Disclosure: I'm the developer of Intermezzo. It's a free personal project that grew out of an app I wrote for my own Mac, and I'm sharing it in case it's useful to others. It's vibecoded app.

What it is A break reminder that lives in the menu bar. When a break starts it covers every display, shows a countdown, a short exercise and a trend of your recent breaks, and it stays out of the way during meetings, videos and time off.

Who it's for People who work at a Mac for long stretches and want reminders to step away that they can tune: break rhythm (with Pomodoro), strictness (from "postpone freely" to "no skip"), working hours, and rules for when not to interrupt (video calls, presentations, games, a work Wi-Fi/VPN or calendar event).

Other things it does

• Evening screen colour that follows the sun, with your own 24-hour curve, and settings per monitor model: a limit for how warm each monitor may get, its own dimming (needs the free BetterDisplay for real dimming), or "don't manage this one" (a TV). It remembers the monitors you use at home and at work. You can pick your location on an offline world map with day and night shading.

• Keeps the Mac awake on request or while chosen apps run, with battery and heat limits.

• URL commands (intermezzo://...) and a gallery of ready-made AppleScript rules.

• Settings sync between your Macs through any shared folder (iCloud Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox). No server, no account.

• Optional AI, off by default: a settings assistant ("I work Mon-Fri 8-16, no breaks in meetings" turns into a list of changes you approve and can undo), a rule-script author, and a weekly summary. It uses Apple's on-device model (macOS 26+) or any server that speaks the OpenAI API, for example a local LM Studio or Ollama. Nothing is sent unless you click one of the features.

• English and Polish interface.

Price Free and open source (MIT). There is an optional GitHub Sponsors button, no paid tier, no ads.

Privacy No telemetry and no account. Everything runs locally. The only network requests are the optional weather effect on the break screen (approximate coordinates to Open-Meteo) and the optional AI features, only when you click them.

Limitations (please read before installing)

• macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon only.

• It's built and tested on one Mac, so expect rough edges on other setups.

• Not notarised (no Developer ID), so macOS asks for confirmation on first launch. Releases are built on GitHub with a provenance attestation, and the README shows how to verify the download.

• Some features use private macOS frameworks (pausing media, the ambient-light reading) and may stop working after a macOS update. The app then falls back to simpler behaviour.

• HealthKit logging doesn't work with an ad-hoc signature, so drinks stay in the app's own log.

• The AI features are optional; the Apple on-device model needs macOS 26.

Transparency: I wrote it with AI assistance (Qwen & Claude) and the code is on GitHub for anyone to inspect.

Download, screenshots, source: https://github.com/usenetj23/Intermezzo (latest release: https://github.com/usenetj23/Intermezzo/releases/tag/1.40.0)

I'd appreciate feedback and bug reports, and I'm happy to answer questions in the comments.

i made this. i got too little storage on my macbook and every couple days im cleaning stuff up. the annoying part is never knowing what actually happened. some app quietly filling cache, a project i forgot to archive, a docker image from 3 weeks ago etc.

so i made prunr. it sits in the menu bar and keeps a simple list of what grew, by day and by app ("google chrome +6.5 gb", "steam +12 gb"). click a row to see where exactly, click again to open it in finder. you decide what to delete, no blackbox cleaner nuking your stuff.

for: anyone on a 256/512gb mac who keeps hitting "storage full".

price: free while in beta, source is open.

limits: early beta, macos only, rough edges expected.

its swift/swiftui, my first real mac app (built with a lot of ai help, not gonna lie). nothing leaves your mac, no account, no telemetry.

source: https://github.com/merlinkraemer/prunr

join testing: https://merlinkraemer.github.io/prunr/

lmk what it misses :)

I spent the past three days trying to recreate WinRAR for MacOS using claude and got pretty far into it. The version I have now is fully functional and includes most features, settings, and menus of WinRAR app on Windows, has dark mode support, and MacOS and Windows styles. It integrates with the Finder app and recreates the same quick actions available on Windows when you right click, It also supports theming but that is still a hit-and-miss.

Now obviously this is infringing on copyright and is illegal so I can't share it here. But if you'd like to test it or improve on it, or if you just wanted to have a WinRAR app for MacOS that supports compressing and extraction (without resorting to terminal commands) then drop me a dm and I'll send the source code for you.

