What you end up with
Lidless installed like any other app on your Mac. It is free, and it stays free — there is no account, no trial and no subscription at the end of this.
- Time
- About 5 minutes
- Steps
- 8
- Cost
- Free
Before you start
These are one-time installs. If you have used Terminal before, you may have them already — the first step checks.
Install Git
Apple opens a small installer.
Type this into Terminal, then press Return.
xcode-select --installYou know this worked when: Git responds with a version number
Install Node LTS
Choose the macOS Installer (.pkg).
Open downloadYou know this worked when: Node responds with a version number
Install Lidless
Open Terminal
Keep it open beside this page.
You know this worked when: Terminal is open
Download Lidless
A 4 MB disk image, signed and notarized. Nothing to build.
Download Lidless-0.1.4.dmgYou know this worked when: Lidless-0.1.4.dmg finished downloading
Drag Lidless to Applications
Open the disk image, drag Lidless into Applications, then open it from there.
Open the release pageYou know this worked when: Lidless opens
Approve the background helper
Click through Welcome. Approve Lidless under General ▸ Login Items & Extensions.
You know this worked when: The Lidless background item is switched on
Open the Lidless menu
Click the laptop icon in the menu bar — or press ⌃⌥L if a full menu bar hides it behind the notch.
You know this worked when: The Lidless menu is open
Turn on the lid switch
Switch on Keep awake with lid closed. Close the lid: the Mac keeps running.
You know this worked when: Keep awake with lid closed is on
If something goes wrong
Nothing here can damage your computer, and every step can be run again safely. If a command fails, the usual cause is the step before it not having finished.
Still stuck? Tell us what happened and we will fix the guide. Include the step number and we can usually reproduce it.