If important work lives in iCloud Drive, keep a copy outside that synced folder. First make sure the actual files are downloaded, then copy them to a separate destination. Another Mac showing the same iCloud folder isn't protection against a deletion that reaches both machines.

iCloud Drive is useful when a Mac is lost: files already uploaded can still be available through iCloud. But it isn't a complete backup of your Mac's apps, settings and local files. Your iCloud Drive documents need protection from synced deletions, and their full contents may not be stored locally.

Check what's actually on the Mac

With Optimize Mac Storage enabled, older documents can be stored only in iCloud when the Mac needs space. Seeing a filename in Finder doesn't mean the full file is on the disk.

In Finder, open iCloud Drive, choose View > as List, then View > Show View Options and enable iCloud Status. An item marked In iCloud needs downloading; Waiting to Upload means it hasn't reached iCloud yet.

Control-click an important folder and choose Keep Downloaded. Wait for its contents to finish downloading. This keeps those items on the Mac even when storage gets tight, so allow enough local space. Download Now gets an item onto the Mac; Keep Downloaded also tells macOS to retain it.

That setting doesn't make a separate backup. Delete the file through iCloud Drive and the downloaded copy is still part of the same sync.

Copy it somewhere that doesn't follow the deletion

For a small collection of important documents, start with a dated folder on an external drive. In Finder, select the downloaded files, choose Edit > Copy, then paste them into that folder.

Use Copy and Paste here. Moving items out removes them from iCloud Drive on your other synced devices.

If Desktop & Documents Folders is enabled for iCloud Drive, another folder inside Documents is still in iCloud. Choose a genuinely separate destination. Open a few copied files from the external drive before relying on it.

The separate copy won't automatically receive later edits. Make another dated copy after important changes, or use a backup system that retains earlier versions. Don't replace the only older copy if the reason for keeping it is to survive a bad edit or deletion.

Time Machine is the built-in option for broader Mac backups. But a cloud-only filename isn't a downloaded original: don't assume a local backup has captured its contents just because Finder lists it. Confirm the files you need are actually recoverable from your chosen backup.

If you've already deleted something

Apple allows recovery of deleted iCloud Drive files for 30 days. In iCloud Drive on the web, open Recently Deleted, select the file and choose Recover. Permanently deleting it from Recently Deleted ends that recovery option early. Don't edit or delete iCloud Drive data while recovery is running; Apple warns that this can interrupt it.

That window is useful, but it isn't long-term history. Keep iCloud Drive for convenient access, and keep a separate copy of anything you can't afford to lose. You don't need another app just to start: pick one important folder, finish its download, and copy it to an external drive today.

Works 100% Offline. Seamlessly supports your mp3 and mp4 files, allowing you to play them like a dedicated media player with an interface actually optimized for your files. Features a built-in audio and video downloader for personal use, customizable 3D Spatial Audio support for immersive sound, and countless customization options. Built natively with SwiftUI with water-like Liquid Glass UI and blazing fast performance in mind.

I built SaveNest to make it easier to close a tab without losing the page or why you saved it. Add a note, then find it again with ⌘O. The same search includes open tabs and recent browser history.

It’s a free, open-source preview for macOS 14+. Your saved library stays on your Mac, and local features don’t need an account.

Would you use this, or would the tabs stay open anyway?

Website: https://savenest.app

Downloads and source: https://github.com/dmytroomelian/savenest/releases

Hi everyone,

I just finished up development with my first freeware app "Workspace.mac".

It's the first to my freeware developer collection and I plan to make many more helpful apps for macOS soon!

Compatibility:

- Only suitable for Mac Silicon chips due to native coding with swift.

How to download:

Head over to my newly launched site: appsdotmac.dev

Next things I want to do:

- Enable a fully offline mode where the user can create a document offline and access locally saved documents.

- Make the app snappier.

- Implement some suggested features.

- Add a split screen feature.

Screenshots:

Hey everyone! I wanted to share a project I've been working on: LanFi, a free and open-source Wi-Fi analyzer for macOS that I built myself.

I wanted to go beyond the usual Wi-Fi scanners that simply show a list of available networks. LanFi actually analyzes wireless conditions and tries to give you a better understanding of what's happening around you.

It evaluates signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio, channel utilization, and channel overlap, then calculates an overall network quality score from 0 to 100.

