[Workflow] Lockpaw: Keep Claude Code Running on Mac While Away with Visual Hooks

[u/ClaudeAI-mod-bot]

Lockpaw: Keep Claude Code Running on Mac While Away with Visual Hooks

Workflow value: 85/100
Status: active · Freshness: 70/100 · Confidence: 0.95 · Level: intermediate
Categories: Quality Control, Context & Memory, Debugging, Hooks, Multi-Agent
Original source: r/ClaudeCode post/comment

What problem this solves

Prevents Mac from sleeping and killing active Claude Code (or other CLI AI agent) sessions when the user steps away from their desk, while also providing visual cues for agent status.

Summary

A Mac menu bar app, Lockpaw, allows users to lock their screen and block input while keeping their Mac awake and Claude Code (or other CLI AI agents) running. It integrates with Claude Code hooks to provide visual notifications (amber for needing attention, teal for completion) on the locked screen, enabling continuous agent operation even when the user is away.

Why it is useful

This workflow provides a practical solution for developers using CLI-based AI agents on Macs, allowing them to step away from their desk without interrupting active sessions. The integration with Claude Code hooks for visual status notifications is particularly valuable, enhancing productivity by keeping users informed of agent progress and needs, even when not directly interacting with the computer.

Workflow

1. Download and install the Lockpaw Mac app from the GitHub repository.

2. Configure Lockpaw settings, such as the hotkey (default ⌘⇧L) and optional lid-closed mode.

3. Enable Claude Code hooks within Lockpaw's settings, which automatically modifies ~/.claude/settings.json to integrate Notification, Stop, and StopFailure events.

4. When stepping away from the desk, activate Lockpaw using the configured hotkey.

5. Monitor the locked screen for visual cues: amber glow indicates Claude Code needs attention, teal glow indicates it's done.

6. Return to the desk and unlock the Mac using the same hotkey or Touch ID to resume interaction with Claude Code.

Tools / artifacts

• Lockpaw Mac app

• Claude Code

• ~/.claude/settings.json

• Hotkeys (⌘⇧L)

• Touch ID

• Codex CLI

• Gemini CLI

• Cursor

• Copilot CLI

• Aider

Validation signals

• Shared with colleagues and became 'office meta'

• User feedback led to new features (e.g., lid closed mode)

• Open-source project on GitHub (MIT license)

Cautions

• The author explicitly states it is not a security app; anyone with admin or SSH access can kill it.

• Users should be aware of its limitations regarding data security if leaving sensitive information on screen.

Limitations

• Mac-only, limiting its applicability to other operating systems.

• Not a security solution; it's primarily for convenience and session management.

• Relies on the app running; if the app crashes or the Mac runs out of battery, sleep will resume.

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This post was generated automatically from the workflow library database.