The MacBook Touch Bar is tiny, shiny, and a little weird. Some people love it. Some people forget it exists. MTMR helps turn that thin glass strip into something useful, personal, and maybe even fun.
TLDR: MTMR means My TouchBar My Rules. It is a free tool that lets you add custom buttons, sliders, widgets, and shortcuts to the macOS Touch Bar. For example, a writer could add buttons for copy, paste, emoji, volume, and a pomodoro timer, saving 20 to 30 clicks per day. If you still use a MacBook with a Touch Bar, MTMR can make it feel less like a gimmick and more like a mini control desk.
What Is MTMR?
MTMR is an open source macOS app for customizing the Touch Bar. Its full name is My TouchBar My Rules. That name says it all. Apple gave you the Touch Bar. MTMR lets you boss it around.
Instead of staring at the default buttons, you can build your own layout. You can add app shortcuts. You can add system controls. You can add funny buttons too. Yes, you can put a button that opens cat videos. Your Mac will not judge you.
MTMR is especially useful on MacBook Pro models released between 2016 and 2020. These are the machines that came with the Touch Bar. Newer MacBooks mostly dropped it, so MTMR is best for people using older Touch Bar Macs.
Why People Use MTMR
The default Touch Bar can feel random. In one app, it shows formatting buttons. In another, it shows tabs. Sometimes it shows controls you never touch. MTMR fixes that by giving you a stable setup.
With MTMR, you can create a Touch Bar that matches your daily work. If you edit photos, add brightness tools and app shortcuts. If you code, add terminal commands and Git buttons. If you write, add copy, paste, dictation, and emoji.
It is like turning the Touch Bar into a tiny keyboard sidekick. Small? Yes. Powerful? Also yes.
Main MTMR Features
MTMR has a lot of neat tricks. The best part is that you do not need to be a developer to understand the idea. You only need to edit a simple configuration file.
- Static buttons: Add buttons that launch apps, open websites, or run commands.
- System controls: Add volume, brightness, mute, sleep, and lock buttons.
- Sliders: Control sound or screen brightness with smooth sliders.
- AppleScript support: Run small macOS scripts from the Touch Bar.
- Shell commands: Trigger terminal commands with one tap.
- Weather widgets: Show simple weather info on the bar.
- Time and date: Add a mini clock or calendar display.
- App launchers: Open Safari, Finder, Slack, Spotify, or any app you like.
- Custom icons: Use symbols and images to make buttons easy to spot.
That sounds serious. But it can also be playful. You can make a button for “Focus Mode.” You can make another button that opens your favorite playlist. You can even create a big red “panic” button that hides distractions. Very dramatic. Very useful.
What MTMR Looks Like
A good MTMR setup is clean. Do not cram twenty buttons onto the Touch Bar. That turns it into a digital junk drawer. Keep the buttons you use every day.
A simple layout might include:
- Left side: Escape, lock screen, and screenshot.
- Middle: app shortcuts like Notes, Safari, and Calendar.
- Right side: volume, brightness, battery, and time.
This makes the Touch Bar feel less chaotic. It becomes a control strip. Like a cockpit, but for email and coffee-fueled productivity.
How to Set Up MTMR on macOS
Setting up MTMR takes a few steps. It is not as polished as downloading a normal App Store app. But it is not scary either.
- Download MTMR: Find the MTMR project on GitHub. Download the latest release file.
- Open the app: macOS may warn you because the app is from the internet. Go to System Settings, then allow it under security settings if needed.
- Give permissions: MTMR may need accessibility permissions. Go to Privacy & Security, then Accessibility, and allow it.
- Find the config file: MTMR uses a file called items.json. This file controls your Touch Bar layout.
- Edit the config: Open the file in a text editor. Add, remove, or change buttons.
- Restart MTMR: Save the file and restart the app. Your new Touch Bar should appear.
The config file uses JSON. That sounds nerdy, but it is just structured text. Each button has a type, title, icon, and action. If you miss a comma, things may break. So copy examples carefully.
