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CoolsteadDownload free
Native for macOS 14+

Keep your Maccomfortably cool.

Coolstead watches your Mac’s thermal story in real time, begins cooling before heat becomes a distraction, and ramps fans gradually—without turning every workload into a wind tunnel.

Download free for macOSSee the safety model

Latest release: v1.1.0. macOS 14 or newer. Monitoring starts immediately; fan control remains separate and opt-in.

Helper-side clamping Gradual fan ramps Automatic control recovery Monitoring-only fallback
Cooling profiles

The right amount of cool.

Choose the balance that fits the moment. Every standard profile stays inside the same conservative safety ceiling and passes through the same independent validation.

01

Quiet

Low and steady

02

Balanced

55–78°C

03

Cool

Earlier response

04

Boost

45–68°C

05

Max Power

Explicit opt-in

Temporary by design.Run Boost or Max Power for 5, 15, or 30 minutes, then return automatically.
Safety first

Control that knows when to let go.

Coolstead keeps monitoring, policy, and privileged fan writes in separate lanes. The final request is checked again at the hardware boundary—because a polished interface should never be able to bypass the guardrails.

Review common questions
01 · READHardware monitor
02 · DECIDECooling policy
03 · VALIDATEPrivileged helper
04 · APPLYApple SMC

Independent guardrails

The privileged helper validates every request and clamps standard profiles to 75% of each fan’s usable range.

Automatic recovery

Disable cooling, quit the app, or lose the connection and Coolstead returns every controlled fan to macOS automatic mode.

Monitoring always works

Fanless Macs and systems without helper approval still get live sensors, thermal pressure, charts, and diagnostics.

LAST HOURThermal history Temperature Fan speed
80°60°40°
Understand the heat

See the whole thermal story.

Live sensors tell you what is happening now. One-hour and 24-hour charts show how your Mac responds over time, while CSV export and copyable diagnostics help you investigate the details.

  • Peak and individual temperature sensors
  • Per-fan RPM and macOS thermal pressure
  • Sustained-temperature notifications
  • Copyable diagnostics and CSV export
STEADYSAFEREVERSIBLE
“Cooling should feel like quiet confidence—not another system you have to manage.”

Coolstead starts in monitoring-only mode and makes every step toward control explicit.

Good to know

Questions, answered.

Does Coolstead replace macOS thermal protection?

No. Coolstead adjusts minimum fan targets while macOS remains the final thermal safety layer. It never disables Apple’s thermal protections.

What happens if the helper is unavailable?

Coolstead stays useful in monitoring-only mode. You can still inspect temperatures, thermal pressure, fan readings, charts, and diagnostics without any fan writes.

Will it work on every Mac?

Hardware support varies by model and macOS version. Fanless Macs are supported for monitoring, and Coolstead does not claim guaranteed compatibility with every device.

Can Coolstead run fans at maximum speed?

Standard profiles cannot. Max Power is a separate, explicit opt-in mode that may request the SMC-reported maximum for a time-limited session.

How do I install Coolstead?

Download the signed and notarized DMG from this website, or install the same release with Homebrew using brew install --cask santi020k/tap/coolstead.

v1.1.0 · Free · Signed and notarized

A cooler Mac. A calmer workspace.

Download Coolstead directly, or keep it current with Homebrew.

Download for macOSView release details
Homebrewbrew install --cask santi020k/tap/coolstead
Fan control requires explicit administrator approval. Monitoring works without it.