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28. Mac OS - Transferring the keyboard focus on the DAW

In the April 2025 update, v1.7-f4941c72--H2025-04-22--B2025-04-22, we have introduced an automated way to pass the keyboard focus to the DAW.

More specifically, on the Mac the keyboard focus is passed to the DAW when a key is pressed is transferred to the small window of the MP Host which means all the keys will be passed to the DAW.


The information below applies to older versions of the MP Host.

If you want to pass the keyboard focus back to the DAW (press space to start and stop the playback in the DAW) you can switch easy to the DAW main window using UPDD  or a Mac automation tool like Keyboard Maestro or Better Touch Tool.

For Logic Pro X use the Better Touch Tool (see below).

Using UPDD

In UPDD Commander enable this setting: "Reset keyboard focus after a gesture action ends"

Note that "Reset mouse cursor after a gesture action ends" will take the mouse cursor back to it's previous position before the gesture was made.


Using Better Touch Tool (BTT)

We have created a preset for Logic Pro and you can download it from here

Depending on your DAW, you may need to choose to create this workflow as a global option. To set this workflow as a global option, follow this article.

Choose Import Preset from the top bar menu


Here is how to create the same workflow in BTT:

Run Logic Pro

Choose "Select app from running apps" and then choose Logic Pro.

Then choose Keyboard Shortcuts and record the key "Space"

In the Trigger Conditions on the right pane choose "Prevent recursive triggers" 


Then in Actions create the following actions:

    1. Activate Specific Window and set the App Name to: Logic Pro

    2. Set the action to "Send Keyboard Shortcut" and record the key "Space".


Using Keyboard Maestro

Keyboard Maestro is a great app used by many music professionals on the Mac to automate tasks.

Here is an example of how to do this in Keyboard Maestro:

Open your DAW

Open the Keyboard Maestro app.

Create a new Macro in Keyboard Maestro.

Chose the trigger key. In our example below we have chosen 

Then in Actions choose from the list of actions "Bring a Window to the Front"


Choose the DAW from the list "in"

Choose "Windows with title containing"

Type in the title of your main DAW Window. Here we use logicx which is a text that always appears on Logic's main window.

Your Macro should look like this:

You can also download this example Macro from here


Try it by pressing the Run button on top or by trying the key combination assigned.

The Macro will bring the DAW to the front if you are in MP Host or any other app on the Mac.

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