SlipTap User Manual — Pro Tools AudioSuite hotkeys

1. What Is SlipTap?

SlipTap is a button- and hotkey-focused helper for running repeated AudioSuite tasks in Pro Tools more quickly.

You can bind frequently used Render / Learn / Send actions to panel buttons or hotkeys and reduce repetitive clicking during editing.

Core Features in the Current Version

Panel Button Execution: Supports 3×3, 4×4, and 5×4 layouts
Hotkey Execution: Works only while Pro Tools is frontmost
Plug-in Assignment: Directly assign open AudioSuite plug-ins to buttons
Window List: Find an open plug-in window in a list and bring it to the front
Arrange Windows: Arrange open AudioSuite windows in tile or cascade mode
Plug-in Check: Compare Assigned Plug-in names in the current profile with actual open Pro Tools window titles and check missing items
Profile Management: Save, switch, and back up button layouts and profiles
Light Up Button on Run: The button you triggered by hotkey or click briefly glows so you can see it ran (4 colors, can be turned off)

2. System Requirements

Mac

macOS 13.5 (Ventura) or later
Apple Silicon and Intel Macs (universal binary)
About 30 MB of disk space

Pro Tools

Avid Pro Tools with AudioSuite support
Automatic Pro Tools UI language detection: English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Simplified & Traditional Chinese

Required Permissions

Accessibility: needed to read Pro Tools windows and drive AudioSuite.
Input Monitoring: needed to detect global hotkeys.
Grant both in System Settings → Privacy & Security. Features that depend on a missing permission will not work.

Internet Connection

Update checks use the internet.
For license activation, see the License section of this manual.

3. Initial Setup

You can reopen the setup guide any time: the SlipTap menu bar icon, or Help → Setup Guide… in the menu bar.

SlipTap needs the following two permissions to work correctly.

Accessibility

Purpose: Required to read Pro Tools window titles, find AudioSuite windows, and run button actions.
Path: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility
How to set it: Allow SlipTap in the list.

Input Monitoring

Purpose: Required to detect the hotkeys you assign while using Pro Tools.
Path: System Settings > Privacy & Security > Input Monitoring
How to set it: Allow SlipTap in the list.

When Permissions Are Missing

Some panel button actions may still partially work, but hotkeys and window-control features will not behave correctly.
A permission warning may continue to appear in the status log at the bottom of the app.

Trial & License

For the trial, purchase and activation, see the License section of this manual.

4. Basic Usage

Recommended Setup Order

Open the AudioSuite windows you plan to use in Pro Tools
- Open the plug-in windows you want to use in Pro Tools first.
Open [Assign Plug-in]
- Click [Assign Plug-in] in the main window.
Assign open plug-ins to buttons
- Drag an item from the open plug-in list on the right and drop it onto a panel button card on the left.
- Dropping onto an already assigned item replaces the existing connection with the new plug-in.
- Clicking the X on the right of a card clears that whole button (plug-in, label and hotkey are removed; Run Mode returns to Render).
Finish the button details
- Return to the main window and set Panel Label, Run Mode, and Hotkey as needed for each row.
- Run Mode currently supports Render / Learn / Send.
Run
- While working in Pro Tools, use either a panel button click or the registered hotkey.

Two Actions of the Same Plug-in, on Separate Buttons

Assign the same plug-in to several panel buttons (or hotkeys), then choose the Run Mode each one needs — Render, Learn or Send. They all target the same open plug-in window, so one open window is enough.
Example — ambience match: set one button to Learn and another to Render. Learn over a clean region, then Render the match into the gap — each on its own key.

Main Buttons in the Main Window

[Open Panel]: Opens the configured button panel. (Command + P)
[Assign Plug-in]: Connects open AudioSuite plug-ins to panel buttons.
[Plug-in Check]: Compares Assigned Plug-in names in the current profile with actual open Pro Tools window titles and checks missing items.
[Window List]: Finds an open plug-in window in a list and brings it to the front. (Command + Shift + A)
[Arrange Windows]: Arranges open AudioSuite windows.
[Restart Hotkeys]: Reconnects the hotkey engine if it stops responding.
[Assign Plug-in], [Plug-in Check] and [Restart Hotkeys] are also in the Tools menu in the menu bar.

Panel Status Dot

The dot at the top-right of the panel shows the hotkey engine state.

