Something off?
Write to support@neonfrenchie.com. A person reads it. It helps if you include the report from Settings, under About, with Copy Report. It lists your Mac and the app's version, and nothing about what you run.
Getting started
Where did the window go?
Macometer lives in the menu bar, at the top right of your screen. Closing the window doesn't quit it. Click the small moving line and choose Open Macometer. On a Mac with a notch, a crowded menu bar can hide it behind the notch. Opening Macometer again from Applications brings the window back. If you want a Dock icon as well, there's a switch in Settings, under General.
Why does it say "Not available on this Mac"?
Because this Mac doesn't report that reading, or macOS won't share it without extra rights. A Mac mini has no battery. Some chips lack a counter. We'd rather say so than draw a zero.
Do I need the helper?
No. Macometer works fully without it. macOS hides what processes running as root read and write, and the helper can count that. Everything else, including CPU and memory for those processes, works without it. It makes one read-only call and writes nothing. Turn the switch off and it's removed. It hasn't been run on a real install yet, so tell us how it goes.
Does it work on Intel Macs?
It hasn't been tried on one. Unavailable readings are written to stay blank rather than break, but nobody has run it on an Intel Mac yet. If you try and it misbehaves, the refund is there.
Readings
Why does an app read over 100% CPU?
You have App CPU set to Per core, where 100% is one core, as Activity Monitor counts it. Per Mac is the default: 100% is the whole Mac, so apps add up to the CPU reading. It's in Settings, under Units.
Why are some watts blank?
On some Macs macOS updates those counters too rarely for unprivileged readers, about every 30 minutes for CPU and memory on an M4 Pro Mac mini on macOS 27. A number that old would be misleading, so it stays blank. Per-app watts are estimates, and are labelled so.
Why does total disk write read lower than one app?
It can. This may be logical against physical writes, but we haven't confirmed it, so we're telling you rather than hiding it.
Why did the Storage chart jump when I opened Dev?
Opening Dev for the first time reads a week of agent logs to count tokens, and on a busy machine that can be gigabytes. It only happens while Dev is open, or if you click the Agents menu bar item.
Agents and the command line
Will it quit things on its own?
No. Quitting or stopping anything always raises a confirmation in the app, from the window, the command line and MCP alike. The one exception is one you'd have to turn on yourself: stopping idle servers without asking. It warns you before it turns on.
Why does the macometer command say the app isn't answering?
The command talks to the running app, so the app has to be open. Run open -a Macometer, then try again. Exit code 3 means the same thing to a script.
Can my AI assistant see my secrets through MCP?
The MCP server never returns environment variables. It reads command lines and process details, so connect it only to an assistant you'd show those to. It can ask to quit something, but only you can say yes.
Buying
How do I find my license key or receipt?
Search your email for a message from Polar. If you can't find it, write to us from the address you bought with.
How do I move my license to a new Mac?
Activate on the new Mac with the same key. A license covers 3 Macs. If you've used them all, write to us and we'll clear an old one.
How do refunds work?
Email support@neonfrenchie.com from the address you bought with, within 30 days. No reason needed. The full policy.