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CLI Open source 329 installs/mo

hidapi for Mac

Library for communicating with USB and Bluetooth HID devices

Quick answer: hidapi is a command-line tool for macOS. Install it with brew install hidapi. It is distributed under the GPL-3.0-only OR BSD-3-Clause OR HIDAPI licence. It has 329 Homebrew installs in the last 30 days.

What hidapi is

hidapi is a command-line tool for macOS: library for communicating with USB and Bluetooth HID devices.

It is distributed as a Homebrew formula, which builds or pours a binary and puts it on your PATH. It is distributed under the GPL-3.0-only OR BSD-3-Clause OR HIDAPI licence.

How to install hidapi

  1. Open Terminal (press ⌘ + Space and type “Terminal”).
  2. If Homebrew is not installed yet, run the installer below once.
  3. Run brew install hidapi.

Homebrew installer, if you need it:

Prefer a graphical installer? Download it from the official site. MacPicks never hosts or mirrors binaries — the Homebrew command always pulls from the vendor's own release.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I install hidapi on Mac?

Run brew install hidapi in Terminal. This requires Homebrew; if you do not have it, install it first with the command below.

Is hidapi open source?

Yes — Homebrew distributes it under the GPL-3.0-only OR BSD-3-Clause OR HIDAPI licence.

Does hidapi run on Apple silicon?

Homebrew publishes this formula for macOS. If upstream does not ship an Apple silicon build, Rosetta 2 handles the Intel binary.

How popular is hidapi?

It was installed 329 times in the last 30 days according to Homebrew analytics, ranking #1922 in this catalogue.

What version of hidapi is current?

The latest packaged version is 0.15.0.