install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install blueutil

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install blueutil

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/blueutil/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#blueutil

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/bl/blueutil/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Get/set bluetooth power and discoverable state

Project links

Commands and aliases

blueutil

history

Project history and usage

blueutil is a long-running macOS command-line utility for reading and changing Bluetooth state: power, discoverability, paired and connected devices, device info, pairing, connection, and output formats for scripts.

Project history

blueutil was originally written by Frederik Seiffert and later maintained by Ivan Kuchin, as recorded in the README copyright section. The GitHub repository dates back to 2011, with v1.0.0 tagged in 2012 and a continuing v2.x release line.

The tool grew from simple power and discoverability controls into a broader Bluetooth scripting interface. The README documents private IOBluetooth framework use, root-user safeguards, JSON output formats, device connection operations, wait commands, and an experimental system_profiler fallback for some paired-device queries.

Adoption history

blueutil became the standard package-manager answer for 'control Bluetooth from a shell on macOS.' Its README documents Homebrew and MacPorts installs, and the input metadata also records a Nix package, reflecting adoption by both casual Mac users and reproducible-environment users.

Its role persisted because macOS does not expose all of these Bluetooth controls through a stable, script-friendly built-in CLI, so package managers filled the gap with a small native utility.

How it is used

Users run blueutil with flags such as --power, --discoverable, --paired, --connected, --info, --connect, --disconnect, --pair, and --unpair. Output can be human-readable or JSON, making it useful in shell scripts, status bars, automation tools, and troubleshooting flows.

The README warns that it uses private IOBluetooth preference APIs and documents macOS-version quirks such as favorite/recent-device behavior starting with macOS 12 Monterey.

Why package nerds care

blueutil is the classic tiny Mac systems package: one binary that unlocks automation around a GUI-controlled OS feature. Package nerds care because it has survived macOS Bluetooth API changes, packaging across Homebrew/MacPorts/Nix, architecture transitions, and years of shell-script dependence.

It also illustrates the maintenance burden of packaging native Mac utilities: private frameworks, root behavior, TCC/API access failures, output formats for scripts, and compatibility notes all live in a very small command-line surface.

Timeline

2011: GitHub repository created for blueutil.
2012: v1.0.0 tag published.
2018: v2.0.0 tag published.
2021: README documents macOS 12 Monterey behavior changes for favorite and recent devices.
2025: v2.13.0 tag and README copyright show continued maintenance.

Related projects

blueutil-tui is documented by the README as a text user interface built on top of blueutil.
Homebrew, MacPorts, and Nix are package-manager channels recorded for installation.
macOS IOBluetooth and system_profiler are the platform interfaces used or offered as alternatives.

Sources

https://github.com/toy/blueutil#readme
https://github.com/toy/blueutil/releases
source_facts.package-manager

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`blueutil`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version2.13.0

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv2.13.0

https://github.com/toy/blueutil

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:blueutil
Version	2.13.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/blueutil
Homepage	https://github.com/toy/blueutil
Repository	https://github.com/toy/blueutil
Upstream docs	https://github.com/toy/blueutil#readme
License	MIT
Source archive	https://github.com/toy/blueutil/archive/refs/tags/v2.13.0.tar.gz
Bottle	available (on arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, sonoma, ventura)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	blueutil
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Requirements	macos xcode
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

blueutil

nix profile install nixpkgs#blueutil

normalized package name match
Matched by: Blueutil

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bl/blueutil/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

MacPorts95%

blueutil

sudo port install blueutil

normalized package name match
Matched by: Blueutil

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/blueutil/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/blueutil.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install blueutil with Homebrew, MacPorts, Nix