Lumn: Ambient Lighting + Music Sync for your Mac

https://redd.it/1vdmwrf
@macappsbackup

I built WDM, a macOS download manager with browser capture, media downloads, and image saving

https://redd.it/1vdqwww
@macappsbackup

Sortio now sorts by document contents, so files named IMG_7819.pdf still land in the right folder

I posted here about Sortio a while back when it was mostly a rules engine. What I have been working on since is making it sort by what is actually inside a document rather than by its name.

The demo I recorded uses a folder where every filename is deliberately useless: scanner output, camera dumps, Untitled-22.pdf, attachment-58324.pdf. Sortio reads the documents, works out which client each one belongs to and what kind of document it is, and files them into a client and document-type structure. It runs about two and a half minutes: https://youtu.be/ehFr11IfuOc

How it works in practice: point it at a folder, describe the structure you want in plain English, and it shows you a full preview with a reason for every single file before it moves anything. Undo lives in History if you change your mind.

Being straight about the tradeoffs: cloud AI is the default, so file names and extracted text go to the provider. Local-only through Ollama and bring-your-own-key are both supported if that matters to you. It also sets aside files it cannot read rather than guessing at them, which you can see happen in the demo.

Free to try at https://www.getsortio.com. Genuinely useful feedback welcome, including the negative kind.

https://redd.it/1vdtjod
@macappsbackup

PurrPad, I taught my MacBook trackpad to purr. It has since started ignoring me

Rest your hand on the trackpad and it purrs. Not audio through the speakers, the actual haptic engine, so you feel it under your palm. The first time it worked I sat there grinning at a laptop like an idiot.

Then I gave it a personality and now I live with it.

Problem

Every "cat purr" thing I could find is a sound file. You put on headphones and listen to a recording of a cat, which is fine, except it occupies your ears, it loops, and after about ninety seconds your brain notices the loop and the spell breaks. Meanwhile the thing people actually like about a cat on their desk is the weight and the vibration, not the audio.

PurrPad puts the purr in the MacBook trackpad instead, so it is something you feel while you work, with your ears free.

It doesn't always purr. Sometimes you rest your hand and it just... considers you, and declines. Then it sulks. If you click on it during the sulk, it sulks harder, and the app quietly tells you the sulk is now personal. At maximum annoyance it scratches you, which is to say the little paw icon draws its claws and the copy says "Claws were optional. Were."

Full Cat personality 😻

Comparison

Purrli (purrli.com) is the best-known purr generator and it is genuinely good, but it is audio: it uses your speakers or headphones, and it is a continuous sound rather than something you touch. PurrPad is haptic, so it costs you no audio channel and works in a quiet office with headphones off.

Mine has moods. It sometimes declines to purr and then sulks, it gets the zoomies about once a fortnight, it brings me a dead mouse now and again, and it goes silent the instant your mic or camera turns on so it has never purred through a meeting.

Pricing

Free: one cat and all the behaviour, forever. No trial, no timer.
$4.99 one time unlocks the other five cats, the tuning controls, and recording your own cat so the trackpad purrs like her specifically. No subscription.
https://purrpad.app

About me

About me

I am Francesco, an independent developer in Italy. Who I am, how the app is funded, and how to reach me: https://purrpad.app/about (full name, LinkedIn, contact, and links to the privacy policy, terms and refund policy).

Contact is hello@purrpad.app and I answer it myself.

Linked it https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesco-pavanetto/

The app is signed and notarised, so no Gatekeeper warnings. It cannot go on the Mac App Store because driving the haptic engine needs a private framework, which is why I am posting here rather than linking an App Store page.

There is no demo video and there cannot be one, since a video of this app is a hand resting on a trackpad for thirty seconds. The site draws the actual pulse train instead and you can press and hold it to hear roughly what your palm gets.