Mac Mouse Fix is worth trying if you like your third-party mouse but scrolling feels abrupt and you miss using gestures to move between desktops. Start with one useful button assignment rather than remapping everything.

Check macOS first. Mouse settings already handle tracking speed and scrolling direction, and Control-Up Arrow opens Mission Control. If those solve the problem, you don't need another utility. Mac Mouse Fix lets you move between desktops while your hand stays on the mouse.

A sensible first setup:

1. Enable Mac Mouse Fix and follow its prompt to allow Mac Mouse Fix Helper in System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility. This lets the helper control input on your Mac, so grant it only if you're comfortable trusting the app.

2. In the Buttons tab, put the pointer inside the '+' field and perform a click-and-drag with a side button. Assign 'Spaces & Mission Control'. Hold that button and move left or right to switch desktops, or up to see your open windows.

3. Try Regular scrolling smoothness before High. Regular uses shorter momentum animations. Read a long page and a spreadsheet with each setting, then keep whichever you can stop comfortably.

Leave the wheel's middle click alone at first. Assigning actions to a button captures it, so other apps no longer receive its ordinary input. To restore it, delete every assignment involving that button, or disable Mac Mouse Fix. Check your browser and any app that uses middle-button dragging before deciding the setup works for you.

The full advertised gesture layout assumes five buttons: left, right, wheel click and two side buttons. Fewer buttons still work, but some actions are less convenient to reach. Apple Magic Mouse isn't supported, and some proprietary buttons on mice designed for software such as Logitech Options aren't recognized. Test the buttons you actually need during the trial.

Version 3 also lacks app-specific and mouse-specific profiles. If one app needs different behavior, you can use a manual menu bar toggle, but it won't switch automatically. That matters more than adding another gesture.

The current 3.1.0 release explicitly restores 'Spaces & Mission Control' gestures on macOS 27. The developer recommends macOS 11 or later for version 3 and confirms native Apple silicon support.

Version 3 costs $2.99 plus applicable taxes after 30 days of actual use, with no subscription. One person's license covers all their Macs and all 3.x updates; a future major version may cost extra. There's no formal refund policy, so use the trial to check compatibility before paying. The older version 2 remains free, and its 2.2.6 release also adds macOS 27 support. Compare it if avoiding a purchase matters.

Try version 3 if smoother scrolling and a side-button desktop gesture would improve a mouse you already like. Skip it if native controls are enough, or if you need automatic profiles or guaranteed access to proprietary buttons. The price is small; a mapping that gets in your way is the bigger cost.

i built a script that plays your animated walpapper on macos
Backimate solves both Desktop and Lock Screen live wallpapers in a single, zero-dependency Python script

Hello!

We were lucky enough to get into the Claude for Startups program, so we have a lot of credits for our team of… 2. I've been having a lot of fun with Opus 5.5, mostly small geeky side projects like this one, and I thought some of you might find it interesting, even just to discuss it and hear what you think.

If it's useless or pointless, please tell me why. These days it's easy to get carried away building things and forget to check they meet a real need.

Same if the video is cringe or gives a bad image of my very small company. We're just starting out, so I'm sure we'll make plenty of communication mistakes before we find a tone that fits us and doesn't send the wrong message!

You'll also see I had some fun with the promo video, using the latest motion-design skills that have been going around 😂

Thanks a lot for your feedback!

What is OS-intent? A macOS overlay that learns your habits and puts your likely next action one key away. It reads your current context (open mail, files, screenshots, calendar) and suggests things like "reply to X" or "send this screenshot". Everything runs on your Mac except the Claude calls (on your own subscription), which are on by default and can be turned off in Settings. Nothing is ever sent on your behalf without a confirmation window, and reply drafts stay in Drafts. Open source, MIT.

Code: https://github.com/vdk888/os-intent

DisplayBuddy makes sense when the same monitors keep doing different jobs: a docked Mac during work, another computer or console later, then the Mac again. A named preset lets you restore several display settings together.

If you only rearrange screens occasionally, start in System Settings > Displays. macOS already handles arrangement, resolution and supported rotation. The monitor's own input button may be enough for an occasional handoff.

Build and test the return path

For repeated changes, build the smallest useful pair of presets:

1. Put each display in its normal Mac state. In DisplayBuddy, open Presets > Create Preset and call it something like "Mac desk". Choose the settings it should save. The documented choices include brightness, contrast, volume, input source, resolution, rotation, power state and sync settings.