Green: Working normally
Yellow: Hotkeys blocked by Secure Input
Red: Hotkey engine inactive or needs restart

Light Up Button on Run

When a button runs via hotkey or click, the matching panel button briefly glows. Hotkeys leave no visible trace, so this shows which button ran without moving your eyes.

On/Off: Right-click the panel, or use Preferences > Panel, to toggle [Light up button on run]. On by default.
Glow Color: Choose Amber, Orange, Green, or White from the same right-click menu or Preferences.
The color options are disabled while the glow is turned off.

5. Advanced Features

Hotkey Setup

Click [Set] on a row, then press the key you want to register.
You can register modifier shortcuts such as Control + S, as well as single-character keys such as S or N.
If the shortcut conflicts with a default Pro Tools shortcut, a warning appears first.
Duplicate shortcuts already used inside SlipTap cannot be registered.

Profile Management

Profile dropdown: Switch between saved profiles
[+]: Create a new profile — it starts with empty buttons. Turn on Copy contents of (current profile name) in the name dialog to duplicate the selected profile instead.
[-]: Delete the current profile (the default profile cannot be deleted)
[Rename]: Rename the current profile
The default profile is a template: Editing buttons or hotkeys in the default profile automatically continues in a copy such as Default Profile 2, keeping the original untouched so you can always return to a clean starting point.
Autosave location: Profiles are stored in ~/Library/Application Support/SlipTap/Profiles/ as .sliptap-profile files named after each profile, and the profile index is stored at ~/Library/Application Support/SlipTap/profiles.index.json.
File menu > Export Current Profile...: Save only the selected profile as one .sliptap-profile file. Use this when moving one profile to another Mac or another user.
File menu > Create Full Profile Backup...: Save all profiles into one .sliptap-backup file. Use this for a full backup or when moving all settings to a new computer.
File menu > Import Individual Profile...: Add one external profile
File menu > Restore Full Profile Backup...: Restore a full backup by merge or replace
Automatic Backups: Rotate Automatic Full Profile Backup 1–3 when saving a profile or quitting the app. The default backup location is ~/Library/Application Support/SlipTap/Backups/.

PT Shortcut CSV

File menu > Import Pro Tools Shortcuts CSV...: Load a user CSV file.
File menu > Use Bundled PT Shortcuts CSV: Revert to the bundled CSV included with the app.
This CSV is used for conflict warnings against default Pro Tools shortcuts.

Restart Hotkeys

Use this when hotkeys suddenly stop working.

Where to run it:

- [Restart Hotkeys] at the bottom-right of the main window - Tools > Restart Hotkeys

Recommended when:

- Right after unlocking the system - When the panel status dot is red - When a hotkey change did not apply correctly

Pause Hotkeys

Use this when you want Pro Tools' own keys back for a moment.

Where: the SlipTap icon in the menu bar › [Pause Hotkeys] (choose [Resume Hotkeys] to turn them back on)
While paused, every assigned key works as the normal Pro Tools key. Panel buttons keep working.
Relaunching the app starts with hotkeys turned on.

Window List

Where to open it:

- [Window List] at the top of the main window - Window > Window List - Command + Shift + A

What it does:

- Shows a list of currently open AudioSuite windows - Filters quickly by search text - Brings the selected window to the front - Can automatically close after selection depending on settings - When Window Placement is set to "Center on Screen" in preferences, the selected window is moved to the center of the visible area of the display it belongs to before being brought to the front (default is "Keep Current Position", which leaves the window where it is).

Arrange Windows

Where to run it:

- [Arrange Windows] at the top of the main window - Window > Tile Windows - Window > Cascade Windows

Arrangement target (multiple monitors):

- Windows are arranged on the display that holds the most plug-in windows. Keep the Edit window on monitor A and plug-in windows on monitor B, and even when you trigger arranging from A, the windows are tidied up within B. - If the windows are split evenly across two monitors (e.g. 3-3), they gather on the display you triggered arranging from (where the mouse pointer is). - Tiling can't span two monitors, so it consolidates onto one display.

