Minimum Effort Clicker

A free, open-source mouse and keyboard automation app for Windows 11 x64 and Linux (GNOME and KDE Plasma, see Linux), with the same pages and version on both. Repeat clicks and keys, record editable action lists, wait for colours on screen, create hold/spam toggles, run it from a game controller (Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, Steam Deck) or turn controller buttons into keys, and save screenshots. Runs locally; no account or subscription is needed. It goes online only when you press Send report in Bug report.

Version 1.0, not code-signed. Windows may show a SmartScreen warning the first time; see below. Found a bug? Press Bug report next to Help in the app.

What it looks like

Dark and light mode, switched in Settings.

Actions: a click, a Wait Until a colour, and a key press

Toggles

Controller to Key

Screenshot

Settings

Download and run

Open this repository's Releases page and download the latest release: the Windows x64 portable ZIP (MinimumEffortClicker-<version>-win-x64.zip) or the Linux package (MinimumEffortClicker-<version>-linux-x64.tar.gz, see Linux). GitHub's automatic "Source code" archives contain source, not the runnable app.

1. Extract the complete app ZIP into a new writable folder.
2. Open MinimumEffortClicker.App.exe. The .NET runtime is included.
3. Choose your target and review the actions before starting.
4. By default F6 stops all Actions/toggles/recording, F7 pauses, F8 starts/stops Actions, F9 takes a screenshot and F10 starts/stops recording. Check Settings if you change keys.

Playback starts stopped. Loading/importing and restored focus never start it. If the target window goes behind another window during a run, the run pauses and continues by itself when the window is back in front. Checked toggles are available for their shortcut, not automatically running. Use Stop All before exiting; forced process termination cannot guarantee input cleanup. Closing may minimize to the notification area; use the tray Exit command or disable that behavior in Settings.

Portable settings and macros live in Data beside the app. Do not run from inside the ZIP. Keep the full runtime folder together. For upgrades, extract the new version into a fresh folder and copy the old Data folder next to it: saved macros are upgraded on load and never reset. The current macro file schema is 17; older app versions cannot read newer files. The Help button in the app describes each page.

Linux

The Linux build (MinimumEffortClicker-<version>-linux-x64.tar.gz) has the same pages and controls, reads the same macro files and needs GNOME (tested on Ubuntu 26.04) or KDE Plasma 6 (checked on CachyOS), on Wayland. Extract it and run ./install.sh. On GNOME, log out and back in once so GNOME loads the small ME Clicker helper extension; on KDE Plasma it works straight away. Recording, Stop on my input and hotkeys in every app also need input access: press Turn on in the app (it asks for your password in the system window once). Full steps, what the helper can do and current limits are in docs/LINUX.md. Steam Deck support is limited: the app runs in Desktop Mode, and recording sees only an external mouse or keyboard, not the Deck's own controls; setting up clicks by hand works (details).

Trust and limitations

The app has no publisher Authenticode signature. Windows SmartScreen or Smart App Control may warn or block it. Do not disable Windows protections to run the app. SHA-256 checksums and an internal file manifest detect changed bytes; they are not a signing certificate or a safety guarantee. Trusted signing is planned separately; see release status.

Build from source

Requires Windows 11 x64 and a .NET SDK 10.0.4xx (the build is pinned to 10.0.401 and accepts newer patches). SDK setup and the first package restore need network access; the app itself runs offline (except Send report in Bug report).

.\scripts\Setup-Sdk.ps1 # installs the pinned SDK locally under .tools if you do not have one
.\scripts\Build.ps1
.\scripts\Test.ps1
.\scripts\Build-Public.ps1 -Zip # portable ZIP under artifacts\package

Default tests use fake inputs/time/targets and send no desktop input. Native probe tools are separate opt-in tests for an isolated interactive VM, with a stop route; do not run them as ordinary CI tests. TestTarget is a harmless receiver for manual testing and is also included in the portable package.

Core/Engine contain the domain and scheduler without WPF dependencies. App is WPF, Windows handles native integration, Storage handles bounded versioned JSON, and Vision handles explicit local capture/conditions. Dependencies and lock files are pinned. Release builds are self-contained and untrimmed.

The Linux build shares Core, Engine and Storage. MinimumEffortClicker.Linux holds its native adapters (GNOME helper or KWin over D-Bus and Wayland, evdev, logind) and MinimumEffortClicker.Linux.App is the Avalonia UI; they build from MinimumEffortClicker.Linux.slnx with scripts/linux/*.sh and never change the Windows solution. See docs/LINUX.md.

License and contributions

Application source is licensed under MIT. Dependencies retain their own terms: see third-party notices and licenses/. MIT does not grant rights to the Minimum Effort trademarks or imply endorsement of forks. Historical pixel artwork/font with unknown redistribution rights is excluded from this public repository and release.

Bug reports: press Bug report, next to Help in the app. It sends the report with the version and system details; or e-mail [email protected]. Pull requests are welcome. Do not post private recordings, screenshots, credentials, or personal data in issues. See contributing.