CAPS Wizard Version 7.0 Runs on macOS 10.12.2+, Supported on macOS 15+

CAPS Wizard is designed for people who press Caps Lock by mistake, or for those who use type using Sticky Keys. It can SHOW you visually or otherwise WARN you under specified conditions.

SHOW A small arrow (similar to the CAPS Wizard icon) that turns red when CAPS Lock and/or Shift are pressed. It can also indicate when other modifiers are pressed.  The arrow can be displayed in the Menu Bar and/or the Dock. A square block that can display all modifiers. It can be displayed to the left of the Apple in the menu bar or in the Dock. A LARGE almost transparent image in the center of your screen when CAPS Lock is pressed.

WARN when you have turned ON or OFF the Caps Lock. when you have typed a specified number of keys with the Shift key (or Sticky Keys Shift) or Caps Lock and/or turned on Caps Lock. CAPS Wizard warns you regardless of what application you are typing into. The warning can be visual, by flashing the screen or using macOS notifications, or audible with the sound and volume of your choice. Audible warnings can be continuous while Caps Lock is on.

CAPS Wizard runs by default as a regular application, but must be hidden to be able SHOW or WARN. It hides itself unless you bring it forward by click on its Dock icon or choosing "Open Preferences" under the arrow in the menu bar (if you choose to display the arrow in the menu bar).

When it is brought forward, under the CAPS Wizard menu you can choose to:

• Show the Preferences to configure it,
• Register your purchase,
• Email the author,
  
• Check for Updates,
• Show Help, or
• Quit CAPS Wizard.
  

You can choose to hide the Dock icon (which means you cannot display any indicators in the Dock), in which case the small arrow will always appear in the menu bar, and must be used to perform any of the above functions.

When you choose to view your Preferences to configure CAPS Wizard, this window appears:

If you show the icon in the menu bar, selecting the icon displays a menu that allows you to open the preference pane.

This window allows you to configure the SHOW preferences.  Note that you can have the fn, ctrl, opt, and ⌘ modifiers display in the small arrow as colored dots above the arrow itself.  All of the colors used to indicate various modifiers--both in the Modifiers Block and the Small Arrow--can be changed.  If you click the Change Colors button, this dialog appears:

This allows full customization of coloring, and includes buttons for popular options such as black and white or black and clear.

If you choose the WARN tab, you get this window:

At the left you can request to be warned when multiple caps are typed. At the right you can request to be warned whenever Caps Lock is turned ON, OFF or both, or continuously when it is ON. You can also request to be warned:

• with a specified sound to a specified sound output device
  
• by flashing the screen
• with notifications

If you choose the system alert sound you cannot be continuously notified.

For CAPS Wizard to be able to warn you about multiple shifted key presses, you must allow it to "control your computer".  Prior to macOS 13 (Ventura), this is done in the Security & Privacy System Preference, Privacy tab, Accessibility section. CAPS Wizard never actually controls anything on your computer, but this permission is required for it to be able to monitor, and hence count, your keystrokes. The System Preference would look like this:

macOS 13 (Ventura), changed System Preferences to System Settings.  There you would authorize in Privacy & Security->Accessibility, as shown below.

If you need to allow this access for you settings to work, you will be prompted to allow access.

On either tab you can specify that you want CAPS Wizard to start when you login, and/or to automatically check for upgrades.

Once you close the Preferences window, CAPS Wizard hides itself and starts working.

Version History

1.0 - Initial Release.

1.1 - Bug fix.

1.2 - Updated registration system.

1.3 - Corrected the version number in the Preferences and Help. No functional changes.

1.4 - The helper application that launches upon login no longer appears in the Dock.

2.0 - Functionality improvements:

• Added the ability to hide the Dock icon.
• If you are running Mac OS 10.14+, you will be warned to re-authorize Accessibility for CAPS Wizard after updating if needed.
  
• Improved registration feedback.

2.1 - Various improvements:

• CAPS Wizard must now be run from the Applications folder, to assure full functionality for current and future OS releases.
• Prevents multiple instances of CAPS Wizard from running.
• Fixed a typo in the Preferences screen.
  

2.2 - Updated for Dark Mode on 10.14+

3.0 - Various improvements:

• Improved support for Dark Mode.
• Added support for touch bar on MacBooks so-equipped.
  
• Added ability to produce debugging information if you do not use a mail application.

3.1 - Fixed rare bug causing registration to be forgotten.

3.2 - Various improvements:

• Improved compatibility across various Mac OS versions.
• Fixed glitch in Preferences display.
• Improved authorization instructions.

4.0 - Various improvements:

• Updated Preferences display.
• Now a Universal application, running natively on Apple Silicon.
• Updated for Ventura (Mac OS 13).

4.1 - Various improvements:

• Added the ability to warn when Caps Lock is turned OFF.
• Fixed bugs in warning with sound.
• Compatibility improvements.
• Fixed errors in Help.

5.0 - Major re-write to add user-requested features:

• Added the ability to display other (fn, ctrl, opt, ⌘) modifiers in the small arrow that can go in the menu bar or dock.
• Added the ability to change all modifier colors.
• Updated Icon.
• Improved "Start At Login" compatibility with Ventura.
• Fixed Bugs.

5.2 - Clarified Preferences and Bug Fix:

• Clarified in Preferences appearance of menu bar icon.
• Fixed bug causing menu bar icon to not appear in some cases.

5.3 - Improved detection of rapid modifier changes.

5.4 - Various improvements:

• The indicator to the left of the Apple in the menu bar is now adjusted for the height of the menu bar, which is higher for Apple Silicon machines.
• Removed a spurious ? button in the Preferences.

5.5 - Fixed bug with indicator to the left of the Apple in the menu bar on Apple Silicon machines.

6.0 - Various improvements:

• Added the ability to make sound warnings to a specified audio device instead of the system default sound output device.
• Improved compatibility with macOS 26 Tahoe.
• Improved the Preferences GUI.

7.0 - Updated for macOS 27.

CAPS Wizard is shareware. You can try it out for 30 days, but if you still use it thereafter, you must register it. The price is very reasonable--$6. After 30 days, CAPS Wizard will not work unless you have registered it.

To purchase CAPS Wizard, click here. Once you have paid, you will receive a registration code via email. You can enter this code by choosing Registration... in the menu bar menu.

If you do not get your registration code via email in a timely manner it may be that it was eaten by an overly aggressive spam filter. In that case, click on the Retrieve Purchased Code button in the Registration... dialog or click here and enter your PayPal purchase information to retrieve the code.

CAPS Wizard Copyright 2019-2026 John Woodward. All rights reserved.

You may distribute CAPS Wizard unmodified via any media, as long as you keep it together with its Read Me file.