Restore (undo arranging):

- [Restore] is in the arrange popover (main window [Arrange Windows]) and under the menu-bar icon ▸ Arrange Windows. - Puts the tiled/cascaded windows back to where they were just before arranging. - Even after several arrangements (tile → cascade …) it returns to the original layout before the first arrange. Using Restore clears the record; the next arrange records a fresh one. - Limits: works only while those windows stay open (a closed-and-reopened window can't be restored). It restores position only (not size), and the record is cleared when the app quits.

Shortcuts:

- Tile: Command + Option + T - Cascade: Command + Option + C

Plug-in Check

Compares the Assigned Plug-in names saved in the current profile with the actual open Pro Tools window titles and shows only missing items.
You can check only the plug-ins you need, then click [Open Selected].
Use [Select All] at the top to check everything at once.

Preferences

Manage app behavior in SlipTap > Preferences...

General: Display language; Uninstall SlipTap… at the bottom (details in the License section)
Panel: Auto-open panel on launch, keep panel on top, light up button on run and its glow color, reset panel position/size
Plug-in Window Settings: Auto-close after selecting a window; window placement on selection (Keep Current Position / Center on Screen); auto-update the panel label when assigning a plug-in
Profile / Backup: Automatic backup folder management
License: activate or deactivate the license and see This Mac's code (details in the License section)
Diagnostics: keyboard conflict check, export diagnostics log and AX snapshot (Tips › The Diagnostics tab)

Changing the Number of Panel Slots

Choose 9 (3×3), 16 (4×4) or 20 (5×4) slots from View > Panel Slots in the menu bar.

6. License

Free Trial

SlipTap starts a 14-day free trial on first launch, with every feature available.
The trial works offline, but ends 14 days after first launch.
Remaining trial days appear in the trial badge in the main window's bottom status bar and in Preferences → License.

Purchase & Activation

After purchase, enter your license key and the email you used to purchase in Preferences → License and the same app unlocks (no reinstall). If the email doesn't match the purchase, activation won't go through — you can find it in your purchase receipt.
Activation needs an internet connection. SlipTap checks the license through slipsound.com and stores a proof of purchase for this Mac.
After activation, SlipTap keeps working offline with no time limit. When online, the app checks the license status again.
If the check couldn't finish (no internet or server maintenance), Preferences → License shows License check pending. It completes automatically once you're online, or click Check Now. Until then, the trial rules apply.

Two Macs

One license can be active on up to two Macs you own at the same time.
To move to another Mac, run Preferences → License → Deactivate on an existing Mac, then activate the new Mac. Deactivating needs an internet connection.
After moving to a new Mac with Migration Assistant or a logic board repair, you'll see This Mac isn't activated yet. Click Activate on This Mac (this uses one activation). If you no longer use the old Mac, deactivate it there or release it from View Order.

Lost or Broken Mac

Open View Order in your purchase receipt email → License → Activations, then click Deactivate next to that Mac to release it yourself.
Each Mac in the list shows a code and its activation date. The one that doesn't match This Mac's code in Preferences → License on the Mac you're keeping is the lost one.
If that doesn't work, email support@slipsound.com from your purchase email address.

Uninstalling SlipTap

Click Preferences → General → Uninstall SlipTap… to remove everything in one go.
If the license is active, SlipTap releases this Mac's seat first (needs an internet connection). If it can't, it stops and tells you.
If the license was moved from another Mac (This Mac isn't activated yet), the original Mac stays activated and only this Mac's info is removed.
It then removes SlipTap from the Accessibility and Input Monitoring lists, deletes its settings, logs, caches and this Mac's license registration, moves the app to the Trash, and quits.
Your profiles are kept. To delete them too, tick Also delete profiles and automatic backups in the confirmation (they go to the Trash).
Dragging the app straight to the Trash doesn't release the seat and leaves SlipTap in the permission lists. If you already did that, release this Mac from View Order (see "Lost or Broken Mac" above).

7. Notes & Tips

Plug-in Assignment

Do not type plug-in names manually. The safest workflow is to drag from the [Assign Plug-in] window using currently open AudioSuite items.
If a button has no assigned plug-in, that button will not run. Once a Pro Tools work area is confirmed, its hotkey is not passed to Pro Tools either (see Hotkeys below).

