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macOS · Menu bar

Grip

You meant Cmd+W and hit Cmd+Q — now the keys have to be held down before anything quits

Source onlyFree
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Screenshot

Grip screenshot

About Grip

Grip intercepts Cmd+Q at the system level and requires you to hold it for a configurable duration (0.5–3 seconds) before the quit goes through; Cmd+W (off by default) and shortcuts you add can be protected the same way, each with its own hold. A green progress ring appears at your cursor — release early and the quit is canceled. Comes pre-configured to protect Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Arc, VS Code, Xcode, Slack, Finder, Mail, Messages and more. Toggle protection for all apps or manage your list individually. Sound feedback and zero dock footprint.

Who it's for

Anyone who's ever lost work to an accidental Cmd+Q.

What it does

  • Configurable hold duration (0.5–3 seconds)
  • Visual progress ring at your cursor
  • Pre-configured for Safari, Chrome, VS Code, Xcode, Slack
  • Protect all apps or manage individually
  • Cmd+W and custom shortcuts too, each with its own hold
  • Sound feedback

Behind the build

Grip uses an active CGEventTap at the session level, because AppKit's global event monitor can only watch keystrokes, not stop them.

The tap swallows ⌘Q and starts the hold. When the ring fills, Grip builds a fresh key-down and key-up from the saved shortcut and sends them straight to the app with CGEventPostToPid, which arrives after session taps, so Grip never catches its own quit. If macOS disables the tap for being slow, Grip turns it back on.

The full write-upIntercept Cmd+Q with a CGEventTap and repost it without a loop

Information

Runs on
macOS · Menu bar
Status
Source only
Price
Free
Requires
macOS 13+ · Accessibility permission
Source
Public on GitHub
Telemetry
None
Built with
Swift & SwiftUI
Stack
SwiftUICGEventTapAccessibility

Works well with

  • ClipShelf

    Protect your apps from accidental quits while ClipShelf protects your clipboard

  • Shhh

    Two essential menu bar utilities that prevent common mistakes

Grip is source only, for now.

The code is public, but there's no packaged release yet. Build it from the repository today, or leave an email and hear when there's one you can double-click.

Tell me when it shipsView source

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