Lid-closed, actually
Shut the laptop and walk away. Lunation uses the one lever that defeats clamshell sleep, so a long run won't die the moment you close the lid.
LunationMenu-bar app · macOS 26+
Close the lid. Let it finish.
Lunation keeps your Mac awake — even with the lid shut — for exactly as long as your task runs, then lets it sleep again. Built for unattended Claude Code and build runs.
Free · notarized · Apple Silicon · v0.1
caffeinate can't keep a Mac awake with the lid closed. Neither can the usual power assertions — lid-close sleep is governed separately. Lunation flips the one switch that actually works, only while your task is running, and flips it back the moment it's done.
Knows when you're working
An ambient helper watches for real Claude Code activity through its own hooks — a lightweight heartbeat as the agent works — and only holds sleep off while work is actually happening. No CPU guessing, so an idle desktop app never fools it.
Puts itself back to sleep
Once the task goes quiet past a grace period, normal sleep comes back automatically — and it's restored just as reliably on quit, crash, and restart, so your Mac is never stranded awake.
How it works
- 1
Install the helper
One click registers a small background helper that does the privileged work. The app itself never needs to run your tasks as root.
- 2
Start a long task & close the lid
Kick off a Claude Code session and it's detected automatically. Running something else — a build, a test suite? Flip on Force awake from the menu bar first. Either way, shut the laptop and go.
- 3
It stays awake, then sleeps
The menu bar shows live status — Idle, Claude Code active, or Forced awake. When the work finishes, sleep comes back on its own.
The moon waxes as your task spins up, and wanes as it winds down.
Thermal & battery aware
A closed Mac under load can't shed heat, so Lunation is cautious by design. It refuses to disable sleep on battery by default, and if the chip starts thermally throttling it forces sleep to protect the hardware — even over a manual override.
Keep your Mac on a ventilated surface while it works. Never run it shut inside a bag.
Questions
Can it really keep the Mac awake with the lid closed?
Yes. macOS governs clamshell sleep separately, so caffeinate and the usual power assertions can't override it — Lunation flips the one system lever that does (pmset disablesleep), and flips it back when your task is done.
How is it different from caffeinate or Amphetamine?
Those keep the display or system awake while the lid is open, and they stay on until you turn them off. Lunation works with the lid shut and is automatic: it detects when your task is actually running and restores normal sleep once it goes idle.
Will my Mac overheat?
A closed Mac under load can't shed heat, so Lunation is conservative: it refuses to disable sleep on battery by default, and forces sleep if the chip starts thermally throttling — even over a manual override. Keep it on a ventilated surface, never shut inside a bag.
Does it need admin or run my tasks as root?
No. The privileged work lives in a small background helper you authorize once, and the app never runs your tasks as root. Sleep is restored defensively — on quit, crash, and restart — so you're never left with it disabled.
What does it work with?
Claude Code sessions are detected automatically — the helper sees the CLI's activity through its hooks and holds sleep off while it works. For any other long, unattended run — a build, a test suite, a data job — flip on Force awake from the menu bar for a set duration (1h, 2h, 8h, until morning, or indefinitely), and it reverts on its own.
Is it on the App Store?
No — the mechanism it relies on isn't compatible with App Store sandboxing. It's distributed as a notarized download, outside the App Store.
Walk away mid-run.
Let the long ones finish with the lid shut.
Download for macOSmacOS 26+ · notarized