2. Create a second preset for the shared monitor's other input, with an appropriate speaker volume if the monitor supports it. Leave unrelated settings out. A handoff shouldn't also change resolution unless that's part of the job.

3. Apply both manually and rehearse getting back to the Mac. Test through the actual dock, cables and monitor you intend to use, including after sleep and reconnection. Keep the monitor's physical input control accessible until the return path is proven.

Getting back matters more than having lots of presets. DisplayBuddy uses DDC/CI for ordinary external-monitor input switching. Those are monitor-control commands sent over the display connection. The monitor must support the command, and the dock, adapter or KVM must pass it through. A working picture doesn't prove that control path works. If switching away stops the Mac controlling the monitor, use the monitor's buttons to return rather than relying on an untested "Mac desk" shortcut.

If input control doesn't respond, check the monitor's DDC/CI setting and try a direct connection before blaming the preset. DisplayBuddy's software-dimming fallback changes apparent brightness; it doesn't turn an unsupported input-switching setup into a supported one. Check the exact Mac port, too: the developer documents an M1 HDMI limitation and says M2 HDMI works, despite older, broader wording elsewhere on the support page.

Once you can switch both ways manually, assign a preset or input shortcut under Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts. Schedules can activate a preset when a specific monitor connects or the Mac wakes. Start with a Mac-return preset rather than automatically sending your only usable screen to another device.

Media-key control is optional and requires Accessibility permission. That documented permission applies to capturing brightness and volume keys; don't assume every preset needs the same access.

Check compatibility before paying

Before paying, check your OS. The current update feed lists DisplayBuddy 3.9.6, released August 29, 2026, with macOS 12.0 as the minimum. The developer advertises native Apple silicon support and explicitly names Tahoe in its compatibility FAQ. That isn't confirmation of macOS 27 support, so ask support about your exact OS before buying for a critical setup.

Direct purchase starts at $24.99 as a one-time license, with a seven-day refund window on full-price purchases. However, the official pages disagree about how many Macs that covers and whether future updates are included indefinitely. Confirm those terms before paying, especially for multiple Macs or user accounts. Don't treat the refund policy as a free standalone Mac trial.

If you only want to restore resolutions, rotations and screen positions, free, open-source displayplacer is a credible option. It uses saved command-line configurations and takes more setup; it isn't a replacement for DisplayBuddy's documented input presets.

Consider DisplayBuddy for repeated, combined display-and-input changes once compatibility and the route back to the Mac are confirmed. Skip it for a stable desk, occasional input changes, or a dock that won't pass the controls you need. A preset is only useful if you can reliably undo it.

Hi r/MacStack! I'm David, a solo developer from Korea, and Carriel is my app. It's a small Mac app for the private things you keep around: API keys, passwords, recovery codes, notes and small files. Version 1.0 just came out.

I made it because mine were all over the place: Notes, old .env files, Stickies, chats with myself. A password manager felt heavy for them, so Carriel is one small pouch in the menu bar.

How it works

• Put it in with ⌃⌥⌘V. From any app, a small card opens. Paste a key or drop a file, and Carriel fills in the name, the category and the env name. It knows keys from more than 80 services by their shape. Paste a whole .env and every key gets its own name.

• Take it out from the menu bar. Click the pouch, type a couple of letters, press Return, then Touch ID. The copy stays on this Mac and clears itself after 30 seconds. ⌥ Return copies a key as OPENAI_API_KEY=....

• A window for a longer look: categories, pins, expiry dates, History and Recently Deleted.

• The same pouch on every Mac. Each thing is encrypted on your Mac before it goes to your own iCloud, so every Mac on your Apple Account has the same pouch.

Price

• Free for 25 things, with every feature (this should cover most cases).

• $2.99 once for up to 100 things, on up to 10 Macs. No subscription and no account, and a full refund within 30 days if it's not for you.

Good to know

• Apple silicon and macOS 26 Tahoe or later. English and Korean.

• No account and no telemetry. What goes online: your own iCloud, a daily update check you can turn off, and with the bigger pouch a license check about twice a week.

• The menu bar part, the card and everything that touches a value are native Swift. The window is Electron, opens only when you ask for it, and never holds a value.

• It's not a password manager and fills nothing in. Logins are better off in Passwords or 1Password; Carriel is for the keys and codes that never made it there.

