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DisplayBuddy

UtilitiesFrom $24.99 · one-timeby Sidhant Gandhi

Control external monitors from your Mac's menu bar — brightness, contrast, volume, and input switching over DDC/CI, with presets, schedules, and multi-display sync.

DisplayBuddy screenshot 1

DisplayBuddy talks to your external monitors over DDC/CI, so the controls buried behind a monitor's hardware buttons move to your menu bar. Drag a slider to set brightness, switch an input from HDMI to USB-C, mute the built-in speakers — without leaving the keyboard.

Why it makes the list

External displays have never respected the Mac's brightness keys. DisplayBuddy fixes that for a wide range of monitors — Dell, LG, Samsung, BenQ, Acer and more — and goes further with presets, time-of-day schedules, and synced controls across every screen at once. It is a buy-once utility that quietly removes a daily annoyance.

Standout features

  • Menu-bar brightness and contrast for DDC/CI displays

  • Input switching between HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB-C

  • Volume control for monitors with built-in speakers

  • Presets and schedules that adjust displays automatically

  • Sync across displays so every screen matches

  • Keyboard shortcuts for every control

Pricing

A one-time license with lifetime updates: Personal $24.99 (1 Mac), Pro $29.99 (2 Macs), Family $49.99 (5 Macs). Also on Setapp. Needs a DDC/CI-capable display.

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