Genuinely want to know: does it feel like a cat, or like a phone on a table? That has been the open question since day one and I still cannot answer it about my own app.

https://redd.it/1vdjz4d
@macappsbackup

I built something to replace two of my favorite apps for PKM

https://redd.it/1vdw757
@macappsbackup

What actually happens when you redeem an App Store promo code, from the side that issues them

This sub sees a lot of launch posts with promo codes attached. I issue those codes for a small Mac app I work on, and a few things about how they actually work are not obvious from the buyer's side. One of them costs people money.

A code usually puts you into a subscription, not a purchase. App Store offer codes attach to a subscription offer. When you redeem one for "$1.99 for a year" or "3 months free", you are subscribed at that promotional price, and unless you cancel it renews at the normal price when the promo period ends. If you only wanted the cheap year, turn off auto-renew right after redeeming. It stays valid for the period you already got.

Redemption is tied to your Apple ID, not your Mac. One redemption per account per offer. Signing in on a second machine does not give you a second use, and reinstalling does not free it up.

Codes are per-storefront. A code issued for the US store will not redeem on another country's store. This is the most common reason a code that "works for everyone else" fails for you, and it is not something the developer can override for your account.

If one fails, the things worth checking are whether that Apple ID already redeemed it, whether it expired, whether the redemption limit was reached, and the storefront mismatch above.

One thing from the developer side that explains slow answers. Redemptions do not reach us in real time. They arrive in App Store Connect's subscription event report on a delay, which for me has been running about four days. So when someone posts a code and you ask whether it worked, the honest answer is often that we cannot see it yet either. That is reporting lag, not evasion.

No links here on purpose. All of this lives in the App Store's own redeem flow.

https://redd.it/1ve5ja8
@macappsbackup

[OS] Photo Batch Importer - import photos from SD card with file naming rules
https://redd.it/1ve5yq5
@macappsbackup

Big Data-Fetchupdate: The Widgets for App Store Connect we never got.But always wanted, so hard.

https://redd.it/1ve7brq
@macappsbackup

[OS] macUSB - The all-in-one bootable USB creator for Mac
https://redd.it/1veckjt
@macappsbackup

Made a squat coach for desk workers. It lives in your Mac's notch and counts your reps via webcam, all on-device.

https://redd.it/1veev2z
@macappsbackup

[OS] OpenDisk: a free, open source DaisyDisk alternative for macOS

https://redd.it/1vef3k2
@macappsbackup

OS MagSleep — a native macOS utility to automatically disable the MagSafe LED when your macbook sleeps

https://preview.redd.it/q9984gzdr6hh1.png?width=512&format=png&auto=webp&s=8a0f8718f1843ea223ff3ef8c435ae9d5ed56682

I made a tiny macOS app to automatically turn off the MagSafe LED while my MacBook is sleeping

Those MagSafe LEDs are nice, but they're also surprisingly bright.

I prefer sleeping in a completely dark room, so the LED always bothered me a bit. I know there are already ways to deal with it, like using AlDente Pro (which is mostly unnecessary since macOS 26.4) or setting up SleepWatcher with a few shell scripts, but I just wanted a simple app that did one thing well.

So I made one.

MagSleep is a tiny, lightweight menu bar app that turns off the MagSafe LED when your Mac goes to sleep, then immediately hands control back to macOS when it wakes up.

Features

Turns off the MagSafe LED during sleep
Restores normal macOS behavior on wake
Runs as a lightweight menu bar app with a LaunchDaemon
Optional launch at login
Clean uninstall (removes the helper and restores control)

Technical details (for the curious)

Uses the undocumented ACLC SMC key to control the LED
A small privileged helper is required because writing to the SMC requires root privileges
On eventskIOMessageSystemWillSleep / kIOMessageCanSystemSleep: write ACLC = 1
On `kIOMessageSystemHasPoweredOn`: write `ACLC = 0`
Apple Silicon only (MagSafe 3)
macOS 14+
Written in native Swift

Completely free and open source.

