Keyframe

Keyframe is a free, native macOS app that turns the 2023 Work Louder × Figma Creator Micro into a visual, programmable control deck.

Connect the keyboard, click the control that matches the one on your desk, and choose what it should do. There is no account, firmware flash, matrix terminology, or VIA setup.

This is an independent community project. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Work Louder or Figma.

What it can do

• Visually map every key, touch surface, dial press, and dial direction.
• Use all four onboard layers: 20 physical controls and up to 80 mapping slots.
• Save volume, mute, media, layer changes, and arbitrary keyboard shortcuts directly to the keyboard.
• Launch Codex, Claude, Wispr Flow, any installed app, an Apple Shortcut, or a URL from the menu-bar helper.
• Label keys in the app with colors, installed-app icons, or custom artwork.
• Adjust underglow, key-backlight, and layer-indicator settings.
• Back up and restore every mapping, lighting value, automation, and visual label as readable JSON.
• Start automatically at login without requesting Accessibility or Input Monitoring access.

Hardware mappings work without Keyframe running. Mac automations use private Hyper + function-key triggers and require the menu-bar app to remain open.

Install

1. Download the latest notarized Keyframe DMG.
2. Open it and drag Keyframe to Applications.
3. Quit VIA if it is open.
4. Connect the 2023 Creator Micro over USB and open the app.
5. Click a physical control, choose an action, and use Start at login if you assign Mac automations.

The universal app supports Apple silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 14 or newer, plus the original 2023 Creator Micro (VID 574C, PID E6E3). Creator Micro 2 uses a different proprietary protocol and is not supported.

Why this exists

The hardware is delightful. Configuring it in VIA is not. Keyframe replaces abstract matrix coordinates and giant keycode catalogs with the interaction the product always deserved: click the thing you can see, then choose what it does.

This project is also an intentional case study in AI-assisted product development. AI helped:

• research the hardware and validate the VIA protocol boundary;
• translate USB reports and QMK keycodes into a narrow, testable Swift module;
• turn screenshots and user frustration into a simpler native workflow;
• diagnose firmware-specific lighting behavior against real hardware;
• generate and review tests, release automation, safety checks, and documentation.

The product decisions, hardware access, testing, release identity, and responsibility for every shipped change remain human-owned. See PRODUCT.md for the product principles behind the work.

Safety and privacy

Keyframe only connects to the known legacy device identity and exposes a deliberately narrow set of verified VIA commands. Every hardware mapping is read back after writing. The app does not expose firmware flashing, EEPROM reset, bootloader entry, or speculative writes to unknown hardware.

There are no accounts, analytics, advertisements, telemetry, or project servers. Read the complete privacy statement.

Before experimenting with a full layout, use the backup menu in the app header. A backup includes all onboard layers plus local Mac automations and artwork.

Build from source

Requirements: macOS 14 or newer and Xcode 16 or newer.

swift test
./scripts/run-app.sh

The app bundle is written to .build/app/Keyframe.app.

To create a Developer ID-signed DMG for local testing:

ALLOW_UNNOTARIZED=1 ./scripts/release.sh

Public downloads must also be notarized. The one-time credential setup and complete release checklist are in docs/RELEASING.md.

Project map

• Sources/CreatorMicroCore — device model, VIA protocol, keycodes, profiles, and safety rules.
• Sources/Keyframe — SwiftUI app, Raw HID transport, menu-bar automations, and local storage.
• Tests/CreatorMicroCoreTests — protocol, address, persistence, lighting, and profile tests.
• docs/research — feasibility research and hardware/protocol evidence.
• scripts — reproducible app, DMG, signing, and notarization workflows.

Contributing

Keyframe is released under the MIT License. Focused bug reports and pull requests are welcome; share feedback or report a bug, and read CONTRIBUTING.md before changing hardware-writing behavior.