Straight answers
Before you close the lid.
What StillOn does, what it does not do and what happens to your battery.
Using StillOn
What is StillOn?
StillOn is a small macOS menu-bar app for the very specific moment you close your MacBook but want the work inside it to keep going. It keeps a supported Apple-silicon or Intel Mac awake for local agents, terminal jobs, builds, downloads and automations that would normally stop when the Mac sleeps.
Can StillOn keep Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode or Cursor running with the lid closed?
Yes. Start the job first, arm StillOn, then close the lid. The Mac stays awake so Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Cursor and other local apps can keep working. StillOn does not watch the agent or rescue a task that needs your answer.
Does StillOn work with the ChatGPT app for macOS?
It can keep the Mac awake while the ChatGPT app is open. But if a task is already running on OpenAI's servers, it may not need your Mac to stay awake at all. StillOn matters most when the work depends on a local app, file, terminal, connection or coding agent.
Does StillOn need an external monitor or charger?
No. It works on supported Apple-silicon and Intel MacBooks without an external display, dock or HDMI dummy plug. It also works on battery, though plugging in is the sensible choice for a long job.
How is StillOn different from Caffeine or Amphetamine?
The difference is what happens when you close the lid. Hold Fn and a full-screen animation follows the lid, so you can see that StillOn is arming instead of closing your Mac and finding out later that it slept. Once closed, StillOn locks the session and asks the display to sleep. You can also choose a low-battery percentage. When the Mac reaches it, StillOn disarms and lets it sleep instead of running the battery flat.
Does StillOn publish a study of closed-lid power use in watts?
Yes. In a replicated closed-lid screening on one M4 MacBook Pro, StillOn averaged 1.758 W across three runs. That was 39.3% below the next-lowest app, Clamshell, and 72.3% below supervised pmset. StillOn was the only condition whose built-in display was reported asleep throughout. The result applies to this idle protocol and is not a promise for every Mac, workload or app configuration. The full method and downloadable data are at stillon.dev/research/stillon-energy-efficiency.
Does StillOn monitor temperature?
Yes. StillOn reads battery temperature and macOS thermal pressure during a closed-lid session and can stand down if either climbs too far. That is a stop condition, not a guarantee that an enclosed Mac is safe. Keep a running Mac on a hard, open surface and never run it inside a bag.
What happens to the screen and session?
The built-in display turns off and macOS locks your session while the work keeps running. You are not wasting battery on a screen nobody can see. Open the lid and normal lid behavior returns.
Which Macs does StillOn support?
The current beta supports Apple-silicon and Intel MacBooks running macOS 13 or later. StillOn uses an undocumented macOS interface for lid control, so do one short test after a major macOS update before trusting it with a long job.
Licence & devices
How do I activate StillOn on another Mac?
Install StillOn on the Mac you want to use. Click the ember icon in the menu bar, choose Settings…, open Licence, paste your key, then click Activate. The activation guide shows every step.
How many Macs can I activate?
One lifetime licence activates up to 3 Macs. Your licence page shows every active Mac and how many slots remain.
How do I replace an old Mac?
Open Manage licence, deactivate the old Mac, then install and activate StillOn on the replacement. The slot is freed immediately. If the old Mac is offline, it may keep working until its existing grace period ends.
Where can I recover my licence key?
Open Manage licence and enter the email used at checkout. The secure link in the email reveals your licence key and active Macs.
How long does the management link last?
The email link expires after 15 minutes and works once. After you open it, that browser stays signed in for 30 days. Sign out when using a shared Mac.
What happens when all 3 activation slots are used?
Deactivate a Mac you no longer use, then activate the new one. StillOn cannot add a fourth active Mac to the same licence.
Can I get a refund?
Yes. Every StillOn purchase has a 14-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked. Email hello@stillon.dev within 14 days of purchase for a full refund. The guarantee runs separately from the free trial and does not limit your statutory consumer rights.
Does StillOn have a referral program?
Yes. Every copy has a four-character referral code and a share link, stillon.dev/i/CODE, in Settings under the Licence tab. When a friend installs from your link and opens StillOn, they get a fourteen-day free trial and you get seven extra days, for up to three friends. One referrer per Mac, never changed; a lifetime licence is not extended. The referral guide has the full details.