Guide · macOS
How to repeat keystrokes on a Mac
macOS has no built-in way to repeat a key or a line of text on a loop. Macro X records the keys once and plays them back as many times as you like, at the speed you choose.
Steps
- Open the Macro X recorder. Choose Record and press the keys you want repeated, in the order you want them.
- Stop and review. Stop recording. Each key press appears as a step, and runs of letters are merged into one Type step you can edit.
- Set how often it repeats. Pick a loop count, a time limit, or keep repeating until you press the stop hotkey.
- Start it with a hotkey. Give the macro its own hotkey so you can start and stop it from any app.
Tips for reliable key macros
- Click into the right field first. Keys go to whichever window is in front, so add a click step at the start if the focus might move.
- Add small waits. Apps that autocomplete or open menus need a moment between keys. A 50–100 ms wait usually fixes skipped keys.
- Use humanised timing if exact repeats look robotic. Macro X can vary each delay a little.
- Allow Input Monitoring and Accessibility in System Settings, or macOS will block the key presses. See the permissions guide.
Questions
Can Macro X hold a key down?
Yes. Recorded key presses keep their real down and up timing, so held keys replay as held keys.
Will it type into games?
Most games read keys from macOS like any other app. Check the game’s rules first: some don’t allow macros.
Does it work with modifier keys like Command and Shift?
Yes. Shortcuts such as Command+C are recorded and replayed as shortcuts.