Lidless

A tiny macOS menu-bar app that keeps your Mac running even with the lid closed — so coding agents (Claude Code, Codex, etc.) keep working while you move around.

Features:

• One-click keep awake with the lid closed (menu bar toggle).
• Privileged background helper (SMAppService) so toggling never asks for a password.
• Watchdog: if the app crashes or is force-quit, the helper auto-restores normal sleep — the Mac can't get stuck awake.
• Safety guards: pause when running hot, only-while-charging, and a low-battery cutoff.
• Auto-off timer: optionally turn keep-awake off after 15 min – 4 hours, with a live countdown.
• Automatic updates via Sparkle — EdDSA-signed appcast, notarized DMGs.
• Launch at login, and a clean menu with battery/power status.

How it works:

macOS sleeps when you close the lid. The reliable way to override that on Apple Silicon is the SleepDisabled flag in IOPMrootDomain (what sudo pmset -a disablesleep 1 sets). caffeinate does not prevent lid-close sleep — only this flag does.

The app talks to a root helper over XPC; the helper flips the flag with no admin prompt and runs a heartbeat watchdog. If the app stops checking in (>90s), the helper restores sleep.