USB Buddy — USB Device Monitor for the Mac Menu Bar
USB Buddy is a small menu bar app that shows every USB device connected to a Mac in one panel: its speed, the power it draws, its drives and free space. It suits anyone with a desk full of drives, docks, hubs and adapters who wants to know what is plugged in and how fast it is running.
What you get
- USB Buddy.app, a universal build for Apple silicon and Intel Macs
- README.txt with install steps, and LICENSE.txt
- One 575 KB zip
Works with
- macOS 13 Ventura or later
- Light and dark mode
One licence, personal and client work, forever. No resale.
First launch: USB Buddy is signed and notarized by Apple, so it opens with a normal double-click.
USB Buddy lists every USB device connected to a Mac in one panel under a port icon in the menu bar. Each row shows the device, what it is and the speed it is running at, and a click opens the full details.
Every detail, one click
Click a device to see its USB standard, speed, power draw, vendor and product IDs, serial number, port location and the hub it is connected through. Drives show each volume with a free space bar and an Eject button.
Spot the slow cable
A tortoise marks any device that supports USB 3 but connected at USB 2 speed, which usually points to a slow cable, hub or port.
One glance away
The menu bar shows a port icon and the number of connected devices, updated the moment something is plugged in or removed.
Know when it connects
A notification names each device as it arrives or leaves, with the speed it connected at. It can be switched off from the options menu.
How it works
- Left-click the port icon opens the panel listing every connected USB device with the speed it is running at.
- Click a device to expand it for its standard, speed, power, vendor and product IDs, serial number and port, with Copy Details. Drives show each volume with its free space and an Eject button.
- A tortoise marks any USB 3 device stuck at USB 2 speed, which usually means the cable, hub or port.
- The options menu in the panel holds notifications on connect and disconnect, the device count in the menu bar, showing hubs and Start at Login.
Opening it the first time
USB Buddy is signed and notarized by Apple, so it opens with a normal double-click.
Does USB Buddy need special permissions?
No. It reads device information that macOS already provides and never asks for Accessibility or Full Disk Access. macOS asks once whether it may show notifications.
Does it connect to the internet?
No. There is no account and no tracking, and everything stays on your Mac.
Does it show Thunderbolt devices?
It lists USB devices, including those connected through a Thunderbolt dock or hub. Thunderbolt-only devices such as some displays and storage are not listed.
Which Macs does it run on?
Any Mac with Apple silicon or Intel running macOS 13 Ventura or later.
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