Wipe it.
Don't poke it.
One shortcut turns your MacBook's screen pure black and locks every key, click and tap — so a cloth can go anywhere without opening an app, skipping a song or dimming the screen.
Your new Mac has a touchscreen.
Wiping it now does things.
On the new MacBook Pro, every swipe of a cloth is a tap. On every MacBook, the keyboard wakes the screen and types into whatever's open. WipeMode makes the whole machine ignore you for a minute.
Locks everything
Keys, clicks, taps, swipes, brightness and volume keys all go nowhere. Blocked at the lowest level macOS allows.
True black
Every pixel off. On an OLED screen, that's the best light to spot fingerprints and dust.
One shortcut in
Press ⌃ ⌥ ⌘ W from anywhere, or pick it from the menu bar.
An exit you can't hit by accident
Hold both ⌘ keys for 1.5 seconds. A cloth can't press both without also hitting the space bar.
Lets go on its own
Exits after 30 seconds, 1 minute or 2 minutes — your choice. If anything ever goes wrong, a watchdog hands your Mac back.
Free, tiny, private
No account, no ads, no tracking, no network access at all. Never reads what you type.
Set up in a minute.
- Download and open WipeMode.dmg, then drag WipeMode into Applications.
- Open it once. If macOS says it can't check the app, click Done, then go to System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway.
- Allow Accessibility. macOS asks for this before any app can block input. Turn on WipeMode in Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
- Press ⌃ ⌥ ⌘ W and wipe. Hold both ⌘ keys when you're done.
Why the extra click in step 2? WipeMode isn't notarized by Apple yet, so macOS asks you to confirm the first time. It's a one-time step; the app is the same tiny program either way.
Questions
Does it block the touchscreen on the new MacBook Pro?
Yes. While WipeMode is on, the whole screen is a black window that ignores every tap and swipe, on top of the input lock.
What if I can't get out?
Hold both ⌘ keys for 1.5 seconds. If that doesn't work for any reason, WipeMode exits by itself when the timer runs out (2 minutes at most). And if the app ever freezes, a watchdog quits it, which instantly gives you your keyboard back.
Why does it need Accessibility permission?
macOS only lets apps with this permission block keyboard and trackpad input. WipeMode uses it for nothing else: it doesn't record keys and has no network access. Without it, WipeMode can still black out the screen.
Can it stop the power / Touch ID button?
No. That button is handled by the hardware, so pressing it will still lock your Mac. Everything else is blocked.
My menu bar is full and I can't see the WipeMode icon.
It's probably hidden behind the camera housing. Open WipeMode again from Applications and its menu pops up right where your pointer is. The shortcut always works too.
Is it really free?
Yes. It's our way of saying hello to new MacBook owners. If you like it, follow @Lidworks312 for what's next.