Chirpy changelog

The latest version of Chirpy is 3.5, released on 26 August 2026. Chirpy is a macOS menu-bar app that plays a different notification sound for every Slack channel, contact, or Mac app, so you know what happened without looking. This page lists every public release, newest first, transcribed from the app's Sparkle update feed. Installed copies are offered each release through Sparkle automatically.

Licensing update, August 2026: every Chirpy licence now activates on up to 2 Macs, not one. This is a licensing change rather than an app update, so it doesn't appear in the release notes below. See pricing for the current terms.

Chirpy 3.5, 26 August 2026

Speak Aloud rules, NOT-keyword exclusions, text-to-speech sounds, and a 200% volume boost.

  • New: generate a spoken sound from typed text and save it to your library like any other sound
  • New: exclude notifications with a NOT keyword, e.g. keyword "deploy" with NOT "failed" skips failed-deploy notifications
  • New: rules can speak notifications aloud instead of playing a sound, pick a voice per rule, or set a default in Preferences → Speak Aloud
  • New: boost volume up to 200% for rules that need to cut through, like #prod-alert
  • The app picker now also surfaces background helper apps installed inside other apps
  • Bug fixes and performance improvements

Chirpy 3.3, 21 August 2026

Run a Shortcut instead of a sound, a faster app picker, and keyboard navigation for rules.

  • New: run a Shortcuts.app shortcut instead of playing a sound (turn it on in Preferences → Advanced)
  • The app picker now shows every app on your Mac, including menu bar-only apps
  • Default App in Preferences uses the same searchable picker as creating a rule
  • Navigate the rules list with arrow keys, delete a rule with Backspace
  • Fixed sounds not playing after moving Chirpy to a different folder, and more bug fixes

Chirpy 3.0.1, 29 June 2026

Bug fix release for Chirpy 3.0.

  • Fixed a bug where sounds would play for notifications from apps not targeted by any rule
  • Performance improvements and stability fixes

Chirpy 3.0, 23 June 2026

Chirpy works with every app on your Mac, and gains AND/OR rule matching.

  • Chirpy now works with every app on your Mac. Browser, calendar, email, meetings: if it notifies, Chirpy can play a sound.
  • Build smarter rules with AND + OR matching.
  • Reuse your favorite sounds with the new My Sounds library.
  • Preview sounds instantly and enjoy a faster, smoother app picker.
  • Tons of fixes, diagnostics improvements, and under-the-hood polish.

Chirpy 2.2, 12 November 2025

macOS 26.1 Tahoe compatibility fix and Microsoft Teams support.

  • Fixes a critical bug caused by macOS 26.1 Tahoe
  • Improves styling and visual consistency
  • Removes the constant update dialog
  • Adds support for Microsoft Teams notifications

Chirpy 2.1, 9 June 2025

Smarter, more forgiving rule matching.

  • Smarter, more accurate matching for messages like "New message from...".
  • Improved rule matching. Type "John" and we'll still catch "John Suskin," "Hey John," etc.
  • Bug fixes and optimizations.
  • Improved error messages

Chirpy 2.0, 21 May 2025

The curated sound library, volume rules, and built-in diagnostics.

  • Choose from 72+ curated sound effects
  • Verify installation with built-in diagnostic tools
  • New volume rules to fine-tune sound behavior
  • Performance optimizations and bug fixes

How do I update Chirpy to the latest version?

  1. Open Chirpy from the macOS menu bar.
  2. Choose Check for Updates.
  3. Let Sparkle download and install the update, then relaunch Chirpy.

If you would rather start fresh, you can download the current build and replace the copy in your Applications folder. Your rules and sounds are kept on your Mac and survive the update.

Where else can I read about Chirpy?

  • Guides: how to set up per-channel and per-person sounds.
  • Sound library: the 72+ built-in sounds and custom upload formats.
  • Pricing: $19.99 one-time, lifetime licence.
  • About: who builds Chirpy.