Getting started

RequirementsCopy Anchor Link

• macOS 26 Tahoe or newer.
• An Apple silicon or Intel Mac. The release is a universal build, though Intel Macs are on the not verified on a device list.

InstallCopy Anchor Link

Install the official Homebrew cask, which installs the signed and notarized DMG:

brew install --cask codeswhat/tap/idlescreen

You can also download the DMG from the latest GitHub release. Gatekeeper and System Integrity Protection stay enabled either way.

Upgrade or remove it with:

brew upgrade --cask idlescreen
brew uninstall --cask idlescreen

macOS lists the app, the screen saver and the camera agent as IdleScreen in System Settings. The installed path is still /Applications/idlescreen.app.

First runCopy Anchor Link

Open IdleScreen once. The setup flow has three steps, and you can leave and come back to it later.

1. Register IdleScreen. This tells macOS that IdleScreen is installed.
2. Choose IdleScreen. Pick it as your screen saver in System Settings under Wallpaper and Screen Saver. The button opens Screen Saver settings for you.
3. Add your camera. Optional. Some looks react to you, and the camera is processed on this Mac and never leaves it. You can skip it.

When setup is complete, the last card says you're all set and offers to open Studio, where you pick a look.

Camera access is requested only when you explicitly choose a camera effect. See Camera mode.

Where it livesCopy Anchor Link

IdleScreen stays in the menu bar. Closing the main window drops the Dock tile and keeps the menu bar item. The menu bar icon shows whether IdleScreen needs setup, what it is doing and when something needs your attention.

If something looks off, open the Status page. See Troubleshooting.