Usage Guide

This section explains everything a user needs to install, configure, operate, and remove the app.

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1. Configuration (.env file)

Location

Create the file here: ~/.macmic.env

Contents

Example:

MQTT_HOST=192.168.1.6
MQTT_PORT=1883
MQTT_TOPIC=home/macbook/mic
MQTT_USERNAME=your_mqtt_username
MQTT_PASSWORD=your_mqtt_password

Notes:

• The file must be named .macmic.env

• It must live in your home directory

• Credentials are read at startup

Recommended permissions:

chmod 600 ~/.macmic.env

2. Install the app

Ideally before this step, you will already have your env file created.

Run the installer script:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rammodhvadia/macMicMonitor/main/install.sh | bash

What this does:

• Downloads the latest release binary from GitHub

• Installs it to ~/.local/bin/macmicSwift

• Installs a LaunchAgent

• Starts the service immediately

• Configures it to start automatically at login

• If ~/.macmic.env does not exist, a template file will be created and you will be prompted to edit it.

3. Start / Stop / Restart (manual control)

Stop the app

launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ram.macmicSwift.plist

Start the app

launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ram.macmicSwift.plist

Restart the app

launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ram.macmicSwift.plist
launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ram.macmicSwift.plist

4. Uninstall completely

# Stop and remove LaunchAgent
launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ram.macmicSwift.plist
rm ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.ram.macmicSwift.plist

# Remove binary
rm ~/.local/bin/macmicSwift

# Remove config (optional)
rm ~/.macmic.env
rm ~/.macmic.env.example

5. Important notes

• macOS may prompt for microphone access on first run — this must be allowed

• The app runs silently in the background (no UI)

• Only Apple Silicon Macs are supported

• Restart the app after changing .macmic.env

• Home Assistant will not create duplicate devices on restarts (stable MQTT discovery IDs)