jan 19, 2021): First of all, I wanna thank the author for that amazing app! I thought that I have to buy an apple display to control it's brightness over mac's keyboard. Now I don't have to!) Secondary, slider doesn't work on my Mac Pro (16, 2019) Catalina 10.15.7 (19H114). And it would be awesome if it were!

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:25:50 -06:00

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@waydabber commented on GitHub (Aug 20, 2021):

This could be done in a tricky way. We can't read the touch bar slider directly but the slider controls the internal display brightness and we have the ability to read the internal display brightness via DisplayServicesGetBrightness(). This would need a constant polling however whether the brightness changed or not (but it would probably not drain the system too much). Unfortunatelly I don't actually have an MBP as I decidedly hated the Touchbar so I can't experiment with this. Just shared my suggested route to fix this if somebody has the will to do it. But this issue is essentially the same as polling and adjusting the brightness changes caused by the built in light sensor changes: https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl/issues/27

@waydabber commented on GitHub (Aug 20, 2021): This could be done in a tricky way. We can't read the touch bar slider directly but the slider controls the internal display brightness and we have the ability to read the internal display brightness via `DisplayServicesGetBrightness()`. This would need a constant polling however whether the brightness changed or not (but it would probably not drain the system too much). Unfortunatelly I don't actually have an MBP as I decidedly hated the Touchbar so I can't experiment with this. Just shared my suggested route to fix this if somebody has the will to do it. But this issue is essentially the same as polling and adjusting the brightness changes caused by the built in light sensor changes: https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl/issues/27

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:25:51 -06:00

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@agrml commented on GitHub (Aug 23, 2021):

Polling is definitely implemented here: https://github.com/alin23/Lunar

@agrml commented on GitHub (Aug 23, 2021): Polling is definitely implemented here: https://github.com/alin23/Lunar

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:25:53 -06:00

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@waydabber commented on GitHub (Aug 23, 2021):

All right, I'll talk to @alin23 about this if he figured out how to have direct access to the touchbar slider (he has an MBP so he probably had the chance to work on that a lot if it is possible), but polling through getting the actual internal display brightness should be fine.

@waydabber commented on GitHub (Aug 23, 2021): All right, I'll talk to @alin23 about this if he figured out how to have direct access to the touchbar slider (he has an MBP so he probably had the chance to work on that a lot if it is possible), but polling through getting the actual internal display brightness should be fine.

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:25:54 -06:00

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@alin23 commented on GitHub (Aug 23, 2021):

@waydabber @agrml Lunar polls the built-in display brightness, it has no knowledge whatsoever about the Touchbar slider.

The Touchbar buttons work simply because they send the same brightness key events as the keyboard keys.
The Touchbar slider works in Lunar with Sync Mode enabled because Lunar detects brightness changes in the internal displays. The slider is not polled or read in any way.

@alin23 commented on GitHub (Aug 23, 2021): @waydabber @agrml Lunar polls the built-in display brightness, it has no knowledge whatsoever about the Touchbar slider. 1. The Touchbar buttons work simply because they send the same brightness key events as the keyboard keys. 2. The Touchbar slider works in Lunar **with Sync Mode enabled** because Lunar detects brightness changes in the internal displays. The slider is not polled or read in any way.

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:25:56 -06:00

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@waydabber commented on GitHub (Aug 23, 2021):

Thanks @alin23!

@waydabber commented on GitHub (Aug 23, 2021): Thanks @alin23!

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:25:57 -06:00

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@JoniVR commented on GitHub (Aug 23, 2021):

For future reference: if we want to debug the touchbar without physically having one, we still can:
Window > Touch Bar > Show Touch Bar

@JoniVR commented on GitHub (Aug 23, 2021): For future reference: if we want to debug the touchbar without physically having one, we still can: Window > Touch Bar > Show Touch Bar

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:26:00 -06:00

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@waydabber commented on GitHub (Aug 26, 2021):

Since the touch bar support probably won't be achievable on its own, let's continue talking about this issue here:

#27

@waydabber commented on GitHub (Aug 26, 2021): Since the touch bar support probably won't be achievable on its own, let's continue talking about this issue here: #27

gitea-mirror commented

2026-05-05 05:26:01 -06:00

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@waydabber commented on GitHub (Sep 19, 2021):

Brightness change synchronization from Built-In and Apple displays to other displays is now added. This makes Touch Bar, Ambient light sensor, Control Center and System Preferences induced changes affect all displays. Synchronization is not direct, but only changes are replicated - the user can intervene and adjust at any time.

https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl/discussions/596
https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl/issues/27

@waydabber commented on GitHub (Sep 19, 2021): Brightness change synchronization from Built-In and Apple displays to other displays is now added. This makes Touch Bar, Ambient light sensor, Control Center and System Preferences induced changes affect all displays. Synchronization is not direct, but only changes are replicated - the user can intervene and adjust at any time. https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl/discussions/596 https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl/issues/27