Sleepless for MAC
Free, open-source menu bar app that keeps a MacBook awake with the lid closed, on battery and with no external display, with a timer and battery floor.
Sleepless Overview
Sleepless is a small menu bar app that keeps a MacBook awake with the lid closed, even on battery and with no external display attached. Closing the lid normally puts a Mac to sleep, and apps built on caffeinate cannot change that. Sleepless switches the one setting that can, pmset disablesleep, then reads it back so the menu bar always shows the real state. You click the cup in the menu bar, flip the switch and close the lid. It suits overnight builds and renders, big downloads and backups, a hotspot shared from your bag, or a local server or SSH session you want to keep reachable.
Because forgetting a switch like this could drain a battery, Sleepless has safety nets: a 1-hour or 2-hour auto-off timer, a battery floor between 5% and 50%, and it steps aside in Low Power Mode on battery. A reboot also resets it. Sleepless is made by Adam Boudjemaa and is free and open source under the MIT License. Version 1.2.7 needs macOS 26 or later on Apple Silicon. Some honest notes: the app is ad-hoc signed and not notarized, so you approve it under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Open Anyway. It needs a one-time sudo grant limited to two exact pmset commands, added through the included script, and it uses no kernel extension or daemon. The developer says it is safe for light unattended work, but heavy sustained load with the lid shut reduces airflow, and how it behaves depends on your hardware and macOS version.
Key Features
Sleepless gives a MacBook one simple switch for staying awake with the lid shut.
- One switch: click the menu bar cup and flip the toggle.
- Auto-off timer: 1 hour or 2 hours with a live countdown.
- Battery floor: turns off at 5–50% on battery, 15% by default.
- Low Power Mode: steps aside when it is on, on battery.
- No dongle: no monitor or HDMI plug needed with the lid closed.
- Launch at login: optional, off by default, always starts idle.
- Clear status: the cup shows off, awake, or awake on battery.
- Tiny and native: one AppKit file, no Dock icon, daemon or kext.
What’s New in Version 1.2.7
Sleepless 1.2.7 redesigns the menu bar icon so its three states are easy to tell apart.
- The icon now changes shape: an empty cup when off, a steaming cup when keeping the Mac awake, and a steaming cup with a dot when awake on battery.
- It stays a monochrome template icon that adapts to light and dark menu bars.
Sleepless FAQ
Is Sleepless free?
Yes. Sleepless is free and open source under the MIT License.
What macOS version does Sleepless need?
Version 1.2.7 needs macOS 26 or later.
Does Sleepless run on Intel Macs?
The release download is built for Apple Silicon only, and the project lists macOS 26 on Apple Silicon as its platform.
Can a MacBook really stay awake with the lid closed?
Yes. Sleepless uses pmset disablesleep, which the developer confirmed firsthand on macOS 26.3 on Apple Silicon. The developer notes that behaviour depends on hardware and macOS version.
How is it different from KeepingYouAwake or caffeinate?
Those use power assertions, which stop the idle timer but cannot override the lid-close trigger. Sleepless changes the pmset disablesleep setting instead.
Will Sleepless drain my battery?
You set a battery floor between 5% and 50% (15% by default), and it also turns off in Low Power Mode on battery or when its timer ends.
Is it safe to run with the lid closed?
The developer says it is safe for light unattended work such as downloads, syncs or a hotspot. Heavy sustained load with the lid shut reduces airflow, so use judgement.
Is Sleepless notarized?
No. It is ad-hoc signed and not notarized, so you approve it under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Open Anyway. Building from source avoids the Gatekeeper prompt.
Does it need administrator rights?
It needs a one-time sudo grant limited to two exact pmset commands, so the app can flip the setting without a password prompt. It uses no kernel extension or daemon, and the uninstall script removes the grant.
Where does the Sleepless download on sleepless.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official Sleepless releases page at https://github.com/Aboudjem/Sleepless/releases/latest. sleepless.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
Similar Apps
AmphetamineAmphetamine keeps your Mac awake. Start a session from the menu bar and your Mac won't go to sleep, indefinitely, for a set time, until a set time, while a file downloads or while a particular app is running. You can choose whether the display may sleep, whether the screen saver may start and whether the Mac stays awake with its lid closed. Amphetamine is made by William Gustafson and is completely free: no ads, no in-app purchases and no Pro version.System Utilities
MonitorControlMonitorControl is a free, open-source app that lets you control the brightness and volume of an external display from your Mac, just as you would on an Apple display. Use the brightness and volume keys on your Apple keyboard, your own keyboard shortcuts or sliders in the menu bar, and MonitorControl shows the familiar macOS on-screen indicator. It is made by the MonitorControl team and released under the MIT license.System Utilities
BetterDisplayBetterDisplay gives you control over your Mac's displays from the menu bar. It can make external monitors fully scalable with sharp HiDPI resolutions, adjust brightness, volume and input on monitors that support DDC, create virtual screens, and disconnect or reconnect displays without unplugging a cable. Some of these are Pro features. BetterDisplay is developed by waydabber at Kodeon Software.System Utilities
WhatCableUSB-C cables all look alike, but a charge-only USB 2.0 cable and a 240 W, 40 Gbps Thunderbolt cable are very different. WhatCable is a small menu bar app that tells you, in plain English, what each USB-C cable plugged into your Mac can actually do. For every port it shows a clear headline, such as Thunderbolt, display connected or charge-only cable, plus the cable's speed and power rating, the charger's power profiles and the connected device. When your Mac charges slowly, a banner points to the bottleneck, for example a cable rated below the charger.System Utilities- AlDenteAlDente lets you set a charge limit for your MacBook's battery. Instead of always charging to 100%, your MacBook stops at the level you choose, for example 80%, which can help the battery keep its capacity for longer when the Mac is plugged in most of the time. AlDente runs in the menu bar and works with most Apple Silicon and Intel MacBooks. It is made by AppHouseKitchen.System Utilities
DantroleneDantrolene is a menu bar app that stops your Mac's screen from locking while you are on your home Wi-Fi. You choose the home network once from the menu bar; in automatic mode the Mac stays unlocked there, and as soon as you join any other network, normal locking returns. The display still dims and goes dark after your usual idle time, and a touch of the mouse or keyboard brings it back without a password. Dantrolene steps aside when Zoom, a presentation or another app keeps the display awake.System Utilities
FULLMAC.app does not host this app. Download buttons lead to the developer’s own pages.