Fan and temperature
See representative temperature and actual RPM for every detected fan. Fanless Macs are shown as passively cooled.
Native menu bar utility for Apple Silicon
Fan control and live system stats, right in your menu bar.
Monitor temperature and fan RPM, add optional CPU, memory, and network modules, or build a custom fan curve—all from one focused macOS app.
See what your Mac is doing
Start with fan and thermal monitoring. Add only the menu bar modules you want, then open each one for deeper context.
42%
CPU activity
Follow live usage, recent history, chip and core layout, awake time, and the processes using the most CPU.
55%
Memory pressure
Track used and available memory, real system pressure, recent history, and the processes using the most memory.
↓ 1.2 MB/s
Network rates
See upload and download rates, interface details, local and public IP, router, and session traffic totals.
Three intentional modes01 02 03
Choose how your fans run
MacGauge defaults to read-only monitoring. When you explicitly authorize fan control, manual targets and temperature curves become available.
Automatic
Keep macOS in charge while MacGauge monitors temperature and fan RPM.
Manual
Choose one percentage and let MacGauge convert it to each fan's reported RPM range.
Curve
Map temperature to fan percentage with editable points and a live RPM-aware preview.
Deliberate access, narrow scope
Fan control is gated—and can fail back to macOS
Monitoring runs as your normal user. Fan writes use a privileged helper only after a one-time authorization from Settings > Safety.
Narrow helper
The helper exposes fan-control actions over XPC, verifies its client, and never stores an administrator password.
Awake-time watchdog
If the app goes silent while manual control is armed, the helper attempts to return fans to automatic after three awake minutes. Sleep time does not count.
Return control anytime
Restore Automatic hands fan control back to macOS immediately. The app can also restore automatic control when it quits normally.
EfficientStill icon · stepped values · default
No analytics pipeline
Private by design, honest about the network
MacGauge does not request Accessibility access and includes no analytics. Two narrow, visible features can use the network.
Public IP on demand
Opening the network detail can request your public IP from api.ipify.org. It is not polled in the background.
Signed update checks
A daily GitHub Releases check looks for updates. It can be disabled, and Sparkle verifies update signatures before installation.
Local system readings
Temperature, fan, CPU, memory, process, interface, and traffic readings are gathered on your Mac.
Use fan control with careChanging fan behavior can interfere with macOS thermal management and may damage hardware in the worst case. Watch temperatures and return to automatic control when finished.
Frequently asked questions
Requires Apple Silicon and macOS 13 Ventura or later.
Which Macs does MacGauge support?
MacGauge requires an Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or later) running macOS 13 Ventura or later. Macs with one or more fans are detected dynamically. Fanless models such as MacBook Air are shown as passively cooled and have no fan to control.
Does monitoring require administrator access?
No. Temperature, fan RPM, CPU, memory, and network monitoring run as the normal user. Manual and curve fan control require a one-time privileged helper authorization from Settings > Safety.
Does MacGauge send analytics or use the network?
MacGauge has no analytics and does not request Accessibility permission. It can contact api.ipify.org when you open the public-IP detail and GitHub Releases for an update check that can be disabled.
What happens if the app crashes during manual control?
The privileged helper has an awake-time watchdog. After three minutes without client activity while manual control is armed, it attempts to return all fans to macOS automatic control. This is a safety fallback, not a guarantee against every helper, firmware, or hardware failure.
Can macOS override MacGauge?
Yes. MacGauge detects contested control and can re-assert a target, but thermalmonitord, firmware, and model-specific behavior retain the final authority.
Is MacGauge the same project as MacFan or M4FanControl?
Yes. MacGauge is the current public brand. The older MacFan and M4FanControl names remain only in history and selected internal identifiers so existing helper authorization and settings continue to work.
Open source and ready to install
Put your Mac's thermal picture in the menu bar
Download the latest notarized DMG from GitHub Releases, drag MacGauge to Applications, and start with read-only monitoring.