https://github.com/oomol-lab/LockIME
A native macOS menu-bar app that keeps your keyboard input source locked — global, per-app, and per-URL.
https://github.com/oomol-lab/LockIME
apple-silicon input-method input-source keyboard liquid-glass macos macos-app menu-bar producitivity sparkle swift swiftui tahoe
Last synced: about 3 hours ago
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A native macOS menu-bar app that keeps your keyboard input source locked — global, per-app, and per-URL.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/oomol-lab/LockIME
- Owner: oomol-lab
- License: gpl-3.0
- Created: 2026-06-10T08:59:10.000Z (28 days ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-07-06T03:00:12.000Z (2 days ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-07-07T03:24:26.830Z (about 22 hours ago)
- Topics: apple-silicon, input-method, input-source, keyboard, liquid-glass, macos, macos-app, menu-bar, producitivity, sparkle, swift, swiftui, tahoe
- Language: Swift
- Homepage:
- Size: 26.5 MB
- Stars: 427
- Watchers: 3
- Forks: 16
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
- Security: SECURITY.md
- Agents: AGENTS.md
Awesome Lists containing this project
- awesome-swift-macos-apps - LockIME - lab/LockIME?style=flat&label=" /> <img align="bottom" height="13" src="https://img.shields.io/github/last-commit/oomol-lab/LockIME?style=flat&label=" /> - Input source locker that keeps the active input method fixed globally, per app, or per browser URL. (Keyboard / Text)
README
# LockIME
**English** · [简体中文](docs/README/README.zh-CN.md) · [繁體中文](docs/README/README.zh-TW.md) · [日本語](docs/README/README.ja.md) · [Français](docs/README/README.fr.md) · [Deutsch](docs/README/README.de.md) · [Español](docs/README/README.es.md) · [Português](docs/README/README.pt.md) · [Русский](docs/README/README.ru.md)
[](https://github.com/oomol-lab/LockIME/releases/latest)
[](https://github.com/oomol-lab/LockIME/actions/workflows/ci.yml)
[](LICENSE)
[](https://www.apple.com/macos/)
[](https://swift.org)
A macOS menu-bar app that **locks your keyboard input source**. Whenever you (or
another app) switch input methods, LockIME immediately switches back to the locked
one — globally, or per-frontmost-app, or (with the optional enhanced mode) per
browser URL.
> macOS 14+ · Apple silicon & Intel — separate apps, download the `-arm64` or
> `-x86_64` file matching your Mac · built with SwiftUI, Liquid Glass on
> macOS 26 (Tahoe).
## Screenshots
## Install
Install with [Homebrew](https://brew.sh) (the cask picks the build matching
your Mac's architecture):
```sh
brew install --cask oomol-lab/tap/lockime
```
Or download the `.dmg` matching your Mac (`-arm64` for Apple silicon,
`-x86_64` for Intel) from the
[latest release](https://github.com/oomol-lab/LockIME/releases/latest).
Either way, the app keeps itself up to date via Sparkle.
## Features
- **Instant re-lock** — switches the active input source back the moment you (or
another app) change it, globally or per-app.
- **Lock or switch** — per-app and per-URL rules can *lock* an input source
(re-applied whenever it drifts) or just *switch* to it once when you focus the
app or page, then step out of the way and let you change it freely.
- **Lock globally, or just switch** — set the global default to one input
source to pin it everywhere, or set it to **None** to use LockIME as a pure
per-app/per-site switcher — it switches you in, then leaves you free, pinning
nothing.
- **Flexible URL matching** — per-URL rules (enhanced mode) match by a domain and
its subdomains, an exact domain, a domain keyword, or a regular expression over
the full URL, and apply in a priority order you drag to arrange — first match
wins.
- **Menu-bar control** — activate/deactivate, switch the locked input source,
view the current source, and track the activation count from the menu bar.
- **Keyboard shortcuts** — configurable global shortcuts to toggle LockIME on or
off and cycle the locked input source, plus per-app shortcuts to cycle or
unbind the rule for whichever app is frontmost.
- **Launch at login** — starts automatically when you log in (off by default).
- **Light & dark mode** — a unified, system-native design language that adapts to
light and dark appearance, plus a bespoke app icon. See
[docs/DESIGN.md](docs/DESIGN.md).
- **Live language switching** — switch between 9 languages instantly, no
restart: English, 简体中文, 繁體中文, 日本語, Français, Deutsch, Español,
Português, Русский.
- **24-hour activation log** — review what was switched, why, and for how long.
- **Config backup** — export your per-app and per-URL rules to a `.lockime`
file and import them back, with a review step that previews additions,
conflicts, and removals before anything is applied.
- **Auto-update** — stable and beta channels via Sparkle, with a custom update
window.
- **Tiny download** — the whole app ships in a `.dmg` under 3 MB.
- **No system permissions for core locking** — an optional Accessibility-gated
enhanced mode unlocks finer-grained per-URL and focused-field rules.
- **Automation** — a `lockime://` URL scheme lets other apps, scripts, and
Shortcuts drive LockIME (see below).