GitHub:
https://github.com/realAbitbol/MagSleep

Feedback is welcome! I'm also curious whether anyone knows of a better-supported Apple API for controlling the MagSafe LED.



https://redd.it/1vejelg
@macappsbackup

My Mac Apps Story, Part 4 - More Apps That Made macOS Work My Way

[Part 3](https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1v2bhqk/my_mac_apps_story_part_3_apps_that_shaped_my/) ended with four apps that shaped how I worked on my 2014 13-inch MacBook Pro. I was still far from finished with that MacBook or with finding apps that made macOS work the way I wanted.

The apps in this part helped me make better use of its Retina display, work with text faster, get more from a simple mouse selection, and protect some of my privacy on public Wi-Fi.

In interviews exclusive to [Reverse Everything](https://reverseeverything.com/?utm_source=reddit), the people behind Display Menu, PopClip, and WiFiSpoof share how their apps began and what it takes to keep a focused Mac utility alive for more than ten years.

**Series** · [**Part 1**](https://www.reddit.com/r/macbook/comments/1uk4a1x/my_mac_story_part_1_my_first_macbook_and_the_app/) | [**Part 2**](https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1uygea0/my_mac_apps_story_part_2_coming_back_to_mac_and/) | [**Part 3**](https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1v2bhqk/my_mac_apps_story_part_3_apps_that_shaped_my/) | [**Part 4**](https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1vek409/my_mac_apps_story_part_4_more_apps_that_made/) | more parts coming

# Display Menu - Using Every Pixel of the Retina Display

The [MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014)](https://support.apple.com/en-us/111942) has a native resolution of 2560 by 1600 at 227 pixels per inch. The display looked fantastic, but macOS normally presented it with a scaled interface.

At that time, I traveled often and could not carry the multiple displays I used with my Windows PC. I wanted the small MacBook screen to hold as much as possible, so I used [Display Menu](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/display-menu/id549083868?mt=12) to switch it to the full native 2560 by 1600 mode.

https://preview.redd.it/h7xesgmc37hh1.jpg?width=626&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=046853ae3be1051317ed7ea3e378ad6bf11afd4b

Everything became very small. Instead of making the whole interface larger, I changed the fonts inside the apps I used most. Text remained comfortable to read while more windows and interface elements fit on the screen.

It was an unusual way to use a 13-inch MacBook, but it worked for me. This remained my preferred setup until roughly 2018, when I finally returned to a standard scaled mode.

I still think direct access to the native resolution is useful. It gives a small display a surprising amount of working space and can also help when testing how an app behaves at an unusually high resolution.

# An Interview with Thorsten Karrer

**Ighor July**

What motivates you to continue developing and supporting Display Menu after so many years?

**Thorsten Karrer**

>I still use DisplayMenu myself, and I still observe people (in my current line of work) struggling to quickly set up external displays or presentation screens correctly. So for me it still looks like there is a need for this utility.

**Ighor July**

What advice would you give to independent developers who hope to maintain and support their apps for ten years or longer?

**Thorsten Karrer**

>At some point you need to have figured out for yourself, which role such a project should play in your life. This sounds maybe a bit full of it, but I mean it. We started out with tons of time on our hands and it was a really fun project (a hobby really), and at some point we needed to make a decision: Go all-in, write another \~10 tools of that (small) caliber, switch to subscription pricing, and make this our primary focus. Or step back from it completely and then be fair and pull it from the Store. Or keep it working and providing some value, but accept that you will run this as a side gig and probably even lose some money on it.
>
>For us it turned out to be the third option, partially because we are privileged enough to have day jobs that pay the bills and that allows us to keep DisplayMenu alive.

Read the [complete Display Menu

interview](https://reverseeverything.com/blog/display-menu-interview/?utm_source=reddit).

# PopClip - Making Text Selection More Useful

[PopClip](https://www.popclip.app/) was one of those apps that immediately felt like something new had been added to my workflow.

