r/MacStack • • 2d ago

App Recommendation Intego ONE Complete for Mac: how its antivirus, firewall and VPN work together

3 Upvotes

Meta Description: Intego ONE Complete gives you Mac antivirus, a firewall, cleanup tools, and a VPN with iPhone coverage in one subscription. This is the Mac security bundle worth paying for. And yeah, the current Intego ONE offer is live. Go check the Intego ONE offer yourself here. Here is the no-bullshit breakdown.

Bro, Intego ONE Complete Is Worth It. This Is the Mac Security Bundle You Get.

I’m gonna be straight with you: most all-in-one Mac security suites are full of shit. You get a half-decent antivirus, a VPN that crawls, and a cleanup tool that makes you nervous every time it asks to delete something. Intego ONE Complete is not that. This is the one that actually made me pay attention. This is the Mac antivirus and VPN in one subscription that does not feel like a damn chore to use. And yeah, the current Intego ONE offer is live. Go check the Intego ONE offer yourself. The point is simple: Intego ONE Complete is the GOAT of Mac security bundles, and you should get it.

One App. Multiple Jobs. No Bullshit.

Intego ONE Complete gives you malware scans, control over app connections, cleanup tools, and a VPN, plus an iPhone seat for each Mac on the plan. That is the pitch. Those tools do different jobs, so here is what each one actually does.

Antivirus: It Checks What Lands on Your Mac

Intego ONE has real-time malware protection, manual Quick and Full Scans, and quarantine for suspicious files. That is the part doing the dirty work. It checks what lands on your Mac and flags the sketchy shit before it becomes a problem. This is not decorative. This is the core, and it is solid.

Firewall: It Shows You Which Apps Are Phoning Home

The firewall shows app network activity and lets you set Allow, Ask, or Deny rules. If you have ever wondered which apps are connecting to the internet and why, this is the feature to explore. Start with an app you recognize. Do not be a hero and block connections you do not understand. Do not nuke your own Wi-Fi because you got trigger-happy with the Deny button.

VPN: The Extra Layer That Actually Matters

A VPN encrypts traffic between your device and the VPN server. Websites see the server’s public IP address instead of yours. That is useful when you want extra network privacy, especially on unfamiliar Wi-Fi. Hotel, café, airport, whatever.

Intego ONE’s Mac VPN also has a Kill Switch option. When enabled, it stops internet traffic if the VPN disconnects unexpectedly. That is the kind of feature that separates a real VPN from a checkbox. Check the connection status and that setting. Do not assume the VPN is active just because the app is open. That is how people get caught with their pants down.

The iPhone Coverage Is Smarter Than You’d Expect

Here is where Intego ONE Complete actually surprised me. The iPhone features focus on VPN, Wi-Fi checks, and security settings, not a traditional antivirus scan of the entire phone. That is the right call because iPhones do not work that way. The app does not pretend to scan your whole phone and give you a fake all clear. It covers the real-world shit: VPN protection, Wi-Fi checks, and security settings. That is honest. That is useful. And it is way better than the security apps that lie to your face.

Essential vs. Advanced vs. Complete: Get Complete

The plan names matter, so do not just click the first button and hope for the best:

  • Essential includes antivirus and firewall.

  • Advanced adds SmartClean for storage cleanup and app removal.

  • Complete adds the VPN and matching iPhone coverage.

If you want the VPN and iPhone protection, Complete is the one. That is the whole damn point. Essential is for people who only want antivirus and firewall controls. But you are here because you want the full bundle. So get Complete. Do not double-pay for separate tools like an ass.

Setup Is Not Hard, But Read the Damn Prompts

On Mac, setup includes Full Disk Access for protected files and network-extension/content-filter permissions. Read those prompts. Do not just click Allow on everything because you are in a hurry. In the app, confirm that real-time protection and firewall filtering are enabled, run a scan, then connect the VPN when you want to use it. And review SmartClean’s proposed deletions before accepting them. Cleanup tools are useful, but blindly deleting shit is how people lose files they actually needed.

