Atlas

Atlas is a free, open source (MIT license) tool that sets up a hidden second macOS login, called the helper, on your Mac. Agents such as Claude, Codex, Cursor, opencode and Pi act only in this helper through its own input service, not on your screen, mouse or keyboard. Agents queue for the helper so only one acts at a time, and you can take control or stop an agent at any time. Atlas installs with one terminal command on macOS 14 or later, requires an administrator account for setup, and states it has no telemetry or analytics. Its page says it is not a security sandbox and that the helper shares your Mac's hardware and network.

Key features

• Hidden second macOS login (the helper) that runs in the background with its own windows, menu bar, Dock, settings and files
• Agents act only in the helper through its own input service; no fallback to the user's screen
• Agents open apps, click controls by name, type, and bring back screenshots
• One-at-a-time queueing: other agents are told Atlas is busy and wait
• Take Control lets the user take over the helper ahead of all agents
• Stop cancels input underway and refuses further agent actions until Resume is chosen
• Agents copy in only needed files and roll them back after the task; credentials and keychains are never copied
• Helper quits apps opened by an agent when the task finishes
• Live watch, with a choice of update intervals or paused; atlas close --all and atlas logout commands
• Connects to Claude, Codex, Cursor, opencode and Pi via Settings or atlas agents install
• Install and update via atlas.insanearts.io, with signature checking on update
• atlas uninstall removes Atlas and keeps the helper account

Best suited for

• Developers who want an agent to check builds in Dark mode or run a local web app in Chrome without taking over their screen
• Users who want to keep working while an agent uses Calendar, Notes, System Settings or Preview
• Teams or individuals reproducing bugs, running installers or first launches on macOS with an agent

Pricing

Free, open source under the MIT license; no subscription stated.