The Matrix,
Live Desktop & Screensaver
Film-accurate digital rain running directly behind your windows. Native Metal. Minimal footprint.
Free DownloadPerfect for vibe coding or headless Mac Minis & Studios running Open Claw & Hermes Agent.
Install via terminal
SSH into your Mac Mini and run one command.
curl -L https://matrix.watch/Matrix-Desktop.dmg -o /tmp/md.dmg && hdiutil attach /tmp/md.dmg -nobrowse && cp -R "/Volumes/Matrix Desktop/Matrix Desktop.app" /Applications/ && hdiutil detach "/Volumes/Matrix Desktop" && open /Applications/Matrix\ Desktop.app
osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to make login item at end with properties {path:"/Applications/Matrix Desktop.app", hidden:false}'
killall "Matrix Desktop" 2>/dev/null; open /Applications/Matrix\ Desktop.app
Install Matrix Desktop on this Mac. Download from https://matrix.watch/Matrix-Desktop.dmg to /tmp/md.dmg. If the app is already running, kill it first with killall and remove the old copy from /Applications before copying the new one. Mount the DMG, copy Matrix Desktop.app to /Applications, unmount. If the display is asleep, wake it with caffeinate -u -t 5 before launching. Launch the app with open. Then register it as a login item so it auto-starts on boot using osascript. Verify the app is running with ps aux. If anything fails, refer to https://matrix.watch/articles/headless-troubleshooting.html for known fixes and troubleshoot accordingly.
12 presets, all adjustable
Switch from the menu bar. Every parameter tunable in real time.
What's actually happening
Native Metal GPU
5-pass compute pipeline: scene composite, bloom downsample, Gaussian blur, palette-mapped final. Runs entirely on the GPU. Learn more about the Metal pipeline.
Desktop-level window
Renders behind all your windows at the desktop layer. Not a screensaver, not fullscreen. Your apps sit on top, rain runs underneath. How live wallpapers work on macOS.
Film-accurate simulation
Glyphs are fixed in a grid. Deletion strings, cursor stammering, cross-dissolve changes. Matched to the original frame-by-frame. See the full breakdown.
Smart power management
Drops quality on battery. Pauses on sleep, screen saver, lid close. Monitors thermal state. Won't spin your fans.
Multi-monitor
One renderer per display, each using that screen's GPU. Hot-plug support. 5K and ultrawide tested.
Menu bar controls
Switch presets, adjust every parameter, pause, restart. Settings persist across launches. Shuffle mode rotates hourly.
Frequently asked questions
What is Matrix Desktop?
Matrix Desktop is a free native macOS app that renders live, film-accurate Matrix digital rain as your desktop wallpaper. It runs behind all your windows using Apple's Metal framework, with 12 color presets and full real-time customization via the menu bar.
Is Matrix Desktop free?
Yes. Completely free with no account, no subscription, and no in-app purchases. It also contains no analytics or tracking of any kind.
Does it need a dedicated GPU?
No. Matrix Desktop runs on the integrated GPU found in every Mac, including Apple Silicon machines. The Metal compute pipeline typically consumes under 1% CPU and 2-5% GPU.
Does it work on a Mac Mini?
Yes. It works on Mac Mini, Mac Studio, MacBook, iMac, and Mac Pro — any Mac running macOS 14 Sonoma or later. It is especially popular on headless Mac Minis used for vibe coding, where it can be installed entirely via SSH.
What presets are available?
12 presets: Classic, Megacity, Operator, Nightmare, Paradise, Resurrections, Trinity, Morpheus, Bugs, Palimpsest, Twilight, and Neo. Each is inspired by the Matrix films, and every parameter is adjustable in real time. See the full preset guide.
Does it slow down my Mac?
No. The entire rendering pipeline runs on the GPU via Metal compute shaders, leaving CPU and memory free for your applications. It monitors thermal state and battery level, automatically reducing quality before it could impact performance.
How do I install it?
Download the DMG from this page, open it, and drag the app to your Applications folder. Or install via a single terminal command — see the install section above. No App Store account or Homebrew required.
Is it a screensaver?
No. Matrix Desktop is a live desktop wallpaper. It renders behind all your windows at the desktop layer, so the digital rain is always visible as your background while you work. Learn how desktop-level rendering works.