Knock and Haptyk
Found Knock? Meet the other app built on your MacBook's hidden sensor.
Knock (tryknock.app) turns taps on the side of an Apple Silicon MacBook into shortcuts: one knock mutes, two take a screenshot, three run a Shortcut. Haptyk reads the very same accelerometer, about 1,000 times a second, to measure how hard each keystroke lands and play a mechanical keyboard sound that matches. Same sensor, two different jobs. This page explains what each one does, what they cost, and when you would want one, the other, or both.
Looking for a Knock alternative for tap shortcuts? Haptyk is not one. It does not run actions when you tap your Mac. If what caught your attention was the idea that your MacBook can feel being touched, read on.
No credit card · $8 one time after the trial · 14-day refund
Side by side
Knock vs Haptyk
| Haptyk | Knock | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Mechanical keyboard sounds that follow your typing force | Taps on the MacBook run actions, shortcuts and visual reactions |
| What the sensor is used for | Measuring each keystroke's impact, paired with the key event | Recognizing single, double and triple tap patterns |
| Price | $8 one time | Free tier (single knock, starter actions); Knock Pro one time, listed from $8.99 |
| Try before paying | 3-day trial, all 16 packs, no card | Free tier plus a built-in Test to check your Mac |
| Works on | MacBook Pro 14″/16″ M1 Pro and later, MacBook Air M2 and later, 13″ MacBook Pro M2 | MacBook Air M2 to M4 and MacBook Pro M2 to M5 for chassis taps; Trackpad Tap Mode on any Mac |
| Without the sensor | Does not run; the app tells you at launch | Falls back to trackpad taps or an iPhone companion app |
| Permission | Accessibility (to hear key events) | Depends on the actions you assign |
| Refund | 14 days | Case by case for direct purchases, per its terms |
Knock details come from tryknock.app and the maker's public listings as of October 2026. Prices change; check their site before buying.
The sensor
Why your MacBook can feel a tap at all
Apple Silicon MacBooks carry a motion sensor that Apple does not document for third-party apps. Both Knock and Haptyk reach it through private IOKit interfaces, which is also why both say the same thing in their fine print: compatibility can vary by model and macOS version. It picks up far more than a knock on the lid.
Knock
Listens for deliberate, isolated impacts and classifies them as one, two or three taps. It has a "Knock Feel" setting so you can choose between a gentle tap and a firm slap, and it ignores normal typing.
Haptyk
Does the opposite: it cares about typing only. Every key event is matched to the vibration spike it caused, the spike's size becomes a force level, and a recorded sample at that level plays in under a millisecond. A brushed key sounds soft; a slammed one sounds like it.
FAQ
Knock and Haptyk, common questions
Is Haptyk a Knock alternative?
Only in the sense that both are built on the accelerometer inside Apple Silicon MacBooks. Knock turns taps into shortcuts and actions; Haptyk turns keystrokes into mechanical keyboard sounds that follow how hard you type. If you want tap-to-run-a-shortcut, Knock is the one to get. If you want your keyboard to sound like a mechanical board, that is Haptyk.
Can I run Knock and Haptyk at the same time?
We have not tested them side by side, and both read the same sensor through undocumented interfaces. Haptyk's 3-day trial is the way to find out on your own machine, and we would like to hear the result at oli@haptyk.com.
Which MacBooks have the sensor?
Haptyk runs on the MacBook Pro 14″ and 16″ (M1 Pro, M1 Max and later), the MacBook Air M2 and later, and the 13″ MacBook Pro M2. Knock lists the MacBook Air M2, M3 and M4 and the MacBook Pro M2, M3, M4 and M5. The M1 MacBook Air, the 13″ M1 MacBook Pro, Intel Macs and desktop Macs do not have it. Haptyk detects this at launch, before any email or payment; Knock ships a Test for the same reason.
How much does Knock cost?
Knock has a free tier with single knock, starter actions, Trackpad Tap Mode and iPhone input. Knock Pro, a one-time purchase, was listed from $8.99 in October 2026 and unlocks double and triple knock, the full action library, Shortcuts, app launching and the visual reactions. Check tryknock.app for the current price.
How much does Haptyk cost?
$8 one time after a 3-day trial with all 16 sound packs unlocked and no credit card. There is no subscription and updates are included. 14-day refund if it does not work on your Mac.
Does Haptyk record what I type?
No. It needs the key-down and key-up events to time the sound, plus the sensor reading for the force. It never records which keys you press and never sends keystrokes anywhere.
Your MacBook already feels every keystroke. Hear it.
Three days, all 16 packs, no card. If it clicks, Pro is $8 one time.
Start your 3-day trialApple Silicon MacBook required · 14-day refund
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