I found it in 2015. When I selected text with the mouse, a small bar appeared with useful actions. The interface was easy to understand, and extensions could add many more actions without making the basic interaction complicated.

https://preview.redd.it/yfazwxke37hh1.png?width=1130&format=png&auto=webp&s=367ca7091a9ecdee135e1d7a82975beeebb6e65e

What made PopClip especially awesome for me was its huge collection of [downloadable extensions](https://www.popclip.app/extensions/). I added many text-formatting actions and translation tools. There are so many extensions available that I could keep adding useful actions while choosing only the ones that fit my workflow.

It made mouse selection feel more useful. Something as ordinary as highlighting a few words could lead directly to copying them, searching for them, opening a link, checking a definition, or running another action I had added.

The best part was that PopClip did not try to replace how text selection worked. It added one small step in exactly the place where I needed it.

# An Interview with Nick Moore

**Ighor July**

Why do you think PopClip has remained relevant?

**Nick Moore**

>I think the reason it's remained relevant is that, at its heart, it is still the same app as it was when it first came out: you select some text, and a bar pops up with a row of buttons. That's the core proposition. Everything else changes around PopClip, but PopClip tries to stay the same.

**Ighor July**

What advice would you give to independent developers who hope to maintain and support their apps for ten years or longer?

**Nick Moore**

>Work on an app that you want to use yourself. Don't chase trends, don't rush to support the latest thing, or add new features just for the sake of newness. Remember that every feature you add is a feature you have to maintain. And every option you add is now *two* variant features you have to maintain. Focus on reliability, simplicity and the core experience and usefulness of the app. Listen to the users but trust your own judgement and don't be afraid to say no. Patiently build a core user base and keep them on board — word of mouth is worth more than any advertising.

Read the [complete PopClip interview](https://reverseeverything.com/blog/popclip-interview/?utm_source=reddit).

# Sublime Text - Finding My Fast Text Editor

On Windows, I liked [AkelPad](https://akelpad.sourceforge.net/). It could open text in different encodings, but its most important quality for me was speed. I could open a file and immediately work with its contents.

I spent a long time searching for the same feeling on macOS. In my tests, [Sublime Text](https://www.sublimetext.com/) was the fastest editor I found. I bought it in 2016 and it became the editor I reached for when I wanted to open a file without waiting for a large development environment.

https://preview.redd.it/46rfndeg37hh1.png?width=1996&format=png&auto=webp&s=0b11dadabe5bc63519ac4546e17ef29711e63e3e

I also liked what I saw when monitoring its network activity. In my use, it did not connect to the internet until I performed an action that needed a connection.

I considered Visual Studio Code as an alternative, but two things continued to bother me. It took longer to open, and I saw it making background network connections. VS Code can do much more, but for quickly reading or changing a text file, I preferred the speed and quiet behavior of Sublime Text.

# WiFiSpoof - Changing My Address on Public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi was another part of traveling that made me look for a focused utility.

A Wi-Fi network can identify a device by its MAC address. Reusing the same address makes it easier for network operators to recognize and track that device. [WiFiSpoof](https://wifispoof.com/) let me change or randomize the address my Mac presented to

the network.

https://preview.redd.it/how9s01i37hh1.jpg?width=1735&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c21da0ecff0c83a55bbdad7f430278d924d383a

That made me feel better about connecting to networks I did not trust. It did not make the network itself safe, but it reduced one simple way my Mac could be recognized across connections.

[Current macOS versions can use a private Wi-Fi address](https://support.apple.com/en-euro/102509), so many people no longer need a separate app for this purpose. WiFiSpoof is still maintained, though, and its developer kept it working through years of changes to macOS, App Sandbox, and Apple's rules around privileged operations.

# An Interview with Russell Gray

**Ighor July**

What motivates you to continue developing and supporting WiFiSpoof after so many years?

**Russell Gray**

>I "enjoyed"... the challenge of keeping it working across the various limitations that Apple introduced into macOS and the App Store over the years. Now that Apple's security model seems mature, I am more interested in trying to make it more useful and user friendly without adding too much bloat.