## Comparison
The two most widely-used alternatives to LockIME are
**[Input Source Pro](https://github.com/runjuu/InputSourcePro)** and
**[KeyboardHolder](https://github.com/leaves615/KeyboardHolder)**, alongside a
long tail of smaller open-source and CLI tools. They all *switch* the input
source as you move between apps or sites; LockIME is built around a continuous
**lock** that re-applies it the moment it drifts — while any rule can still fall
back to a one-time *switch*.
| | LockIME | Input Source Pro | KeyboardHolder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free | Free (donation) |
| Open source | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 | ✗ (closed) |
| Minimum macOS | 14 | 11 | 10.15 |
| Download size | < 3 MB | ≈ 7.6 MB | ≈ 4.5 MB |
| Per-app rules | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Per-website / URL rules | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| URL match types | subdomain · exact · keyword · regex | subdomain · exact · regex | domain (wildcard) |
| Address-bar (URL field) rule | ✓ (lock/switch/priority) | ✓ (default source) | — |
| Continuous re-lock | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Lock *or* one-time switch, per rule | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Global keyboard shortcuts | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Menu-bar control | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| On-screen input hints | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ (optional) |
| 24-hour activation log | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Config backup / import | ✓ (`.lockime`, with review) | ✓ (export/import + CLI) | — |
| URL-scheme automation | ✓ (`lockime://`, x-callback-url) | partial (`inputsourcepro://` import) | ✗ |
| UI languages | 9 (live switch) | 6 | zh · en · ja |
| System permissions | none for core · Accessibility for per-URL | none for core · Accessibility for per-URL | Accessibility¹ |
| Auto-update | Sparkle (stable + beta) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Actively maintained (2026) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
¹ KeyboardHolder does not document its permission requirements; reading the
browser address bar for its per-website rules requires Accessibility access in
practice. A "—" marks an undocumented capability, not a confirmed absence.
**Choosing between them:** Input Source Pro has the largest community and the
richest on-screen input hints; KeyboardHolder is a polished, zero-config per-app
memory. Reach for LockIME when you want an input source *pinned* — per app, per
URL, or in the address bar, re-applied the instant anything changes it — rather
than only switched when you arrive.
**Other tools:** [SwitchKey](https://github.com/itsuhane/SwitchKey) (per-app
only, no longer maintained), [Kawa](https://github.com/hatashiro/kawa) (manual,
shortcut-driven), InputSwitcher (freemium, per-app only), and
[macism](https://github.com/laishulu/macism) (a command-line building block, not
a GUI switcher).
> Compared against Input Source Pro 2.11.0 and KeyboardHolder 1.14.10, mid-2026 — details drift; corrections welcome.
## Automation
LockIME exposes a `lockime://` URL scheme so other apps, scripts, Shortcuts, and
launchers can drive it — turn it on or off, retarget the input source, manage
rules, and read state back with [x-callback-url](https://x-callback-url.com)
callbacks. It is off by default — turn it on in **Settings ▸ General ▸
Automation**.
```sh
open "lockime://lock"
open "lockime://lock-to-source?id=com.apple.keylayout.ABC"
open "lockime://set-app-rule?bundle=com.apple.Terminal&mode=lock&source=com.apple.keylayout.ABC"
```
Full reference: **[URL Scheme API](docs/URL-Scheme-API/README.md)**.
## Design
LockIME follows a single design system (`Sources/LockIME/UI/DesignSystem.swift`):
semantic colors, system materials, and SF Symbols drive light/dark adaptation;
Liquid Glass is reserved for the floating/navigation layer only. The brand
"Lock Indigo" accent ships as an `AccentColor` asset. The full spec lives in
[docs/DESIGN.md](docs/DESIGN.md).
The app icon is generated programmatically (no design tool) — regenerate it with:
```sh
./scripts/make-appicon.sh # renders the master via SwiftUI and rebuilds the appiconset
```
## Development
Requires Xcode 26+ (the app itself targets macOS 14+), and
[XcodeGen](https://github.com/yonaskolb/XcodeGen)
+ [xcbeautify](https://github.com/cpisciotta/xcbeautify) (`brew install xcodegen xcbeautify`).
```sh
make gen # generate LockIME.xcodeproj from project.yml
make build # build (Debug)
make run # build & launch
make test # run unit tests
make archive # Release archive (Developer ID)
```
The Xcode project is generated from `project.yml` and is not checked in.
Hardware-touching integration tests (real TIS switching) are excluded from
`make test`; run them with `make test-hw` (briefly changes the input source).
## Releasing
Dispatch-driven, notarized Developer ID releases with Sparkle auto-update over
**stable** and **beta** channels: run the Release workflow (Actions → Release)
and it computes the version from git tags, builds, and creates the tag and
GitHub Release automatically — never push a tag by hand. The beta channel is
the nightly build. Every release ships separate Apple-silicon and Intel apps,
each on its own update feed (no universal binary, no cross-arch updates). See
[docs/RELEASING.md](docs/RELEASING.md).
## Architecture
- **LockIMEKit** (static library) — pure, fully unit-tested logic using only system
frameworks: lock engine, app monitor, rules, enhanced (Accessibility) observer,
logging model, localization.
- **LockIME** (app) — `@main`, SwiftUI UI, the design system, and the thin
integration shims for Sparkle, KeyboardShortcuts, and PermissionFlow.
## License
Copyright © 2026 Hangzhou Wumou Software Co., Ltd.