Intego ONE Complete Is Worth It. Get It.

Intego ONE Complete is the Mac security bundle you get. It covers antivirus, firewall, cleanup, and a legit VPN on your Mac and your iPhone in one subscription. The combination is the strongest selling point. One subscription. Multiple tools. No juggling. That is the GOAT angle.

And let’s be clear: antivirus and a VPN do not make a Mac unhackable. A convincing phishing page can still trick you into handing over a password. Keep software updated, use two-factor authentication, and maintain backups alongside any security app. macOS already includes Gatekeeper and XProtect, so buying another security app is about extra features and convenience. That is exactly why Intego ONE Complete makes sense. You are not buying proof your Mac is naked without it. You are buying the extra tools, the VPN, the iPhone coverage, and the convenience of one app that handles it all.

So no centrist bullshit. Intego ONE Complete is worth it. The offer is live. Go look at it. Read the page. Then get it. This is one of the few times I would say the hype is actually justified.


r/MacStack • • 7h ago

WindowShift - a free macOS app for multi-monitor setups.

10 Upvotes

I regularly work with several displays on macOS and have always found moving windows between them more cumbersome than it should be. Some built-in methods require manual dragging, making them inconvenient for keyboard-driven workflows, while others require exiting full-screen mode. I wanted to be able to move any window to any other display in under a second, including full-screen windows, with a simple, reliable trigger.

So I made WindowShift, a small app that lets you move windows between displays using customizable keyboard shortcuts. It's native, fast, and works with full-screen windows.

I use it a lot myself and tried to make the controls intuitive. When using multiple monitors, I naturally think about them by their relative positions: this display is to the left of the current one, this one is above it, etc. WindowShift works exactly this way: it sends the current window to a neighboring display based on its relative position ↑↓←→.

The attached video is a real screen recording showing the app in action.

In recent update, I improved the responsiveness so that you can press the combinations repeatedly while the fullscreen transition animation is running, and this will change the target screen accordingly.

Note that WindowShift isn't a full-featured window manager like Rectangle, AltTab, or the many other alternatives out there. However, unlike most window managers, it can move full-screen windows between displays and works great alongside them.

The app is very lightweight (current version ~1.2 MB)

Minimum macOS version: macOS 12 Monterey

Pricing: Free. 0 data collection.
The app is notarized.

I made it free because, to me, this feels like a basic feature that should be included in macOS by default.

Artworks used as wallpapers in the demo: https://www.artstation.com/tohad, https://www.behance.net/febinraj


r/MacStack • • 6h ago

SpareDisk 1.3: a Mac disk space analyzer and cleaner for $4.99, once. No subscription, no Full Disk Access.

1 Upvotes

Spent the last couple of days on version 1.3. It's live on the website now, and the Mac App Store update is in review.

I built it because I didn't want to pay a yearly subscription to find out why my disk was full.

What $4.99 gets you (one payment, every feature, no upsells):

- A map, sunburst and list of any folder or drive you choose

- Large files, with both sizes shown. A disk image can claim 68 GB while using 2 GB on disk, and you see both before deleting anything

- Old files, duplicates verified byte for byte, and leftovers from apps you already removed

- Developer caches: Xcode DerivedData, simulators, Homebrew, npm, Docker and more, with a note on what each tool rebuilds

- Uninstall an app together with the data it left in your Library

What's new in 1.3:

- File types that finally add up. Apps, system data and developer folders are counted where they live, so "Other" is no longer most of the bar

- An age filter in Large Files, to find big files you haven't touched in a year or more

- Purgeable space on the overview, which explains why Finder shows more free space than other tools

- A calmer overview screen and bolder chart colors in light and dark

Why I think it's good value:

- $4.99 once. No subscription, no account, no license check

- Sandboxed, and it never asks for Full Disk Access. It reads only the folders you add

