Workaround hiding HUD (Big Sur)

[DanielVolz]

This is not a real issue but just a workaround for "hiding" the macOS default HUD for changing brightness and volume since I'm not brave enough for the method mentioned here #22 (comment).

This method actually doesn't hide the HUD but uses other tools and keys to trigger volume/brightness changes.

The cons of this method:

• You have to use the f-keys as standard input and not the "picture-keys"
• You have to install two small programs
• I don't know how this behaves with external monitors
• Pressing and holding a f-key to change brightness/volume will mess up stuff. Single taps are the way!

The pros:

• You don't see the ugly big HUD but the cool SlimHUD 😜😎

Prerequisite:

• You only need this if you are on Big Sur obviously
• Homebrew
• xcode command-line tools

How to:

1. Compile the brightness command line tool (https://github.com/nriley/brightness).
   It is important to compile the programm from the github source and not use homebrew. The homebrew source is old and not maintained.

2. Install skhd following it's Github readme (https://github.com/koekeishiya/skhd).

3. Add these lines to the default skhd configurations file:
   (If you don't have ggrep install it with: brew install grep)

# brightness down by 0.05
f1 : VAR1=$(brightness -lv | ggrep -oP '(?<=brightness ).*'); VAR2=$(echo  "$VAR1 - 0.05" | bc); brightness -m $VAR2
# brightness up by 0.05
f2 : VAR1=$(brightness -lv | ggrep -oP '(?<=brightness ).*'); VAR2=$(echo  "$VAR1 + 0.05" | bc); brightness -m $VAR2

# volume down by 7%
f11 : osascript -e "set volume output volume (output volume of (get volume settings) - 7) --100%"
# volume up by 7%
f12 : osascript -e "set volume output volume (output volume of (get volume settings) + 7) --100%"

4. "brew services restart skhd" to apply the changes in the skhd config.

How it works
The brightness program is used to read and change the current brightness levels via shell. Apples osascript is used to modify the volume levels. Skhd is a powerful hot key daemon which executes the above shell commands to change the volume/brightness levels on key press.

Update

You can mute/unmute with this addition to the skhd config:

f10 : flag=$(osascript -e 'output muted of (get volume settings)'); if [ "$flag" = true ]; then osascript -e 'set volume output muted false'; echo "laut"; else osascript -e 'set volume output muted true'; echo "stumm";fi

[pieters2]

For hiding the hud in Big Sur I used this:
https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/16849/how-do-i-disable-the-volume-control-overlay
I used the lines for Sierra, it worked really well!

To turn off bezels for this user until next login:
launchctl unload -F /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.BezelUI.plist
To undo, change unload to load, or just log out and back in.

For macOS 10.12 Sierra: Disable System Integrity protection, then:
launchctl unload -F /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.OSDUIHelper.plist
Don't forget to enable System Integrity protection when you're done.

To turn off bezels indefinitely for this user:
launchctl unload -wF /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.BezelUI.plist

For macOS 10.12 Sierra: Disable System Integrity protection, then:
launchctl unload -wF /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.OSDUIHelper.plist
You can now enable System Integrity protection again -- your settings will persist.

To undo, change unload to load.

To turn off bezels indefinitely for all users:
sudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.BezelUI Disabled -bool YES

For macOS 10.11 Sierra: Disable System Integrity protection before doing the above.

To undo, change YES to NO, or:
sudo defaults delete /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.BezelUI Disabled

For macOS 10.12 Sierra: Disable System Integrity protection, then:
sudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.OSDUIHelper Disabled -bool YES
You can now enable System Integrity protection again -- your settings will persist.

To undo, change YES to NO, or:
sudo defaults delete /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.OSDUIHelper Disabled

Users can override this global setting using the two methods above.

[AlexPerathoner]

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be working for me... changes take effect but are gone, as soon as I enable SIP and reboot the Mac.

[gaetgu]

This works great for me on Ventura keeping SIP disabled.

[AlexPerathoner]

Small update:
I just released v1.4.0, which correctly implements this method. You can now use SlimHUD as soon as you launch it, without changing anything in the system :)

Note: due to changes in my signing certificates, this update can't be installed automatically so you'll have to download it manually