v1.0 · macos · windows wip

karacookie:
lyrics that move with the music.

a tiny floating overlay that sings along with spotify and apple music. per-word karaoke wipe. six themes. no login.

v0.2.0 · 300kb · macos 14+ · free + open source · source on github
karacookie is free + open source. install in two clicks:
1. download install karacookie.zip
safari auto-unzips it. then double-click install karacookie.command in your downloads
2. open system settings → privacy & security
macos will block the file. scroll down, click open anyway next to "install karacookie.command"
3. in the open anyway confirmation dialog → click open anyway again → enter your mac password. terminal flashes for ~3 seconds. karacookie is now in your menu bar (top right).
why does macos ask me to confirm? is this safe?

karacookie is unsigned. that means apple's $99/year "developer id" certificate hasn't been bought to vouch for it.

when you double-click install karacookie.command, macos shows a dialog because any file downloaded from the internet without that certificate triggers a check — even files from huge open source projects, until they pay apple too.

your one click on open tells macos "i downloaded this on purpose, i trust the source." after that, no more dialogs, ever.

the app's full source code is on github. you can read every line. you can build it yourself with make run. nothing is hidden.

if karacookie grows enough that the $99/yr is justified, we'll sign it and this dialog disappears. until then — thanks for clicking open. 🍪

other install methods (terminal · zip · source)
terminal one-liner (zero dialog if you're comfortable with terminal):
raw .zipgithub releases. you'll need xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Karacookie.app after, or system settings → privacy → "open anyway".
build from sourcegit clone https://github.com/rahuldotbiz/karacookie && cd karacookie && make run
a floating bar pinned above every app
lyrics that move with the music .
drag it where you want, hide with ⌥⌘l

three steps. that's it.

  1. 1
    play a song
    open spotify or the music app and press play.
  2. 2
    allow once
    macos asks: "karacookie wants to control spotify". click ok.
  3. 3
    lyrics float on top
    a translucent bar appears above every window. drag anywhere.

six themes. pick your mood.

she sings the chorus
minimal
pure text, transparent. lowest distraction.
she sings the chorus
crystal
frosted glass. refined.
she sings the chorus
bloom
album art blooms behind the lyrics.
she sings the chorus
spotlight
one line, big, stage light behind.
she sings the chorus
concert
apple music big lyrics. fills the bar.
she sings the chorus
neon
dark, italic, saturated halo.

small, careful things.

  • no login, no setup
    no spotify dev account, no client id, no oauth. open the app, hit play, click one macos prompt.
  • per-word reveal
    like apple music — each word lights up + bounces as it’s sung. interpolated from line timing.
  • per-track color
    wipe color matches the dominant tone of the album art. each song its own mood.
  • six themes
    from low-distraction minimal to immersive concert. pick once, change anytime.
  • always-on-top
    survives spaces and fullscreen apps. drag anywhere. click-through with one hotkey.
  • whisper-quiet
    native swift. ~5 mb app. near-zero cpu when paused. no electron.

what it listens to.

● spotify ● apple music ◐ windows · wip ○ youtube music · v1.1 ○ soundcloud · v1.1

questions.

does it cost anything?

no. free and open source under mit. lyrics come from lrclib, also free.

do i need spotify premium?

no. karacookie reads the playing track via applescript — works on free too.

what does "control spotify" mean?

just reading name, artist, album, position. karacookie never plays, pauses, or skips.

does it work in fullscreen apps?

yes. the bar joins all spaces and floats above fullscreen apps as an auxiliary window.

privacy?

one https request per track to lrclib + one to open.spotify.com/oembed. no tracking, no analytics, no account.

when is windows shipping?

wip. winui 3 + smtc. watch the repo or open an issue if you want to beta-test.

sing along to everything.

free. open source. macos 14+.

download install karacookie.zip
safari unzips it → double-click .command → open anyway in privacy & security

guides

10 posts

deeper reads on spotify lyrics on mac — fixes, comparisons, and how karacookie stacks up against the alternatives.

mit license · lyrics by lrclib · built by rahul