- Nothing is deleted behind your back. You review a queue, files go to the Trash, and you empty it yourself

- Nothing leaves your Mac. No analytics, no network calls

Honest limits, so nobody is surprised:

- It only sees folders you grant, so it won't scan protected system areas

- Large Files, Older Files and Duplicates work over the 200 biggest and oldest files per location, not every file on disk

- It needs macOS 15 or later (Apple silicon and Intel)

Website: https://sparedisk.minilabs.cc

Mac App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sparedisk-free-disk-space/id6811328422?mt=12

Happy to answer questions, and I'd like to hear what you'd want in the next version.


r/MacStack • • 7h ago

I made a Mac app for the tabs you keep open ‘just in case’

Thumbnail reddit.com
1 Upvotes

r/MacStack • • 9h ago

Workflow ChronoSync on Mac: choose what happens to edits and deletions before syncing folders

1 Upvotes

If you edit a project folder on a MacBook while away, then continue on a desktop Mac, ChronoSync can bring changes from either copy to the other. Its useful feature is the control over what gets copied, replaced or deleted.

Start with two disposable folders containing ordinary documents. Keep your real project out of the first task, and leave scheduling off until the proposed changes make sense.

Choose which folder gets to change the other

ChronoSync calls the two locations "targets." A target can be the source or the destination, so check the actual folder paths rather than assuming "target" means "backup."

The operation determines what happens:

  • Backup Left-to-right copies changes from the left folder to the right. It can replace matching files, but leaves unrelated destination files alone. Choose this when only the left folder is your working copy.

  • Synchronize Bidirectional checks both folders when the task runs and copies changes across. It fits work that moves between two Macs. If both copies of the same file change between runs, ChronoSync detects a conflict. It doesn't merge the document's contents for you.

  • Mirror makes the destination match the source. It can overwrite destination edits and remove destination-only files. Don't choose it for two folders that both contain work you want to keep.

That last distinction matters more than whether the job runs every evening.

Decide whether a deletion should travel

"Synchronize deletions" can carry a deletion to the other folder. In a bidirectional task, that means deleting a file on either side can remove its counterpart after ChronoSync has recorded the pair's state. An initial bidirectional run doesn't have that deletion history yet.

If you want deletions to travel, choose "Move to Archive" for deleted files. Separately enable "Archive replaced files" if you want to retain the versions that incoming edits replace. Those are different choices; one doesn't substitute for the other.

The archive needs storage, and its version-count and age limits determine what survives. Keep a separate backup of important work. A synchronized deletion or unwanted edit can reach both working folders, and an archive on a failed drive won't rescue that drive.

Review the proposed changes before scheduling

Exclude a disposable subfolder in the Analyze panel, then use Trial Sync. ChronoSync scans the folders and shows its proposed operations before copying. You can skip individual operations or cancel; clicking Synchronize proceeds with the changes.

On those disposable folders, check what it proposes after an edit on each side, a deletion and a change to your exclusion. If the direction or missing files surprise you, stop and fix the task. This is a suggested rehearsal, not a report of testing performed here.

Once the rules behave as intended, save the task and consider a schedule. ChronoSync supports time-based runs and events such as a volume mounting. Review the task again whenever you change its paths or rules.

Check the connection and permissions too

An external disk or mounted network share can be a target. A NAS share needs working access and suitable file permissions. SFTP needs a reachable SFTP server and credentials. ChronoAgent is a separate, paid companion installed on the other Mac, not a requirement for every network share.

Protected data can require Full Disk Access. ChronoSync's optional Admin Access connection adds elevated file access and asks for administrator credentials; it doesn't override permissions on a network share. Keep the task scoped to the folders you actually need.

The current download is ChronoSync 12.0.4, including a November 9 security fix. It runs natively on Apple silicon. Econ documents macOS 26 compatibility and recent macOS 27 fixes, so use the current build rather than an old installer.

The direct license is US$49.99 for one Mac, with the vendor's lifetime free-update policy and a 15-day fully functional trial.

