Your MacBook doesn't have to die when you close it

Published on Jun 25, 2026

A tiny macOS menu bar app that keeps your Mac awake while the lid is closed. Built for terminals, downloads, syncs, coding agents, and music. Like amphetamine app but not app store exclusive.

Awake use cases

Close the lid. Work keeps running.

• Coding agents (Claude Code, OpenCode, Codex) — long tasks grind with lid shut
• Downloads / uploads / backups — finish mid-flight, no babysitting
• Builds, tests, compiles — walk away, come back to green
• Overnight model training / video renders — close lid, let it cook
• SSH from your phone — Mac stays on network, reachable via Tailscale from anywhere
• Persistent tmux sessions — reattach from phone, laptop closed in bag
• Local dev servers — demo from another device, lid shut
• Local LLMs (Ollama) — query from phone, Mac serves it
• Music — Spotify / Apple Music to AirPods, screen off, lid closed
• Game servers / file sharing — small server for an afternoon

Install

brew install --cask pistachionet/awake/awake

Open source, MIT: github.com/pistachionet/awake

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