Hotkeys

Hotkeys are optional. You can still run actions by clicking panel buttons even without assigning hotkeys.
Hotkeys work only while Pro Tools is frontmost.
In text fields, Open/Save dialogs, Secure Input, or when another app is in front, SlipTap doesn't run the hotkey and passes the key through, so typing works normally.
Once a Pro Tools work area (not a text field) is confirmed, SlipTap takes the keys you assigned. Even if the button has no plug-in or the trial has ended, the key is not passed to Pro Tools. For example, if you assign N, Pro Tools' own N command won't run. In text fields, or when the situation can't be determined for sure, the key may pass through.
To use Pro Tools' own keys for a moment, choose [Pause Hotkeys] from the SlipTap icon in the menu bar (Advanced › Pause Hotkeys).

Plug-in Windows with the Same Name

If multiple plug-in windows with the same name are open, SlipTap always targets the frontmost window.
There is currently no way to pin and lock a specific hidden duplicate window.

Plug-in Check

Plug-in Check works correctly only when the Assigned Plug-in name saved on the button matches the actual Pro Tools window title.
If the names do not match, go back to [Assign Plug-in] and drag the real open window again to overwrite it.

Permission / Input Issues

Without Accessibility permission, features such as plug-in assignment, Window List, and Arrange Windows will not work properly.
Without Input Monitoring permission, hotkeys will not work.

When hotkeys suddenly stop — how to diagnose

Check that Pro Tools is frontmost — hotkeys only work while Pro Tools is in front.
Check the status dot at the top-right of the panel. Yellow means Secure Input (see below); red means press [Restart Hotkeys].
If the dot is green but hotkeys still don't fire, another app is intercepting keyboard input first. Open Preferences > Diagnostics > [Check] to see the app's name, then quit that app.
In a pinch, use the panel buttons instead of hotkeys — they work regardless of keyboard interception.

The Diagnostics tab — where to check and report problems

Preferences > Diagnostics has three tools.

Check Keyboard Conflicts — Press [Check] to list other apps that may be intercepting keystrokes right now. Quitting a listed app restores your hotkeys. (Check this first when hotkeys don't fire.)
Export Diagnostics (attach by default) — Saves the app and macOS versions, permission state, hotkey engine, Secure Input, recent actions/errors, and crash information to a text file. Send it with most reports: launch/quit/crash problems, permission issues, dead hotkeys, Secure Input, or failed button actions. It does not include Pro Tools session names, file names, clip names, or your license key.
Export AX Snapshot (also attach for window-recognition problems) — Saves the current Pro Tools accessibility (AX) structure as JSON. Send it together with Diagnostics when SlipTap cannot find a Pro Tools window or plug-in, presses the wrong window/button, fails only on a particular Pro Tools version/language, or misdetects an Open/Save, text-entry, or modal window. Export it while the problematic Pro Tools screen is still visible. User paths/names are redacted, but session, track, clip, or file names may remain — review it before sharing.

How to report a problem

Immediately after reproducing the problem, open Preferences > Diagnostics.
Save Diagnostics. For a window-recognition problem, leave the problematic Pro Tools screen visible and save an AX Snapshot too.
Review the AX JSON for session, track, clip, or file names.
Email the files to support@slipsound.com with reproduction steps, your macOS and Pro Tools versions, and a screenshot if possible.

These files are created only when you save them and are never sent automatically.

When another app blocks hotkeys (Secure Input)

When another app turns on Secure Input (a macOS security feature), macOS blocks every third-party app from detecting keystrokes. SlipTap's hotkeys stop working (status dot turns yellow). This is macOS behavior, not a SlipTap bug — it affects every keyboard utility.
Panel buttons keep working — use them instead of hotkeys.
Common sources: password fields, screen sharing / remote control, and some media / ingest apps. Some apps hold it in the background even without a visible field.
Fix: quit or update the offending app. Secure Input is a macOS security feature; SlipTap cannot turn it off for you.

8. Changelog

v1.1.0

Improved license verification

v1.0.5

Cleaner panel window title (e.g. SlipTap (3×3))
"Pause Shortcuts" is now "Pause Hotkeys", matching the rest of the app

v1.0.4

Minor text improvements

v1.0.3

Stability improvements
Refined wording in Help

v1.0.2

New profiles start with empty buttons (you can still copy the selected profile in the name dialog)
Plug-in Check is now available from the menu bar menu
Bug fixes (shorter auto labels, X in the Assign Plug-in window also clears the hotkey, first letter being overwritten when typing a panel label in the default profile)

v1.0.1

Initial release