Native macOS 13+ • Universal for Apple Silicon (M1-M4) & Intel

Keep your MacBook running
with the lid closed.

No external display, power bricks, or dummy HDMI plugs required. OpenLid controls kernel sleep assertions directly from your menu bar with automatic thermal breakers and battery margin cutoffs.

Download OpenLid Interactive 3D Simulator ↓
Engine Connected
Listening on 127.0.0.1:31415
CLAMSHELL SENSOR Open
POWER SOURCE AC Power (96% ⚡️)
THERMAL PRESSURE Nominal (Cool)
ASSERTION STATE Active (Awake)

Interactive 3D Clamshell Engine

Drag to inspect in 360°. Adjust the hinge angle to test how OpenLid maintains system execution when the lid closes.

3D WebGL MacBook Pro Physics Simulator
📖 SCREEN OPEN • Display Active
Kernel Assertion: kIOPMAssertionTypePreventSystemSleep
SMC Clamshell Hook: AppleClamshellState Overridden
Hardware Watchdog: ProcessInfo Thermal Safety Active
🖱️ Drag to rotate 360° • Pinch / scroll to inspect
Lid: 112° (Fully Open)

Download OpenLid

Standalone `.dmg` installers and `.zip` archives compiled natively for each Mac processor architecture.

RECOMMENDED FOR MODERN MACS

Apple Silicon

arm64 • M1, M2, M3, M4, Pro, Max, Ultra

Compiled natively for Apple Silicon efficiency and performance cores. Instantaneous wake with negligible memory overhead and zero translation penalties.

Download DMG (Installer) Download ZIP (.zip) M1, M2, M3, M4 • Includes Move-to-Applications Helper

Intel Processor

x86_64 • Core i5, i7, i9 MacBooks

Engineered for legacy Intel MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with direct SMC power assertions and dedicated thermal fan safeguards.

Download DMG (Installer) Download ZIP (.zip) Intel x86_64 • Includes Move-to-Applications Helper
Homebrew Universal Binary
brew install --cask openlid

How OpenLid Works

Standard user-space tools sleep upon clamshell close. OpenLid intercepts kernel interrupts cleanly.

01 / INTERRUPT

The Clamshell Trap

Closing the lid fires a hardware interrupt directly into IOPMrootDomain. Normal utilities like caffeinate or NSProcessInfo.beginActivity are bypassed by macOS unless an external monitor is attached.

02 / KERNEL

Kernel Sleep Modulation

OpenLid controls the kernel flag via pmset -a disablesleep 1 paired with an active kIOPMAssertionTypePreventSystemSleep token. CPUs, network adapters, and background daemons keep running without powering the LCD backlight.

03 / SECURITY

Zero-Popup Touch ID Helper

Power management modifications require elevated privileges. OpenLid writes a scoped sudoers definition (/etc/sudoers.d/openlid) validated once via Touch ID, permitting instant toggles in <30ms without password dialogues.

Hardware Safety by Design

Running a laptop with a closed lid in a bag or enclosed space can lead to heat accumulation. OpenLid implements automated fail-safes to protect your silicon:

🌡️ Thermal Overheating Breaker

Monitors ProcessInfo.processInfo.thermalState in real-time. If thermal levels escalate to .serious or .critical, OpenLid drops all sleep assertions and lets the machine sleep safely.

🔋 Configurable Battery Floor

Avoid waking up to an empty battery. OpenLid tracks IOPSCopyPowerSourcesInfo and halts sleep prevention when battery drops below your chosen margin (default 15%).

🛡️ Signal Trap Cleanups

Intercepts SIGINT, SIGTERM, and unhandled exits to guarantee kernel sleep settings are cleanly restored to system default.

Scriptable Command-Line Interface

Automate OpenLid from terminal scripts, Raycast shortcuts, or remote SSH sessions.

openlid --status
$ openlid status 
================ OpenLid Status ================
• Closed-Lid Running: 🟢 ACTIVE (Eye Vigilant)
• Physical Lid:       🔒 CLOSED
• Power Source:       ⚡️ Connected to AC Power
• Battery Level:      96% (Charging ⚡️)
• Thermal State:      Nominal (Cool)
• Passwordless Helper: Installed ✅
================================================
$ openlid on --duration 1h 
⏳ Enabling OpenLid (duration: 1 Hour)...
✅ OpenLid is ACTIVE! Your MacBook will continue running with the lid closed.
⏱ Session will run for 60 minutes.