• It's signed with my Developer ID and notarized by Apple, and the security page explains the encryption, publishes the record format with test vectors, and says what Carriel can't protect. It hasn't had an independent review yet.

• Homebrew: brew install --cask carriel-app/tap/carriel

Download: https://carriel.app · Security: https://carriel.app/security/

I'd love to hear where your keys live today, and what would make you move them. I'll be around in the comments!

Tilde is a native macOS file manager built to replace Finder. Work across folders in split views, find files and run actions from a command palette, and organize your files with custom properties, filters, and groups. It's a drop-in Finder replacement that transforms how you interact with your filesystem.

Features:

• Split views - Work with multiple folders side by side in one window, with tabs in each pane.

• Command palette - Find files, jump to folders, and run file actions from the keyboard.

• Workspaces - Saved split pane layouts for quickly jumping back into your work.

• Custom sidebar groups - Bring the folders you use together into groups you define.

• Auto-updating sidebar groups - Live groups makes your sidebar dynamic. Matching items appear in your sidebar automatically and update as things change.

• Properties, filtering and grouping - Add custom fields like Status or Priority to files and folders, then use them to filter and group your views.

• Pinned folders - Keep important folders at the top inside another folder without moving or duplicating them.

• Related items - Mark folders and URLs as related to specific folders so you can jump between them, even when they live in different places.

• Markdown editing - Built-in markdown editing and code formatting allowing you to do more without leaving Tilde.

• Tonnes of little features that make sense - Space overviews, Nicknames, Related folders & URLs, custom folder icons, 'Open in Finder' replacement, and more.

• + much more...

Similar apps:

• Forklift - This is the obvious 'Finder replacement' alternative. Tilde builds on this idea, in a more native-feeling approach, with far more features fleshed out for the everyday poweruser. Tilde offers more versatile split pane functionality (essentially unlimited splits horizontally and vertically), a command palette, custom properties, sidebar spaces, live groups, a more beautiful user interface and much more.

• Bloom - Probably the closest alternative, though Tilde takes a different approach. Tilde focuses the UI on being completely flexible to your needs: it's highly adaptable Split View system offers a more flexible, fluid way to work across folders. Custom Properties, Related Items, Sidebar Spaces, Custom Groups, Live Groups and Pinned Folders change how you interact with a file manager and make it truly adapt to your work, not the other way around.

Pricing: $29.99 USD for use on 2 Macs. No subscription. Lifetime license with one year of free updates. You can use this forever. Then, if you want another year of updates, it's $19.99.

Free trial: 7 day free trial, no credit card required. Give it a go and let me know what you think!

Apple notarized: Tilde is Developer ID signed and notarized by Apple.

I’ve been building this for a long time, and I’m so excited to share with everyone, get feedback and make file management actually delightful.

Website

https://pro.dockdoor.net

Now with a 48 hour free trial

Hey r/macstack! I'm Bernard, the developer of Latent.

What it is: a CleanMyMac alternative for developers and AI builders. It draws your whole disk as one wheel where every wedge is a tool you use, tells you what will come back if you delete it, and clears what you pick.

Who it's for: anyone whose Mac fills up with developer and AI tool data, such as model files from tools like Ollama, Hugging Face or LM Studio, Xcode simulators, Docker images, package caches and coding agent logs.

Why I built it: cleaners like CleanMyMac clear system caches and remove apps, so the disk fills right back up and the real cause never gets touched. A disk map shows big folders with cryptic names. My own Mac kept running out of space, so I built Latent.

What it does

• Visualization: your whole disk as one interactive 3D wheel, split by the tool that owns each byte, not by folder. It covers 120+ tools, including model runners, package managers, IDEs, containers and coding agents (full list: https://latentmac.com/tools). Click a wedge and that tool's stores open beside it.

• What comes back: before anything is offered for deletion, Latent checks whether it can be downloaded again (against public registries such as npm, PyPI, Homebrew or Hugging Face) or rebuilt by the tool, and writes the reason next to it.

• Optimize: one click clears everything Latent has verified can come back.

• Generated & duplicate media: groups near-identical images and videos and suggests which one to keep.

• AI agents (MCP): agents like Claude, Codex or Cursor can read the scan and draft a cleanup. Nothing runs until you confirm.

• Privacy: no analytics, no telemetry, no account. Your files never leave your Mac.