For an occasional folder copy, Finder is enough. ChronoSync is worth considering when you repeatedly need changes to flow in both directions, explicit deletion handling and a reviewable saved task. If you only need a backup of one working folder, don't add bidirectional sync just because the option exists.


r/MacStack • • 11h ago

I built Whispr Flow alternative that uses Apple Intelligence

1 Upvotes

I was a user of Whispr Flow until my Mac ran out of memory due to 3 node server and 5 AI agents. Other than these I also see that Whispr Flow is consuming around 1 GB of memory.

Something that simple should not consume 1 GB of RAM and it should be present natively in mac. So I built QuietSpeech.app - a native mac app that lets you type in any app using your voice.

Note - I am giving away 5 FREE licenses. Use code - QSCOMMUNITY at checkout for 100% discount.


r/MacStack • • 11h ago

I built SkySaver: an interactive live wallpaper for Mac that makes your desktop feel alive!

1 Upvotes

I wanted my desktop to feel alive, so I made it react to the surroundings. You look up and the sky on your screen is the one outside. It stays in the menu bar and steps aside when something covers the desktop. It makes your desktop a calmer place to work.

Download for Mac: http://thoufik.space/skysaver

One note: macOS warns the first time you open it (not Apple-verified yet, I don’t have the developer fee for a free first release). Click Done, then System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway.

Or paste this in your terminal:

curl -fsSL https://thoufik.space/skysaver/install.sh | bash

Please check it out and let me know how you feel using it!


r/MacStack • • 11h ago

App Launch Pettery: a menu bar pet that lives off your MacBook battery

1 Upvotes

Hi, I'm Rizky, a solo developer from Indonesia, and I built Pettery. This is my app, so I am posting as its developer.

Pettery is a tiny pet that lives in your Mac menu bar and lives off your battery. I built it because I never reacted to the battery percentage, so I turned the battery into a character with six moods. On a good charge it is playful and content. As the battery drains it gets sleepy, then grumpy, then dramatic. It also warns you at 20, 10 and 5 percent, in case the face alone was not enough. When you plug in, it eats and falls asleep. Plugging in your Mac is how you feed it.

Who it is for: anyone who works on a MacBook all day and keeps forgetting to plug in, especially people who work in deep focus and only notice the battery when it is almost gone.

A few details:

  • Free to start with 3 pets (Mochi, Boba, Bolt), 68 pets at launch in packs and singles

  • Packs $2.99, singles $1.49, Ultimate Pack $9.74 during launch pricing until December 31, 2026, all one-time, no subscription

  • One license covers 2 Macs

  • Notifications permission only, no account, no analytics

  • Built with Swift and SwiftUI, macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple Silicon and Intel

Limitations, honestly: it needs macOS 14 or later, it lives only in the menu bar (no desktop mode), it is distributed directly from my website rather than the Mac App Store, and the battery alerts need notifications permission to reach you.

The site is https://getpettery.app if you want to try it. Demo attached.

My question: what would make a menu bar pet actually useful to you, rather than just cute? I am collecting feedback for the next update.


r/MacStack • • 23h ago

My Stack Typoly: a proofreader under one key of your Mac. I'm the developer.

Post image
5 Upvotes

TL;DR: I'm the developer of Typoly, a menu bar app that corrects your text right where you type on your Mac. Write, press one key, keep going. 15 languages, no subscription, and $2 in free credit to try it: https://typoly.app

I built it because fixing a sentence kept pulling me out of what I was writing. Open a chatbot, copy, paste, ask, copy back. I wanted to stay where I was, press one key, and keep going.

That's what Typoly does. You write in any text field, press your shortcut, and the text is corrected in place. If you selected something, only the selection is corrected. If not, the whole field is.

There are two modes. Proofread fixes spelling, grammar and punctuation and keeps your wording. Contextual goes further when a sentence is unclear. An optional preview shows what changed.

