FAQ
Questions about Culprit
What Culprit shows, what it never does, and how to get the free beta.
The beta
When can I download it?
Now, as a free beta. Leave your email and we’ll send you the download link.
macOS says it “could not verify” Culprit. How do I open it?
Open System Settings › Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway, once. The beta isn’t notarized yet.
Which Macs does it run on?
Apple Silicon Macs (M1 or later) on macOS 13 or later. Intel isn’t supported yet.
Is it free?
Yes, all of it during the beta. After it, the core answer stays free; Pro is a planned one-time $15.
Is it open source?
Not now, and it’s undecided. A notarized build on GitHub and Homebrew is planned.
Who makes Culprit?
Harp, an indie maker in India. Culprit is sold by Blureon Labs.
What it shows
How is it different from Activity Monitor?
Activity Monitor lists processes. Culprit groups them by app, says in one sentence what’s wrong, and explains your disk too.
Does it work with Claude Code, Codex or Cursor?
Yes, plus OpenCode, Aider and Gemini CLI. It groups each session with what it started, and needs no API key.
What are “running servers”?
Servers listening on your Mac, like localhost:3000. Developer mode lists each with its folder, memory and uptime, and marks long-idle ones possibly forgotten.
Is kernel_task a virus?
No. It’s macOS slowing busy apps to cool the chip. Culprit names the app causing the heat.
Can it explain “System Data”?
Mostly. It splits out snapshots, Xcode, iPhone backups, Docker, caches and swap. What macOS won’t let apps measure gets its own row.
My Mac says “Your system has run out of application memory”. Can Culprit help?
Yes. It shows which app holds the most memory, and whether something keeps growing.
What does “possibly stuck” mean?
A process has stayed at high CPU for 30 minutes or more. It’s a guess, hence “possibly”: some apps, like a video export, are busy on purpose.
How accurate are the watts?
Good enough to compare apps. Measured by macOS for your apps; estimated for system processes and marked ~.
Trust and privacy
Does Culprit speed up my Mac?
No. It tells you which app is using energy, memory or disk. Quitting it is up to you.
Will it delete anything?
No. It never deletes files or quits processes. You decide, and you do it.
Does it send my data anywhere?
No. The app makes no network connections. No analytics, no account.
Does it need Full Disk Access?
No. It only lets Culprit size protected folders like Mail and Messages. Turn it off any time in System Settings › Privacy & Security.
How much battery and CPU does it use?
Very little: about 0.1% CPU when idle on the maker’s Mac. It’s native Swift, no Electron.