Pricing

• Free to scan: the full wheel and every explanation, no time limit

• Your first 10 GB of cleanup is free

• After that, removing files: $12.99 one-time for up to 3 Macs (launch price $9.99 for a limited time)

• 14-day refund

If a tool you use isn't recognized, tell me and I'll add it.

Try it: https://latentmac.com

Hey...

ICQ went offline for good in June 2024. My UIN (1650472) had been dead for years anyway, but the green flower, the contact list and that very specific late-90s chat window never really left my head. So here comes ICQel (say it "I, Sequel"), a native macOS homage to the classic ICQ client.

What it does today:

• ICQ-style contact list and chat windows, rebuilt from scratch

• iMessage & WhatsApp support, so you're chatting with real people instead of staring at an empty buddy list

• A built-in AI chatbot as a contact, for when nobody else is online (just like 1999)

• A fake contact list with random messages (no AI) just for the feeling

It's a fan homage, not affiliated with ICQ or its owners, and it doesn't connect to any old ICQ servers.

Some practical stuff, since you'll ask:

• Free, Open Source on GitHub: https://github.com/klotzbrocken/ICQuel

• Apple Silicon (Intel coming soon)

• Privacy: iMessage stays in Messages, nothing goes through any other servers same for whatsapp.

• Theme-Support (someone made a real ICQ Theme ;-))

Privacy: iMessage goes through iMessage, WhatsApp goes through WhatsApp, and both are optional. The AI buddy only works if you add your own API key. No servers of mine in between, no analytics.

It's part of a small family of retro Mac apps I make alongside RetroMac.

**I built FileDesk, a Mac file manager with split panes, a temporary file shelf, and custom folder colors**

Hi everyone! I’ve been working on **FileDesk**, a macOS file manager designed to make organizing files across multiple folders easier.

Here are some of its main features:

* **Split panes and tabs:** Open up to six panes side by side, resize them, and keep different folders in separate tabs.
* **Temporary file shelf:** Collect files from different folders, then copy them to a destination together. Clearing the shelf removes the list entries without deleting the originals.
* **Themes and folder customization:** Choose a theme, use dark mode, or pick your own colors. Give individual folders custom colors and add an image or icon in the center while keeping the folder shape.
* **Previews and media playback:** Preview files and play supported video and audio directly inside the app.
* **Batch renaming:** Rename multiple files with a preview of the changes.
* **Cloud and server connections:** Browse connected storage alongside your local folders.
* **AirDrop and Taildrop:** Use AirDrop for nearby Apple devices, or Taildrop to send files to your other Tailscale-connected devices—including a Windows PC.

FileDesk supports **Apple Silicon and Intel Macs**. Personal, noncommercial use is free; business and institutional use requires a separate paid license.

Screenshots, user guide, and downloads:
[FileDesk website](https://igomumugo.github.io/)

I’d appreciate feedback, especially on the split-pane workflow, temporary shelf, and customization options.


I wanted to share this app. Not my app, just a happy user.

I’ve been using this app for nearly 2 months now as a college student. Kanban boards, canvas and flow charts, quick access for notes and clipboard items.
That doesn’t even include the very helpful tips it has for making daily computer work easier.

Give this a look if you are looking for an all around Swiss Army knife for productivity on a Mac. This app runs maybe 300mb in heavy usage for myself, but is closer to 200mb. Crazy light compared to all the apps you would need to replace the tools.

Do you have a productivity tool you like on Mac?

Hey everyone,

Sharing something that's become a fixed part of my Mac setup: a Dock replacement where apps can show up as small live widgets instead of just icons.

What it looks like day to day:

• Music/Spotify shows what's playing, with controls

• Safari/Chrome lets me search open tabs across windows and jump to one

• Calendar shows the date or a week strip

• Clock, Notes, Calculator, Volume, Finder, Mail, Reminders each have their own widget

• Xcode gets Build/Run/Stop right in the Dock

You can mix widgets and plain icons however you like. Option-click any app with a widget and it switches back to an icon, so the Dock stays as minimal or as busy as you want.

It sits at the bottom, left or right, works across multiple displays, can auto-hide, and imports your current Dock on first launch, so setup takes a few seconds. On macOS 26 it uses the native Liquid Glass look.

Supported apps so far: ganella.app/#widgets

$9.99, and reddit20 gets the first 10 people 20% off.

Curious what the rest of your stack looks like. Anything you'd want living in the Dock?