If you want a Mac lid angle blur app, there are several real options, and they differ mostly in licence, install method and what the effect does. FoldMyMac, lid-plane, FluidFold and OpenLid all react to the MacBook lid with a blur or fold effect, and Lid takes a different route with rules and automation. Free open-source builds exist, so FoldMyMac, our own paid app, is not the only choice.
We make FoldMyMac, so read this as a fair comparison from an interested party. Every fact about other projects comes from their own public README or website, read on the day this article was published, and those pages can change.
What these apps have in common
All of them read the hinge angle of a MacBook and use it to change what you see on screen. The sensor is not a documented Apple API, so each project reads it its own way. Our explainer on the lid angle sensor covers how that works.
The effect apps share a few other traits:
- A readable sensor. Every project below needs a MacBook whose lid-angle sensor macOS exposes. Most also list Apple silicon as a requirement, and not every model exposes the sensor, so check before you install anything.
- A live view of your desktop. To blur or bend what is on screen, the app captures the display, which means macOS asks for Screen Recording permission. The one exception in this list is Lid, which blurs without that permission according to its site, which lists Accessibility only.
- A menu-bar home. They run as small menu-bar utilities rather than full windows.
For a wider look at what people have built on the sensor, including angle readers and games, see MacBook lid angle apps and projects.
FoldMyMac
FoldMyMac bends and blurs your desktop as you close the lid, inspired by the iPhone fold animation. It runs from the menu bar and renders the effect with Metal. The how it works page has the full walkthrough.
What you get
- Three looks: Silk, Shade and Frost.
- Sliders for blur, perspective and shadow, plus a live preview that works without Screen Recording permission.
- Lid Behavior settings to choose the angle at which the effect clears, or to control the fold manually.
- Escape pauses the effect. Only the built-in display is affected, and external displays stay unchanged.
- Frames stay in memory. Nothing is recorded to disk or uploaded, and no audio is captured.
- A one-time payment with a lifetime licence. It is paid software, not open source.
Limits
- It needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later and an Apple silicon MacBook with a lid-angle sensor. Intel Macs are not supported.
- It has been tested on an M5 MacBook Air. Automatic lid tracking is currently unsupported on the 2020 M1 MacBook Air and the M1/M2 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. See the compatibility page.
- Protected video cannot be included in the fold, so pause the effect while watching it.
- The app is not notarized yet, so on first launch you approve it with Open Anyway in System Settings.
jh3y/lid-plane
lid-plane is a free, open-source menu-bar app. According to its README, it captures your MacBook display and applies a progressive blur as you close the lid below 110 degrees, creating the impression that your desktop stays at a fixed angle.
The README lists these features:
- Angle-based activation, customizable between 10 and 180 degrees.
- Progressive blur with perspective distortion.
- Auto-anchor settling after you pause, and jitter tolerance filtering.
- A Control-Command-L keyboard shortcut and a movement simulation mode for testing.
It requires macOS 13 or newer, an Apple silicon MacBook with a readable lid-angle sensor, and Screen Recording permission. You download a DMG or ZIP, drag LidPlane.app to Applications and launch it, with no Terminal or Xcode needed. The effect starts disabled each session. It is licensed GPLv3-or-later from v0.3.2, while v0.3.1 and earlier remain MIT. The README says it has no networking, audio capture, camera use or login helper, and that frames stay in memory.
It is a different take on the idea. Its blur is progressive and the app holds the desktop at an apparent angle. We would not call either approach better. It depends on the look you want.
Other community projects
Treat these as projects rather than finished products. Details come from each README or site, and they may change.
FluidFold
FluidFold is a menu-bar app that tilts, blurs and dims the screen in sync with the hinge. Its README lists three styles named Silk, Shade and Frost, adjustable blur and shadow, media pause and audio mute while folded, launch at login and automatic updates. It requires macOS 15.2 or later and a MacBook with a hinge sensor (2019 models and newer), and it is released under GPL-3.0 as a pre-built download from GitHub. Its README says one snapshot of the desktop is taken as the lid starts to close and rendered on the GPU.
OpenLid
OpenLid is an open-source Swift app that tilts, blurs and shades the desktop as the lid closes. It offers three styles (Paper, Dusk and Mist), a manual preview mode that needs no screen access, and automatic pausing on sleep, screen lock or sensor failure. It requires macOS 14 or later and Swift 5.9 or newer to build, and it is MIT licensed. You can build it yourself with the included script, which creates an ad-hoc signed app, or download an unnotarized testing prerelease from GitHub Releases.
Lid
Lid is not a bending effect. It is an automation app that runs rules at lid angles, such as a screen blur, a dim, a lock, or pausing media. Its site describes a free version with one customizable rule and a paid lifetime unlock for unlimited rules, schedules and app-aware rules. It needs macOS Sonoma 14.0 or later and asks for Accessibility permission only. See its own site for current pricing and details.
Comparison table
Filled in from the READMEs and site pages above. A dash means we did not find it stated.
| App | Cost model | Effect | Open source | Install | Permissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FoldMyMac | One-time payment, lifetime licence | Bend and blur, three looks, sliders | No | DMG, approve with Open Anyway | Screen Recording |
| lid-plane | Free | Progressive blur with perspective | Yes (GPLv3-or-later from v0.3.2) | DMG or ZIP download | Screen Recording |
| FluidFold | Free, as far as the README shows | Tilt, blur and dim, three styles | Yes (GPL-3.0) | Pre-built release on GitHub | Screen capture |
| OpenLid | Free | Tilt, blur and shade, three styles | Yes (MIT) | Build from source, or unnotarized prerelease | Screen Recording for live mode |
| Lid | Free tier plus paid lifetime unlock | Rule-based blur, dim, lock, media pause | - | Menu-bar app | Accessibility |
Which mac lid angle blur app should you pick
- Pick the free option if you are happy to try a community project, you are comfortable with GitHub releases, and a plain progressive blur or a simple fold is enough. lid-plane and FluidFold ship pre-built downloads, and OpenLid suits you if you like building from source.
- Pick Lid if you care about privacy rules more than the look, for example locking at a set angle or pausing media.
- Pick FoldMyMac if you want a finished, supported app with a live preview, three looks and sliders for blur, perspective and shadow, and you prefer a one-time purchase over assembling a free setup.
Whatever you choose, check your MacBook model first. The sensor is the real gate, and some M1 and M2 models do not expose it to apps. All of these apps need it, apart from manual previews. The compatibility page lists the status of models for FoldMyMac, and the iPhone fold animation on Mac article explains what the effect is aiming for.
FAQ
Is there a free alternative to FoldMyMac?
Yes. lid-plane, FluidFold and OpenLid are open-source projects that react to the lid angle and are free according to their READMEs. They differ in styles, macOS requirements and how you install them.
Do these apps work on every MacBook?
No. They need a MacBook with a lid-angle sensor that macOS exposes, and most list Apple silicon as a requirement. FoldMyMac, for example, does not support Intel Macs and has no automatic lid tracking on the 2020 M1 MacBook Air or the M1/M2 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar. Check each project's requirements.
Why do lid blur apps need Screen Recording permission?
To blur or bend your desktop they need a live image of it. Despite the name, FoldMyMac does not record or upload your screen. Frames stay in memory and no audio is captured. Other projects state similar privacy behavior in their own READMEs. Lid works differently and asks for Accessibility only.
Can I use FoldMyMac and another lid app together?
We have not tested that and cannot recommend it. Two apps drawing over the same screen can conflict, so run one at a time. See the FAQ for setup answers, or browse the blog for more.