Help
Troubleshooting
Quick fixes for the most common problems, and what the menu bar can tell you.
Stuck behind a blackout
- Press the display's shortcut again (F16–F19 by default).
- Move the pointer to the top edge of the display. The Menu Peek Strip reveals the menu bar. Open the DarkStage menu and choose Panic Off — Clear All Overlays.
- Pointer missing? Hold Control to see it, or press ⌃⌥⌘Esc to force it back.
The menu bar
Click the DarkStage icon for:
- <Display> — Show/Hide Overlay for each screen, with its settings underneath.
- Blackout All, Restore All, Panic Off — Clear All Overlays and Clear Clip LEDs.
- DAW Sync status: Waiting for DAW, Stopped, Playing, Armed or Recording, plus bridge diagnostics.
- Audio status: the source DarkStage is metering right now.
- Show/Hide Settings, DarkStage Remote, Remote Manager, About and Quit.
A Permissions required chip at the top right of the app window means a macOS permission needs attention. Click it to see which one.
Common problems
| Problem | Try this |
|---|---|
| Meters don't move | Check the menu bar's audio status and Settings ▸ Stereo Audio. For Mac System Sound, make sure System Audio Recording is allowed in System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security. For a device, check Microphone access and the channel selection. |
| Meters read lower than the DAW | Check you're comparing the same thing: sample peak vs RMS vs LUFS, and before or after monitor correction. Use the Capture plug-in to meter before correction. |
| Counter or transport doesn't follow | Check DAW Sync status in the menu bar, then the steps for your DAW in Setup. The DAW Sync page also has an If something does not follow card. |
| Pro Tools stopped following after relaunching DarkStage | In Pro Tools: Setup ▸ Peripherals ▸ OK. Pro Tools reconnects to the HUI ports. |
| Cubase counter is blank after launch | Move the playhead once. Cubase only sends the counter when it changes. |
| SMPTE widget is still while REAPER is stopped | Expected. REAPER's timecode generator only runs during playback. |
| Shortcuts don't work | System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security ▸ Accessibility: make sure DarkStage's switch is on, not just listed. |
| Clicking a meter selects it instead of doing anything | That's arranging. On a blacked-out display, a click selects a widget so you can move it. Only Button Panel, Notepad and Cutout respond to clicks. |
| A Button Panel button doesn't fire | Shortcut buttons need Accessibility permission and send keys to the front app. Buttons can't be pressed on a Transparent display. Check you aren't holding Control, which arranges instead. |
| Cutout shows the wrong window | Click Position Window on the Cutout page. If another window is in front, bring the target app forward first. |
| Can't click something under the overlay | Turn on Mouse Peek, switch the display to Transparent, or add a Cutout over that window. |
| iPad won't connect to Remote | Put the Mac and iPad on the same network, check Remote is enabled, and scan a fresh QR code. Guest networks often block devices from seeing each other. |
| A plugin meter froze | Plugin Meters ▸ Engine ▸ Restart. If it keeps happening, email the plug-in's name to support. |
Contacting support
Email support@mydarkstage.com with your version and build from Settings ▸ About, your DAW and macOS version, and a screenshot if you can.