Turn Off Display

Preview release · v0.1.0

Keep the MacBook open. Turn its display off.

A tiny menu bar utility that disconnects the screen you choose—without closing the lid, dimming the backlight, or losing your keyboard and camera.

Download for macOS Read the install guide

macOS 13+ · Apple Silicon · 41 system localizations

One job. Properly done.

Your MacBook stays open. Its screen leaves the desktop.

A

Actually disconnect it

The display is removed from the active desktop layout. Windows move to the screens that remain—not onto a black rectangle.

B

Always find the way back

A disabled built-in display stays visible in the menu, ready to be turned back on with one click.

C

A deliberate safety net

The last active display cannot be disabled. The built-in display returns if external screens disappear or the app quits.

Install the preview

A transparent extra step, for now.

This preview is ad-hoc signed and has not been notarized by Apple. macOS will show a security warning. Only continue if you downloaded it from this website and the checksum matches.

  1. 1

    Download and unpack

    Download the ZIP, double-click it, then move Turn Off Display to your Applications folder.

    Download ZIP · 180 KB
  2. 2

    Try opening it once

    Open the app from Applications. When macOS blocks it, choose Done and leave the app in place.

  3. 3

    Allow it in System Settings

    Open System Settings → Privacy & Security. Scroll to Security and click Open Anyway.

  4. 4

    Confirm the exception

    Authenticate if asked, click Open, then look for the two-display icon in the menu bar.

    Read Apple’s official instructions ↗

SHA-256 checksum

1bb19143afc3d06b233d8ee2612fb7eda9d153dedfb6bac8ca7f1d22f52465a4

Small by design

No account. No analytics. No network calls.

The app lives in the menu bar and talks only to macOS display services. There is no onboarding, background account, or data collection.

Version
0.1.0
System
macOS 13 or later
Processor
Apple Silicon
Localizations
41 macOS locales
Distribution
Direct download preview
Special permissions
None requested

Technical note: display switching relies on a private CoreGraphics symbol. A future macOS update may change or remove it.