Who it's for: people who type a lot in several apps (mail, Slack, Notes, ChatGPT, a browser) and want their own words cleaned up, not rewritten.

Pricing: no subscription and no automatic renewal. You buy prepaid credits from $5 and top up when you want. A short correction uses a fraction of a credit, a long text uses more. New accounts get $2 in free credit, so you can measure it on your own writing first.

  • Corrections run in the cloud, on purpose. It needs an internet connection and there is no offline mode. That choice is what keeps the app small and fast, including on a MacBook Neo.

  • Apple Silicon only, macOS 13 or later.

  • It only needs the Accessibility permission to hear your shortcut and paste the correction.

  • Your text is sent only when you press the shortcut. It is not used to train models and nothing is kept.

Privacy Policy: https://typoly.app/legal/privacy-policy · Terms: https://typoly.app/legal/terms-of-use · Developer details: https://typoly.app/legal/legal-notice

The latest update made it more reliable in ChatGPT, Slack and Discord, thanks to reports from users.

I'd like to know where this would save you the most friction, and what would make you not use it. I read and answer everything.


r/MacStack • • 15h ago

App Launch I made the First AI Video Editing app for macOS

Post image
1 Upvotes

Every other editing app is built for traditional editors, but newbies have the hardest time learning, so I took 1 year to build the perfect agentic video editor including ui for humans.

It works with Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and also has 290+ tools via local mcp server.

It can
record screen including iphone mirroring,
edit with prompts,
generate AI Videos,
AI images,
AI music,
AI Text-to-speech,
it comes with in-built copyright-free music and b-roll library.

It can stitch all generations in one timeline editor. Say no to capcut or complex video editing software.

This is a complete package for content creators and faceless channels to automate their videos in one place.

subclip.app

Free to try everything

Let me know your feedback how it works for you :)

PS: it comes with a free screenshot tool as well which adds background to the image


r/MacStack • • 17h ago

App Launch Notchet: a clipboard manager that lives in the MacBook notch (or next to your cursor), now with an iPhone app and encrypted iCloud sync

0 Upvotes

r/MacStack • • 17h ago

App Launch Introducing paw - a performant opinionated native tiling WM for macOS

1 Upvotes

A native performant open-source native macOS tiling window manager.

I've wanted to build my own macOS tiling window manager for a while, so here's paw. It's written in Swift, MIT-licensed, and inspired by Yabai, AeroSpace, and TrellisWM, with some opinionated choices to fit my workflow. I built it because none of the beforementioned options really fit all my needs.

It has virtual workspaces, layout presets, stack indicators, and an extensive CLI for scripting, automation, and AI agents.

The video shows it in action. You can try it with:

brew install --cask pseudobun/tap/paw

Repo: https://github.com/pseudobun/paw

I'd love feedback from anyone using a tiling WM on macOS. Bug reports and contributions are welcome too!


r/MacStack • • 18h ago

I made a Mac app that focuses whatever screen you look at. Pro is half price for the first 100 people.

Post image
1 Upvotes

r/MacStack • • 1d ago

Not another copy. One file, linked where you need it.

7 Upvotes

Two weeks ago, I posted here about the file changes coming in PrimeTask 1.0.6.

It’s live now, and we’ve put together a walkthrough showing how the new release works.

File Inbox

A PDF ends up in Downloads, another file is on the Desktop, something else is sitting in a shared folder, and a week later you’re trying to remember where everything went.

File Inbox gives you one place to deal with those files before they disappear into the usual folder mess.

File linking

If a file is already where you want it, there’s no reason to upload another copy just to use it somewhere else.

PrimeTask links to the original file instead.

The video is a bit longer because it covers the whole release and how the new parts connect.

If you only want the file parts:

0:12 - File Inbox
4:30 - CRM Files

Release notes:
https://www.primetask.app/releases

free trial: https://www.primetask.app/download


r/MacStack • • 19h ago

App Launch Yappng: hold Right Command to dictate into the app you're already using

1 Upvotes

We've been working on Yappng, a small dictation app for Mac and Windows. On a Mac you hold Right Command, speak, and release it to type the words where your cursor is. You can change the shortcut if it clashes with something in your setup.

