Axe For Mac

Apple’s Secure Input mode is activated automatically when typing something in a password field, preventing any app other than the frontmost from reading keystrokes. But what if you have to type some sensitive info that isn’t a password, and you would like that extra layer of security?

Axe is a simple and very helpful app that allows you to enable Secure Input at any time, with just one click. It also lets you know when another app has activated Secure Input, and it can be managed very easily from the menu bar.

While Apple does have a good handle on security, you can never be too sure when it comes to particularly sensitive information. There’s always the chance that a keylogger might be active, and it helps to have that little bit of peace of mind.

With Axe, you can just click the menu bar icon once, and Secure Input will be activated instantly. Anything you type will now only be accessible to the foreground app, which means that any keylogger running in the background will be left high and dry.

The menu bar icon lets you know at a glance whether Secure Input is active or not. Even if it’s inactive, the app will still let you know if another process has activated the mode, such as when you’re typing something in a password field.

By right-clicking the menu bar icon, you can configure the app to launch at login and immediately enable Secure Input when it is launched.

If you’re worried about trusting a third-party app with your keystrokes, Axe is fully open-source and sandboxed, so there’s really no reason to be concerned. It simply controls Apple’s Secure Input feature, and it cannot put your data at risk in any way.