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How LidShutter plays the close sound before the lid shuts
A goodbye sound that plays after the lid has already shut feels late. LidShutter tries to play it while the lid is still closing, so the sound lands right as the lid meets the base.
Two kinds of signal
- Lid and sleep events. macOS already tells apps when the lid moves and when the Mac goes to sleep or wakes up. LidShutter listens for these, and that is how it knows the lid was opened.
- The lid angle. MacBooks with a lid angle sensor report how far the lid is open. LidShutter reads that angle, so it can see the lid closing and start the close sound before the lid shuts.
What this means for you
On a MacBook with the sensor, the close sound starts while the lid is moving. On a MacBook without it, LidShutter relies on the events macOS sends. Either way, you pick the sound under “When I close” in the menu bar.
Not every close needs a sound
If you close the lid and open it again straight away, a sound can be annoying. LidShutter can play only after the lid has been closed for a real break, and you can pause it with one switch in the menu bar when you are in a meeting.
Battery and privacy
LidShutter sleeps until macOS reports that your lid moved, and it never keeps your Mac awake, so battery use is very low. The lid angle is used only on your Mac, and nothing about how you use it leaves your Mac.