Here is the feeling of it, in simple terms: “Make a button. Give it a label. Tell it what to do.” That is MTMR in a nutshell.
A Simple MTMR Setup Idea
Let’s imagine Mia, a freelance designer. She uses a 2019 MacBook Pro. She jumps between Figma, Safari, Mail, and Spotify all day. Before MTMR, she used keyboard shortcuts for everything. After MTMR, she built a simple bar.
- A Figma button.
- A Safari button.
- A Mail button.
- A play pause music button.
- A timer for 25 minute work sprints.
After one week, she noticed fewer context switches. Not magic. Just less hunting. If she saves five seconds per action and taps those buttons 60 times a day, that is about five minutes saved daily. Not bad for a tiny strip of glass.
Tips for a Better MTMR Layout
MTMR is flexible. That is great. It also means you can overdo it fast. Use restraint. Your Touch Bar is small. Treat it like prime real estate.
- Use short labels. “Mail” is better than “Open my email app.”
- Group similar actions. Keep media controls together.
- Use icons when possible. They are easier to scan.
- Remove buttons you ignore. If you do not tap it, delete it.
- Back up your config. Save a copy of your working setup.
- Start small. Add five buttons first. Then improve later.
Think of MTMR like decorating a desk. A lamp is useful. A notebook is useful. Twelve rubber ducks may be a lifestyle choice, not a productivity system.
MTMR Downsides
MTMR is cool, but it is not perfect. It is open source. That means it may not feel as smooth as a paid app. Updates may be slower. Some features may need tinkering.
Also, Apple no longer focuses on the Touch Bar. That matters. Future macOS versions can change how things work. If you depend on MTMR every day, keep backups and expect the occasional fix-it session.
Another downside is editing JSON. Some users enjoy that. Others would rather fold laundry. If you want a visual drag and drop editor, MTMR may feel a bit rough.
Best MTMR Alternatives
If MTMR is not your style, you still have options. Some are easier. Some are more powerful. Some do much more than Touch Bar customization.
- BetterTouchTool: This is the big one. It lets you customize the Touch Bar, trackpad, mouse, keyboard, and window snapping. It is paid, but very powerful. It also has a friendlier interface than MTMR.
- Pock: Pock puts the macOS Dock into the Touch Bar. It can also show widgets. It is simple and visual. It is a good choice if you want app launching more than deep automation.
- Keyboard Maestro: This is not only for the Touch Bar. It is a full automation tool for macOS. You can create macros and trigger them in many ways. It is best for power users.
- Apple Shortcuts: Shortcuts is built into macOS. It does not replace MTMR directly, but it can automate tasks. Pair it with other tools for a strong workflow.
- Do nothing: Yes, this is valid. If you barely use the Touch Bar, you may not need a customization app at all.
MTMR vs BetterTouchTool
Many people compare MTMR with BetterTouchTool. The difference is simple. MTMR is free and focused. BetterTouchTool is paid and massive.
Choose MTMR if you like open source tools. Choose it if you are comfortable editing a config file. Choose it if you want a lightweight Touch Bar setup.
Choose BetterTouchTool if you want a polished interface. Choose it if you also want trackpad gestures, keyboard shortcuts, window tools, and automation. It is more like a full control center.
Who Should Use MTMR?
MTMR is best for curious Mac users. It is great for people who enjoy tweaking things. It is also useful for workers who repeat the same actions every day.
You may love MTMR if you are a writer, designer, developer, student, streamer, or productivity nerd. You may hate it if you want everything to work with zero setup. Both reactions are fair.
Final Thoughts
MTMR gives the Touch Bar a second life. It turns a forgotten strip into a handy command center. It can launch apps, run scripts, show widgets, and save small bits of time all day.
It is not perfect. Setup takes patience. The JSON file can be picky. But once it works, it feels great. Your MacBook suddenly has a tiny dashboard made just for you.
My TouchBar My Rules is the perfect name. Because with MTMR, the Touch Bar stops acting like Apple’s idea. It starts acting like yours.