Required macOS settings

Under normal circumstances, there is no need to read this page, as the necessary settings have already been made during the initial setup.

However, we describe the macOS settings that are made during the initial setup of Karabiner-Elements for the following cases.

If you canceled during the initial setup and want to continue in the middle of the process
If you want to check the macOS settings made during the initial setup
If Karabiner-Elements is not working properly and you want to make sure that macOS is configured properly

Keep background items enabled

Note

This setting exists only on macOS Ventura or later

Karabier-Elements has processes running constantly in the background, that handle input events. You have to keep the background items enabled in macOS System Settings > General > Login Items.

Enable Input Monitoring

Karabiner-Elements requires Input Monitoring permission to receive and modify input events.

You can enable it in macOS System Settings > Privacy & Security > Input Monitoring.

Troubleshooting

If you cannot find karabiner_grabber or karabiner_observer in the list, this is because you have not closed the following “Keystroke Receiving” dialogs.

karabiner_grabber and karabiner_observer will be shown in the list after the dialogs are closed.

Allow system extension

Karabiner-Elements uses the system extension to provide a virtual keyboard and mouse. You have to approve system extension before using it. You can confirm whether the system extension already allowed in EventViewer.

If org.pqrs.Karabiner-DriverKit-VirtualHIDDevice appears in the System Extensions of the EventViewer and the status is [activated enabled], the system extension is already allowed.

Otherwise, you have to approve the system extension in macOS System Settings.

Approve system extension

You can approve the system extension in macOS System Settings > Privacy & Security.