ANCBuddy is an independent native menu-bar app for people who use Bose QC Ultra headphones or earbuds with a Mac. It brings the controls used repeatedly during a desktop session to macOS, while leaving firmware, initial setup, and unsupported product settings in the Bose phone app.
Decide in 30 seconds
| What you need | Is ANCBuddy a fit? |
|---|---|
| Switch Quiet, Aware, or Immersion without reaching for a phone | Yes |
| See battery, connection state, and the active Bose audio source | Yes |
| Switch to a remembered source or start Bose pairing | Yes |
| Use Still and Motion when the connected device exposes them | Yes |
| Update firmware or complete first-time Bose product setup | No — use the Bose app |
| Turn Multipoint or Cinema Mode on or off | Not advertised — use the Bose app |
| Manage arbitrary Bluetooth devices or non-Bose headphones | No |
What ANCBuddy adds to your Mac
Open one small panel from the menu bar to:
- switch Quiet, Aware, and Immersion
- switch Still and Motion on compatible headphones
- check battery and live connection status
- see the active source and other connected sources
- see devices remembered by the Bose QC Ultra
- switch to a remembered device or start and cancel pairing
- recover the Bose Mac audio output when macOS exposes it
- optionally apply a track-aware Bass, Mid, and Treble profile with AI Auto-EQ
The detailed operating steps belong in the complete Mac control guide. Source terminology, pairing, Multipoint, and recovery are covered in the audio-source switching guide.
Supported Bose devices
ANCBuddy 2.2.0 supports:
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 1
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen
It runs on macOS 12 Monterey and newer on Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. ANCBuddy is focused on this supported QC Ultra hardware rather than acting as a generic Bluetooth manager.
What ANCBuddy does not replace
Keep the Bose app for:
- firmware updates and first-time product setup
- turning Multipoint on or off
- Cinema Mode on supported Gen 2 products
- custom modes, shortcuts, voice prompts, touch controls, and other settings not listed as ANCBuddy features
- device recovery that requires clearing or rebuilding the Bose product configuration
This narrower scope is deliberate: ANCBuddy handles frequent desktop controls rather than claiming to reproduce every Bose setting.
Price, trial, and installation
ANCBuddy includes a 14-day free trial. A permanent license costs $9.99 once, with no subscription. The current public DMG is signed with Developer ID and notarized for normal macOS installation.
Use the download page for the current release, installation steps, direct DMG link, and purchase option.
Who ANCBuddy is for
ANCBuddy is a good fit when the Bose QC Ultra is part of your normal Mac workflow and you repeatedly change listening modes, check status, or move the headphones between remembered devices.
It is not a good fit if you need a general-purpose Bluetooth manager, use an unsupported Bose model, need Cinema Mode from the Mac today, or primarily want firmware and deep hardware customization.
Try ANCBuddy free for 14 days, or compare its exact scope with the Bose app and built-in macOS controls.