Warden is a macOS utility designed to “lock input, not the screen.” Instead of locking the display or putting the system to sleep, it blocks all user input at the system level while allowing the screen and running applications to remain fully active and visible.

The main idea behind Warden is to let users step away from their Mac without interrupting ongoing processes such as long-running AI agent tasks, code execution, or automated workflows. While locked, the system continues to run normally, but keyboard, mouse, and trackpad events are intercepted and ignored until the user unlocks the device.

Unlocking is designed to be fast and seamless using Touch ID, making it practical for frequent locking and unlocking during active workflows. The tool is especially useful in development environments where accidental input could disrupt long-running processes or agent-based tasks.

Warden runs as a lightweight macOS menu bar application and focuses on minimal disruption, ensuring users can monitor their screen while preventing unintended interaction. It is commonly used in AI-assisted coding workflows where developers run long agent executions and want to safely step away without risk of interference.

Key features include:

• Locks keyboard, mouse, and trackpad input at the system level
• Keeps screen and applications fully active (no sleep or screen lock)
• Instant unlock via Touch ID
• Menu bar–based lightweight macOS app
• Designed for long-running AI agent and automation workflows
• Prevents accidental input during critical processes
• Minimal, single-purpose interface

Common use cases include:

• Running long AI coding or agent tasks without supervision
• Preventing accidental input during builds or scripts
• Monitoring processes while temporarily disabling interaction
• Maintaining visible screen state without risk of interference
• Improving safety during automated or background workflows

Warden is developed as a macOS productivity utility focused on input control rather than traditional screen locking, optimized for modern AI-assisted development workflows.