**Ighor July**

What advice would you give to independent developers who hope to maintain and support their apps for ten years or longer?

**Russell Gray**

>Build apps you have a personal need for and enjoy working on.

Read the [complete WiFiSpoof interview](https://reverseeverything.com/blog/wifispoof-interview/?utm_source=reddit).

# Saying Goodbye to My 2014 MacBook

The 2014 MacBook had been my faithful companion while I traveled across Europe, but those journeys are a story for another time. I took its battery past 1,300 cycles, and it still had good battery life when I sold it. I thought the person buying it was simply a random buyer, but he turned out to be a fan of my iDNS Portal project. That was a small surprise, and it made me even happier that the MacBook went to someone who would appreciate it.

That is where the story of my 2014 MacBook ends. Part 5 will begin with my next MacBook, how I bought it directly from Apple with a 20% discount, and more apps and developer interviews.

This article is published on [Reverse Everything](https://reverseeverything.com/blog/my-mac-apps-story-part-4/?utm_source=reddit). Its Reddit edition and discussion are shared exclusively with the r/macapps community.

**Series** · [**Part 1**](https://www.reddit.com/r/macbook/comments/1uk4a1x/my_mac_story_part_1_my_first_macbook_and_the_app/) | [**Part 2**](https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1uygea0/my_mac_apps_story_part_2_coming_back_to_mac_and/) | [**Part 3**](https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1v2bhqk/my_mac_apps_story_part_3_apps_that_shaped_my/) | [**Part 4**](https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/1vek409/my_mac_apps_story_part_4_more_apps_that_made/) | more parts coming

https://redd.it/1vek409
@macappsbackup

TextSniper, MacPilot, Unite Pro, PDF Squeezer and Video Paw on Sale from Their Devs Until Friday for %75+ Off

From now until August 7th, these apps are on sale at Bundle Hunt starting at %75 off. I've never seen them cheaper.
---

### Reviews of Apps I Have Personally Tested

- TextSniper - Better Than Native OCR ($7.99- On Sale For $1.99 -%75) Hit a hotkey, drag a box over anything on screen (a locked PDF, a video frame, a screenshot someone sent you), and the text lands on your clipboard; it also reads QR codes and barcodes and can speak the captured text aloud. OCR runs entirely on your Mac. (textsniper.app)
- MacPilot Tweaks Some Hard to Get To Settings in macOS ($29.95 -On Sale For $3.50 -88%) - A GUI over roughly 1,200 hidden macOS settings and defaults write tweaks: show hidden Finder files, kill the startup chime, add Dock spacers, change the screenshot format, run maintenance scripts, all without opening Terminal. koingosw.com
- Unite 5 - Site Specific Browser ($39.99 - On Sale For $5.00 -%87 off) Turns any website into an isolated, native Mac app that runs as a normal window, a menu bar dropdown, or a sidebar; you get per-app cookies, custom icons, ad blocking, userscripts and CSS, keyboard shortcut remapping, and link routing between apps. Extras like Dock badges, Google/Outlook meeting alerts, and a floating AI companion overlay are the part Safari's "Add to Dock" can't touch. (bzgapps.com/unite)

### The two I haven't tried (yet) are:

Video Paw($69.99 - On Sale For $6.50 -%91) - Cisdem's all-in-one media utility: batch convert video and audio across 600+ formats, download clips from supported sites, rip DVD and Blu-ray, compress files, and record screen/webcam with live annotation. Basic editing (trim, crop, merge, watermark, subtitles) is included, so it replaces three or four single-purpose downloads.

PDF Squeezer($19.99 - On Sale For $3.98 -%80)-- Drag in a bloated PDF and it shrinks by recompressing images and stripping unused fonts and resources, with a side-by-side preview so you can see what quality you're giving up. Batch processing, saved presets, and hooks into Finder, Automator, Shortcuts, and the command line make it a good buy IMHO.

https://redd.it/1vemza6
@macappsbackup