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macOS

Connect Toby to local macOS system controls. The macOS plugin delegates all macOS-native operations to Toby.app's native API server — CoreWLAN, CoreAudio, IOBluetooth, IOKit, and AppKit run inside Toby.app, which holds the TCC permissions. No third-party tools or Homebrew packages are required.

Platform

macOS only. The plugin is included automatically with Toby.app installs under ~/.toby/plugins/.

Prerequisites

  • macOS 14+ (Sonoma or later) with Toby running locally on the Mac you want to control
  • Toby.app running for macOS system tools (the plugin auto-launches Toby.app in the background if needed)

Connect

Open Toby.app → Integrations → macOS and click Connect.

Toby probes native system APIs and stores a connected flag in ~/.toby/config.json.

Optional setup (bundled shortcuts)

The macOS plugin can install signed Toby Focus On and Toby Focus Off shortcuts. Apple requires you to confirm each import in Shortcuts.app.

If the integration offers a Setup action on its detail page (or during onboarding), run it once. Setup is idempotent — shortcuts already on your Mac are skipped.

Configure

Open Toby.app → Integrations → macOS. There are no credential fields — connect is a one-time session flag on this Mac.

Verify

Return to Integrations in the sidebar. macOS should show as connected and healthy.

Capabilities

CapabilityToolNative framework
Battery statusmacBatteryStatusIOKit PowerSources + AppleSmartBattery
Wi‑Fi status and powermacWifiStatus / macWifiSetPowerCoreWLAN
Nearby Wi‑Fi networksmacWifiScanNearbyCoreWLAN
Audio inputs and outputsmacAudioListOutputsCoreAudio
Switch audio outputmacAudioSwitchOutputCoreAudio
Audio volumemacAudioVolumeCoreAudio
Set audio volumemacAudioSetVolumeCoreAudio
Mute / unmutemacAudioSetMuteCoreAudio
Bluetooth statusmacBluetoothStatusIOBluetooth
Bluetooth powermacBluetoothSetPowerIOBluetooth
Display brightnessmacDisplayBrightnessIOKit IODisplay
Set display brightnessmacDisplaySetBrightnessIOKit IODisplay
Read clipboardmacClipboardReadAppKit NSPasteboard
Write clipboardmacClipboardWriteAppKit NSPasteboard
Low Power Mode statusmacLowPowerModeStatussystem power settings
Low Power Mode setmacLowPowerModeSetsystem power settings
Run ShortcutmacShortcutRunShortcuts
System informationmacSystemInfosystem info
NotificationsmacNotificationsPeekNot supported

Mutating calls respect dry run when the chat session has dry-run enabled.

Example chat prompts

  • "List my audio inputs and outputs."
  • "Switch my audio output to Plugable Audio."
  • "What's my current volume?"
  • "Set volume to 50."
  • "Mute the audio."
  • "Turn Wi‑Fi off."
  • "Show nearby Wi‑Fi networks."
  • "What's my display brightness?"
  • "Set brightness to 80."
  • "Read my clipboard."
  • "Copy this to my clipboard: Hello world."
  • "Show system info."
  • "Run my Focus on shortcut."

Permissions

AreaNotes
Wi‑Fi scanCoreWLAN may require Location Services authorization on first use.
BluetoothToby.app may prompt for Bluetooth access on first use.
Window controlMinimize and restore tools route through Toby.app's native API server. Grant Accessibility to Toby.app in System Settings.
ShortcutsmacOS may prompt for Automation permissions when Shortcuts access other apps.
Low Power ModeChanging Low Power Mode may require admin privileges on some Macs.

Toby never escalates privileges for you without an explicit system prompt.

Limitations

  • Display brightness on some Apple Silicon Macs may not be readable or adjustable through the IODisplay APIs.
  • Notification Center is not exposed through a stable public API, so Toby does not list notifications.

Disconnect

Open the macOS detail page and click Disconnect. This clears Toby's connection flag; it does not modify system settings.