LuxMini docs

1. Download the latest .dmg from the Download button.
2. Open the DMG and drag LuxMini.app into your Applications folder.
3. Eject the DMG. You can trash the DMG file. LuxMini keeps itself up to date from here on.

LuxMini is a universal binary (Intel + Apple Silicon) and targets macOS 11 Big Sur or later.

LuxMini isn't notarised by Apple yet, so macOS asks for your approval the very first time. One time, one click.

1. Launch LuxMini from Applications. macOS shows “LuxMini can't be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software.” Click Done.
2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security.
3. Scroll to the bottom and click “Open Anyway”next to the LuxMini entry. This button stays available for about an hour after step 1.
4. Enter your password. LuxMini launches and is added as a trusted exception. You won't see this prompt again.
5. LuxMini asks you to install a tiny helper tool. Enter your admin password once. Done.

LuxMini lives in your menu bar. The icon itself is a circle whose fill mirrors your LED brightness: full disc at 100%, a thin outline when the LED is off.

• Toggle switch: turns the front LED on or off. Off means physically off, not dimmed to 1%.
• Brightness slider: ranges from 0 to 100%, with no perceptible latency.
• Percent readout: matches what the slider reports.

Effects keep running until you pick “Stop” or move the slider, so feel free to leave one on as ambient feedback.

Blink

500 ms on, 500 ms off. Classic heartbeat.

Blink Fast

120 ms on/off. Good for notifications.

Pulse

Sine-wave breathing, full cycle every 2 seconds.

SOS

Morse code for SOS on loop. Dots, dashes, gaps, letter-gaps and word-gaps all observed.

Strobe

45 ms on/off. Party mode. Don't stare.

Stop

Cancels any running effect and restores your last manual brightness.

LuxMini checks for updates in the background once a day. When a new version ships, the update downloads silently and installs the next time you quit and relaunch the app.

You can also trigger a check anytime from menu bar icon → “Check for Updates…”.

Because the helper tool needs root, macOS will ask for your admin password once after each update. Same dialog as the very first launch. One click, one password.

The LED doesn’t respond

Make sure your Mac model is on the supported list. If your Mac is listed and the LED still doesn't respond, quit LuxMini and relaunch. That re-triggers the helper install.

“App is damaged” message

This means the quarantine attribute got corrupted, usually after a bad copy. Re-download the DMG and reinstall. Do not run xattr shell workarounds.

Admin prompt every launch

The helper lost its admin privileges. Quit LuxMini and relaunch once to re-approve. If it keeps happening, another tool (backup software, antivirus) is probably resetting file permissions inside /Applications.

Menu bar icon disappears

macOS hides menu bar icons when there's no room left. Try the Bartender or Hidden Barapp, or remove icons you don't need.

Three files, three seconds:

1. Quit LuxMini from its menu bar icon.
2. Move /Applications/LuxMini.app to the Trash.
3. Optional: delete preferences with defaults delete com.bastiencantet.luxmini in Terminal.

Everything LuxMini installs lives inside the app bundle. Trashing the app removes it cleanly. Nothing lingers elsewhere on your Mac.

Bug reports and feature requests go through the Feature request page. Include your Mac model, macOS version, and LuxMini version. I'll reply faster.