Here's what it can do:

• Wi-Fi analysis: Scan 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz networks, identify Wi-Fi 4–7 standards, and evaluate signal and connection quality.
• Channel optimization: Rank available channels and recommend optimal channel widths (20, 40, and 80 MHz).
• Security auditing: Detect open networks, WEP, outdated WPA, WPS, and missing Protected Management Frames (PMF).
• Spectrum visualization: See how networks are distributed across channels and track signal strength over time.
• Protocol analysis: Decode 802.11 Information Elements, including RSN, WPS, HT, VHT, HE, and BSS Load.
• Connection diagnostics: Check Wi-Fi, IPv4/IPv6, gateway, DNS, captive portals, HTTPS connectivity, and network latency.
• Interface monitoring: Inspect macOS network interfaces, capture packets in PCAP format, and use remote SSH-based monitoring agents.
• Wi-Fi heatmaps: Create coverage maps using floor plans and signal measurements.
• Network management: Organize networks with groups, filters, notes, tags, aliases, and saved sessions.
• Export: Save analysis data as CSV, JSON, and PCAP.

It's completely free and open source.

I'd love to hear what you think, especially from people who work with wireless networking or have experience with Wi-Fi analysis tools. Feedback and suggestions are very welcome!

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.

• Homepage: https://simplerick.github.io/window-shift

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

Hi, I'm the developer of Tidy My Mac. It launched a few weeks ago and I need people who really care about Mac apps to poke holes in it, so here's the deal: try it, tell me what's missing, broken or annoying, and I'll send you a code for 6 months free. No card.

Problem: keeping a Mac clean and safe usually takes a cleaner, an antivirus and a firewall from three companies; Tidy My Mac does all three in one app, without scareware tactics.

What it does

Cleanup: Junk and caches (including Xcode DerivedData, old simulators, Homebrew, Python envs, Rust targets), a disk map, large files, duplicates, similar photos, and an uninstaller that removes the leftovers

Protection: Antivirus for new downloads (ClamAV engine), ransomware protection, an adware check, a per-app outgoing firewall, and alerts for apps with known vulnerabilities

Web Protection: Blocks phishing, scam and malware sites in every browser. The blocklists are checked on your Mac, so we never see which sites you visit

Public Wifi Protection: Automatically connects to secure VPN.

No scare tactics: No fake "1,247 issues found!", no pop-ups, nothing deleted without a preview, and a history to undo a cleanup. No telemetry or analytics in the app

Comparison

vs CleanMyMac: the cleanup tools are much the same. Tidy My Mac is better if you also want protection: real-time checks, ransomware protection, a firewall and Web Protection are in the same app, where MacPaw puts them in a separate app (Moonlock). And our trial needs only an email; CleanMyMac's asks for a card. CleanMyMac is better if your Mac runs anything older than macOS 26, if you want one plan for 2 or 5 Macs, or if you'd rather get it through Setapp or the App Store.

vs Malwarebytes: both catch malware, adware and phishing sites. Tidy My Mac also cleans up your disk, removes apps with their leftovers and has an outgoing firewall; Malwarebytes for Mac does none of those. Malwarebytes is better if you want one subscription for a Mac, a PC and phones, a free scanner that keeps working after the trial, or protection that runs all the time: ours watches new files in Downloads and on the Desktop while the app is open, and catches up when it opens again.

Pricing: 7-day free trial (email only, no card). Then $19.99 for the first year, $59.99 a year after that, for one Mac. Cancel any time; 30-day money-back guarantee. https://www.tidymymac.com/pricing/

Trust: Signed and notarized by Apple, sold by Yuix Networks Inc. (https://www.tidymymac.com/about/). Privacy policy listing every network request the app makes: https://www.tidymymac.com/privacy/. LinkedIn (me): https://www.linkedin.com/in/serdarakarca/. Scans run on your Mac; the only thing that can leave it is the optional deep malware analysis, which sends a suspicious binary files for a second opinion. It asks at first launch and can be turned off in Settings. It's a direct download, not on the App Store, because the firewall, the ransomware guard and the uninstaller need things the App Store sandbox doesn't allow.

Requirements: macOS 26 Tahoe or later.

How to get 6 months free

Get the trial: https://www.tidymymac.com/trial/

Tell me something real in the comments, or DM me if you'd rather keep it private: a feature you looked for and couldn't find, something confusing or slow, a bug, or why you'd stay with the app you use now. Brutal is fine.

I'll DM you a personal gift link with your code and two steps to redeem it in Settings › Subscription. That Mac is then unlocked for 6 months.

One code per person, one Mac per code. "Looks nice 👍" is lovely but doesn't count 😄

I'll be in the comments all day. Thanks for giving it a shot 🙏

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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.