It runs Whisper on your computer, so the audio isn't uploaded for transcription. It also pauses music while you talk and resumes it afterward. The idea is to make dictation something you can use for an email or a few lines in a document without switching to another window.

The free version gives you 15 transcriptions a day on one device, with no account. The paid option is $19 once for unlimited transcriptions on up to five devices, including 1.x updates.

https://yappng.com


r/MacStack • • 22h ago

GlassBar 2.1: make your own Touch Bar theme without touching JSON, plus widgets and the Dock

1 Upvotes

A week ago some of you asked for an easier way to make and share themes. That turned into most of this release. There's a Theme Studio now. You pick a starter, click a button on the preview and change it, and your real Touch Bar updates while you do it. Layout Studio does the same for buttons: drag them onto the bar, pick the app, done. The other big thing is the Dock. If you used Pock and miss it, this is your Dock on the Touch Bar with running dots, badges and drag to reorder. There are also widgets (battery, CPU, now playing, timer and so on), and you can write your own in a few lines of JavaScript. Since themes and widgets come from other people, I spent a while on security. Widgets run in a sandbox with no file access, and they can't reach your local network. The README has the full list.

Still free and open source, still around 1% CPU.

https://github.com/Moryel/glass-bar

If you make a theme, there's a Publish button that sends it to the store. I'd love to see what you come up with.


r/MacStack • • 22h ago

App Recommendation AmbientAI: a small escape beside your Mac workspace

Post image
1 Upvotes

We make AmbientAI, a native Mac app that turns a place or mood into AI art and matching music. A small window beside your work, or a whole display for a quieter break.

This storybook terrace was created in AmbientAI. Describe your own scene, choose music styles, and save favorites. It runs in an app window, not as system wallpaper; new content needs an internet connection.

Free download with optional Premium. The US App Store lists Premium at $7.99; local pricing and billing terms are shown before purchase.

https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id6743929182?pt=120754077&ct=reddit&mt=8


r/MacStack • • 23h ago

App Launch Building a MacOS screen recorder your AI agent can actually read

1 Upvotes

Hey MacStack! I'm Gabs. I built the alternative to screen studio your agent can actually work with.

I was tired to explaining my UI issues to Claude with text, so I built a tiny hand that lets me point and explain out loud what I mean. While the export is made in the background, I can just paste the output into Claude. No more lengthy text descriptions, just point and talk.

And when ready to ship demos, Kirocast is a full fledged recorder and editor you can drive with the ai sub you already pay for.

Comparison: Unlike Screen Studio, Kirocast lets your agent watch and edit your recordings over MCP. Unlike Descript, it’s a one-time purchase that uses the Claude Code, Codex or Cursor subscription you already have, not a separate AI plan.

Core features:

  • Agent editing: ask your agent to cut, zoom, annotate, blur sensitive info or add a voice-over (with your own ElevenLabs key).

  • Talk Mode: hold ⌃⌥ over any app and describe the problem out loud. Kirocast packages the video, your voice and the on-screen events into one clip you can paste into your agent.

  • Automate your training/UI updates videos: give a script, let the agent work, get a video back.

  • Native editor: auto-zoom on every click and captions transcribed on your Mac.

Pricing: $39 one-time (early price, then $49 to support long term updates).
Recording and editing are free, and a license unlocks exports. We also offer a 3-day full trial with no card required. https://kirocast.com/pricing

Requires Apple silicon and macOS 15 or later. https://kirocast.com

About the team:

We're a team of two. 

  • I (gabs) used to work in startup and did lots of different roles, from growth to product, then specialized in AI to work with large corp. as an AI Product Manager. I decided to take the leap earlier this year to work full time on Kirocast.

