VibeMode

macOS menu bar app that dims the desktop while keeping open windows fully bright.

Bundle ID: com.maxkongerskov.VibeMode
Team: Max Køngerskov (6LZ2DS9JPD)
Signing: Apple Development (Debug) · Developer ID Application (Release / notarize)

Download (ready to use)

Grab the notarized installer from the latest release:

→ Download VibeMode 1.0.0 (.dmg)

Or open the Releases page.

Install

1. Open the .dmg
2. Drag VibeMode into Applications
3. Launch VibeMode from Applications (or Spotlight)
4. Use the menu bar icon to toggle dimming

The app is Developer ID signed and notarized by Apple (universal: Apple Silicon + Intel). macOS 13+.

Requirements (building from source)

• macOS 13+
• Xcode 15+
• Apple Developer Program membership (for notarization)
• Certificates installed:
  • Apple Development
  • Developer ID Application

Build (local)

cd ~/VibeMode
xcodegen generate
open VibeMode.xcodeproj

Or from the command line:

xcodebuild -scheme VibeMode -configuration Release -derivedDataPath build build

Notarize via Xcode (recommended)

1. Open VibeMode.xcodeproj in Xcode.
2. Select the VibeMode target → Signing & Capabilities:
   • Team: Max Køngerskov
   • Automatically manage signing: On
   • Hardened Runtime should already be enabled.
3. Menu: Product → Archive.
4. When the Organizer opens: Distribute App.
5. Choose Developer ID → Upload (or Export then notarize).
6. Sign in with your Apple ID if prompted.
7. Wait for notarization to finish (Organizer shows status).
8. Export the notarized app, or use Distribute App again to export the notarized build.
9. Optional staple (if you exported a .app):

xcrun stapler staple /path/to/VibeMode.app
spctl --assess --verbose=4 --type execute /path/to/VibeMode.app

Notarize from the command line (optional)

One-time credential setup (app-specific password from appleid.apple.com):

xcrun notarytool store-credentials "VibeMode-Notary" \
  --apple-id "your@email.com" \
  --team-id "6LZ2DS9JPD" \
  --password "xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx"

Then:

cd ~/VibeMode
xcodebuild -scheme VibeMode -configuration Release -derivedDataPath build build

APP="build/Build/Products/Release/VibeMode.app"
ZIP="build/VibeMode.zip"
ditto -c -k --keepParent "$APP" "$ZIP"

xcrun notarytool submit "$ZIP" --keychain-profile "VibeMode-Notary" --wait
xcrun stapler staple "$APP"
spctl --assess --verbose=4 --type execute "$APP"

Usage

Action	Control
Toggle vibe mode	Menu → Vibe Mode, or ⌘⇧D
Intensity presets	Light / Medium / Strong / Very Strong
Nudge intensity	⌘⇧= / ⌘⇧-
Quit	Quit VibeMode or ⌘Q

Notes

• Menu bar only (LSUIElement) — no Dock icon.
• Multi-display overlays rebuild when screens change.
• No Accessibility permission required.