Insomnia 0.1.0 Is Out: How to Keep a MacBook Awake With the Lid Closed for AI Agent Runs

The short version

• Insomnia 0.1.0, a free open-source menu bar app, keeps an Apple Silicon MacBook awake for a set time, lid closed included, so an agent run can continue.
• The first stable release arrived on October 10, 2026.
• It is published under the MIT license.
• Its lid-close settings can pause other apps, so review them before starting a long session.

Insomnia gives a coding agent, build, or download a timed awake session with an end time. The developer, who publishes as krishhgg on GitHub, makes the project available in the Insomnia repository.

Can Insomnia 0.1.0 keep my MacBook awake with the lid closed?

Yes. Start a timed session from the menu bar, and Insomnia prevents the Mac from sleeping while the session runs, including after you close the lid. The countdown continues with the lid shut. You can also use a session with the lid open, and opening the lid does not end it.

The README shipped with 0.1.0 describes the controls for this release:

1. Click the eye in the menu bar, enter a duration in Days, Hours, and Minutes, then press Enter.
2. To add time during a session, click the eye or countdown and enter another duration.
3. To finish early, press and hold the end control beside the countdown.
4. Right-click the menu bar icon to see status and recovery warnings, open Settings, or choose Quit Insomnia.

Before the first run, check Settings: some lid actions start enabled, including a rule that pauses eligible Dock apps beyond the selected freeze list. Begin with a short, supervised session on a ventilated surface. Afterward, check the status menu and ~/Library/Logs/Insomnia/insomnia.log.

What do I need before installing Insomnia 0.1.0?

You need a supported Mac, an administrator password, and a chance to review the power-setting permission the installer adds.

Requirements and installation permissions

The 0.1.0 installer grants passwordless access to these four commands:

/usr/bin/pmset -a disablesleep 1
/usr/bin/pmset -a disablesleep 0
/usr/bin/pmset -b lowpowermode 1
/usr/bin/pmset -b lowpowermode 0

Other processes running as your user can use that grant too.

How do I install and start Insomnia 0.1.0?

Download Insomnia-0.1.0-macos-arm64.zip and SHA256SUMS from the 0.1.0 release page into the same folder. In Terminal, run the five commands from its release notes:

shasum -a 256 -c SHA256SUMS
unzip -q Insomnia-0.1.0-macos-arm64.zip
cd Insomnia-0.1.0-macos-arm64
./scripts/install.sh --app ./Insomnia.app
open "$HOME/Applications/Insomnia.app"

Before asking for the password, the installer checks the app bundle with codesign --verify --strict --deep. It also rejects a release folder or bundle placed inside the installed app, or an Applications folder inside the bundle. Keep the unpacked folder because it contains the uninstaller.

Which apps does Insomnia 0.1.0 pause when I close the lid?

With a session running, lid closure turns off the display and keyboard backlight and pauses apps on the freeze list. By default, 0.1.0 also pauses eligible Dock apps other than agent apps, checks whether Docker Desktop is idle before pausing it, and keeps the timer counting.

The broader Dock rule excludes Apple apps, Docker Desktop, and built-in protected apps. The 0.1.0 README advises disabling the Docker rule when an unexpected pause would disrupt an important Docker workload.

Lid-close defaults by version

The defaults changed for every other app, Docker, and muting. The current source describes newer code carried by nightly builds; the 0.1.0 values are the defaults for this release.

On battery below 40%, Insomnia requests Low Power Mode; below 10%, it ends the session. A serious thermal state also requests Low Power Mode, while a critical state ends the session. These protections require the app to be running.

The current README also notes that closing an Apple Silicon Mac laptop disconnects its built-in microphone in hardware. A closed-lid recording needs an external microphone or AirPods.

What are the risks of running Insomnia 0.1.0 with the lid closed?

Insomnia is experimental software, and recovery can fail. The project warns that “a running timer is not a safety guarantee.” Use the Mac on a stable, ventilated surface, never in a closed bag.

The 0.1.0 release notes say this zip’s installation, first launch, Gatekeeper prompt, and uninstall were not run on a real Mac for the release. Its power, lid, audio, and brightness behavior was not retested for this package. The hand-packaged release has no build attestation; SHA256SUMS is its stated download check.

Apple’s temperature guidance calls for a stable work surface with good airflow and an ambient temperature from 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C).

How does 0.1.0 fit the Insomnia project?

The repository was created on September 14, 2026, before the first stable release on October 10, 2026. GitHub recorded 308 stars for the MIT-licensed project on October 11, 2026.

The project publishes stable releases and nightly prereleases. Stable is the channel GitHub marks Latest; nightly builds carry newer, experimental source changes. The free 0.1.0 zip supports Apple Silicon Macs with macOS 26 or later.

The 0.1.0 README also describes these optional features:

• iPhone hotspot handoff.
• Configured tmux targets for resuming work after a long outage.
• An option to relaunch Chrome, Chromium, or Arc without background-window throttling.

FAQs

Is Insomnia free?

Yes. Insomnia is open source under the MIT license, and the 0.1.0 release zip is a free GitHub download.

Does opening the lid end an Insomnia session?

No. The timer continues when you open the lid, and a timed session does not require the lid to be closed.

Does Insomnia 0.1.0 work on Intel Macs?

No. The 0.1.0 release zip is built for Apple Silicon Macs only.

Is Insomnia 0.1.0 notarized by Apple?

No. The app is ad-hoc signed and not notarized. If macOS blocks it, the release instructions point to Open Anyway under System Settings > Privacy & Security.

How do I check an Insomnia session and its log?

Right-click the menu bar icon for session status and recovery warnings. Read the log at ~/Library/Logs/Insomnia/insomnia.log after a supervised run.

How do I uninstall Insomnia 0.1.0?

In Terminal, return to the unpacked 0.1.0 release folder. Use the first command for a normal removal, or the second to remove Insomnia-owned configuration and logs as well:

./scripts/uninstall.sh
./scripts/uninstall.sh --purge

The uninstaller requests session cleanup before removing the app, recovery agent, and sudoers rule. If cleanup is unresolved or the app refuses to quit, removal stops; address the reported issue and retry. The purge option removes files owned by Insomnia, while a small shared recovery lock file remains.