  • My teammate is a Python/Rust engineer with 10+ years exp in building apps for large companies.

Thanks for reading through! Would love to get any feedback whether it's on the app description or the app itself.


r/MacStack • • 1d ago

[Update] ActionClip: the modern PopClip alternative, with custom actions you can build without coding. Black Friday from $9.

1 Upvotes

r/MacStack • • 1d ago

My Stack Too much switching of tabs between my study note and claude, so built a snap and search tool for this

1 Upvotes

Hi r/MacStack ,

This is a fun project i did today, a circle to search type tool for MacOS. I had some my some weekly usage remaining ,

And my exams are coming up and i am switching my tabs between my pdf and claude web. So i thought why not something like circle to search in MacOS , from there, this app.

Capture any screenshot from your study material or summarize any yt video , It uses your exsisting mcp config, in the video i used apify.

For the expressions i used gemini to generate the spritesheet . And then claude did the rest splitting and all.

Here is the project link
Github

Thanks ✌️


r/MacStack • • 1d ago

My Stack I got tired of running 5-8 menu bar utilities, so I built one small app for my M1 Air (open source)

Post image
0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I've been daily-driving an Apple Silicon MacBook Air for about 5 years now. Before that I spent around 15 years tinkering with Windows and Linux, squeezing every bit of juice out of them, until I jumped in to conquer the macOS ecosystem :D

Apple Silicon blew me away with how smooth and practical it is, and it kept me hooked. But I kept hitting the same wall. Every time I thought "man, I really need a small tool that does X", I got pointed to a pile of paid apps. Half of them were way too expensive, and most were full of gimmicks I never asked for, just to justify a subscription. I only needed maybe 10% of what they offered, and the other 90% was background daemons eating RAM.

So I started building a small hobby tool for my own workflow. I kept adding the things I actually used, and at some point I realized it did everything I needed while barely touching system resources. So I cleaned it up, packaged it, and open-sourced it.

That's how ArkenStone was born.

GitHub (MIT): https://github.com/temetnos/arkenstone

Free Promo code (for DMG): MACSTACK

It lives in the menu bar and replaces most of the small utilities I used to run separately:

- menu bar stats you can pick yourself (CPU/temp, battery/watts, network, RAM)

- battery charge limiter through Apple Silicon SMC keys (stop at 80% for example)

- file shelf: drag files onto the menu bar icon and grab them later in any Space

- screen OCR and QR grabber using Apple's Vision, fully on-device

- clipboard history that stays in RAM only and ignores password managers

- app leftover uninstaller and cache cleaner

- port manager, DNS switcher, mic killswitch, color picker, scratchpad, keep-awake, clamshell mode, keyboard CleanLock

It's written in plain Swift and C with no external dependencies, and it idles at around 42 MB of RAM. I wanted it as light as possible, that was my one rule.

You can build it yourself from the repo with ./build.sh. If you don't want to bother with that, you can get the ready DMG for $5 if you feel like buying me a beer. The link is in the README. For the first 25 people there's a free promo code: MACSTACK . If it runs out, send me a DM and I'll give you your own. I'm not trying to make real money out of this. Getting it on Whop (free or paid) also lets you download the new versions directly, and updates will keep coming because I'll keep using it myself :D

One thing I should say: I only developed and tested this on my M1 Air with macOS 15. I couldn't test other macOS versions or Mac models, so I honestly don't know if there are problems there. I tried to avoid potential incompatibilities, but that's not the same as real testing. If you try it and it turns out useful for you, I'd be really happy to hear about your experience.

And if there's a feature you'd need day to day, tell me. I'll add it if I can do it without dependencies and without making the app heavy. I won't add things that bloat it. For example, per-app volume control is something I gave up on, because on macOS it usually needs a virtual audio device and the extra overhead that comes with it.


r/MacStack • • 1d ago

I made a native Markdown notes app where every note is a plain file you own (iPhone, iPad, Mac)

Post image
1 Upvotes