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KCleaner app iconEngagetal Apps · macOS

Clean your keyboard, without typing a thing.

KCleaner pauses your Mac's keyboard (and trackpad, if you like) so you can wipe it down without opening apps, sending stray messages or deleting files. Every key turns green as you touch it, so you can see what you have missed.

Download for Mac How to install

Free · Version 1.0 · macOS 13 or later · Apple Silicon · 1.4 MB

Interactive demoKeyboard locked
Move your cursor over the keys: 0 touched
01

Pause, wipe, resume

One click and nothing you press will type, click or open anything. Optionally lock the trackpad too, to wipe it as well.

02

See what you have missed

A key map on screen lights up each key you touch. When the whole board is green, you are done.

03

Always lets go

Hold the round button for a second to finish, or pick a timer. Hold esc and delete for 3 seconds to exit at any moment.

Safety and privacy

Built to be boring, on purpose.

A keyboard locker has to ask for sensitive permissions, so it should earn them. Here is what KCleaner promises.

It does not record what you typeIt only notices which key positions you touch, to light up the map, and forgets them when clean mode ends.
Nothing leaves your MacNo networking code, analytics, telemetry, crash reporting, ads, accounts or update checks. It never contacts a server, not even ours.
Nothing is saved or installedNo files, logs or settings written to disk. No drivers, system extensions, background helpers or login items.
The lock only exists while it runsIf KCleaner quits, crashes or stops responding, macOS removes the lock at once. It never opens on its own, so a restart always clears it.
A timer you cannot forgetClean mode ends by itself within 10 minutes. It also ends if your Mac sleeps, locks or switches user.
Easy to remove completelyIts Uninstall menu removes the app, anything macOS made for it, and its privacy permissions.

Check it yourself: open Activity Monitor, choose the Network tab and look for KCleaner.

Install

Ready in a few minutes.

KCleaner is not yet notarized by Apple, so your Mac will ask you to confirm it once. This is normal for independent apps, and it takes about a minute. Follow these steps in order.

  1. Download KCleanerClick Download for Mac above. The file KCleaner-1.0.dmg lands in your Downloads folder.
  2. Open it and drag KCleaner into ApplicationsDouble-click the .dmg file. In the window that opens, drag the KCleaner icon onto the Applications folder. When it has copied, eject the disk image (right-click it in Finder's sidebar, then Eject).
  3. Try to open KCleanerOpen your Applications folder and double-click KCleaner. macOS will say it could not verify the app. Click Done. Do not click Move to Trash. This step is needed: it is what makes the next button appear.
  4. Allow it in Privacy & SecurityOpen the Apple menu, then System Settings, then Privacy & Security. Scroll down to the Security section. You will see “KCleaner was blocked to protect your Mac”. Click Open Anyway, then enter your Mac password or use Touch ID.
  5. ConfirmOne last box appears. Click Open Anyway (or Open) again. KCleaner starts, and your Mac will not ask again.
  6. Allow the keyboard pauseWhen prompted, switch KCleaner on under Privacy & Security, then Accessibility (and Input Monitoring if macOS asks). You only do this once.
  7. Press StartWipe your keyboard, then hold the round button for a second to finish.
I cannot see the Open Anyway button
The button only appears after you have tried to open KCleaner (step 3), and it stays for about an hour. Double-click KCleaner in Applications again, click Done, then return to Privacy & Security. Make sure you opened KCleaner from the Applications folder, not from inside the disk image.
It says KCleaner is damaged, or nothing happens
First check your download with the checksum on this page. If it matches, open Terminal (Spotlight, then type Terminal) and run the line below, then open KCleaner again. It only clears the “downloaded from the internet” flag on this one app.
xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/KCleaner.app
I use macOS 13 Ventura or 14 Sonoma
The steps above work on your version too. As a shortcut, you can instead hold Control, click KCleaner in Applications, choose Open, then click Open in the box that appears. On macOS 15 Sequoia and later, use Privacy & Security as described above.

Requirements

macOS 13 Ventura or later on a Mac with Apple Silicon (M1 or newer). Intel Macs are not supported in version 1.0.

Verify your download

Compare this SHA-256 checksum with your file. Open Terminal and run:

shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/KCleaner-1.0.dmg
6016731201b5ec0203654a1666276512d67bc723462f01f10bc046edb29e85e6
Cleaning tips

Do it safely

Use a soft, lint-free cloth lightly dampened with water, and never spray anything directly onto the keyboard. 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes are fine for the keys and palm rest. Skip bleach, aerosol sprays and abrasives. For crumbs between keys, use a soft brush, or compressed air held upright in short bursts.

Good to know. The Touch ID button cannot be paused, and pressing it ends clean mode. If another app has Secure Keyboard Entry on, a few shortcuts may still get through.
Frequently asked

Questions about KCleaner.

Why does it need Accessibility permission?
That permission is what lets macOS hand KCleaner the ability to pause the keyboard. KCleaner does not use it to read or record anything you type.
Why does macOS warn me when I open it?
Version 1.0 is not yet notarized by Apple, so Gatekeeper asks you to confirm the first launch. Follow the install steps above, and use the checksum to confirm your download is intact.
What if I get stuck with the keyboard locked?
Hold esc and delete together for 3 seconds. You can also press the Touch ID button once, or hold it until the screen goes dark and turn your Mac back on. KCleaner never opens by itself, so your keyboard works right away. Unsaved work in other apps may be lost if you force a restart.
Does it work on Intel Macs?
Not in version 1.0. It needs an Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or newer) running macOS 13 or later.
How do I uninstall it?
Use the Uninstall option in the KCleaner menu. It moves the app and anything macOS created for it to the Trash and clears its privacy permissions. You can also remove it by dragging it to the Trash.
Is KCleaner free?
Yes. There are no accounts, subscriptions or ads. Questions or feedback: hello@engagetal.com.
From Engagetal

A cleaner keyboard in sixty seconds.

Free for Mac. Private by design. No setup, nothing to learn.

Download KCleaner 1.0
0
Bytes sent anywhere. KCleaner never connects to the internet.
1.4 MB
The whole download.