- MacGuard
- Mac anti-theft apps
Best Mac anti-theft apps in 2026, compared
Which MacBook alarm app fits how you work: what sets each one off, whether it alerts your phone, and what it costs.
Disclosure: we make MacGuard, one of the apps below. Each other app's details come from its own website or App Store page, checked on October 17, 2026. Apps change, so confirm prices and features on the developer's site before you buy. If something here is out of date, email support@getmacguard.com and we'll fix it.
At a glance
| App | What sets it off | Phone alerts | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacGuard | Movement, keyboard or trackpad use, lid closing, waking the Mac; next open in Closed / Sleep Guard | Yes, with the iPhone and iPad companion | Mac app free; companion is a one-time App Store purchase |
| Unplug Alarm | Charger unplugged or lid closed | Yes, with its Client app | Free on the Mac App Store, with in-app purchases |
| Clyde | Lid closed | Paid version calls your iPhone or Apple Watch | Free version (Mac alarm only), paid version for phone calls |
| Don't Touch | Touch, lid, charger, sleep, and movement seen by the camera | No (it never connects to the internet) | $5 one-time |
| Stealward | Movement, power, the Mac going offline, and camera watching your belongings | Yes, on iPhone and iPad, plus live video | Free, with optional extras |
| Apple Find My | Nothing; it locates, locks, or erases a Mac afterwards | Location only | Free, built into macOS |
MacGuard
Best for: catching a MacBook being picked up or used, not only unplugged or closed.
MacGuard reads the motion and lid-angle sensors in Apple silicon MacBooks, so it can react when the Mac is lifted or slid, not just when the lid shuts. It also reacts to keyboard and trackpad use, lid closing, and waking. In Closed / Sleep Guard mode you close the lid, and the next time anyone opens or wakes the Mac, the siren goes off.
The siren runs on the Mac and needs no internet. Only Touch ID or your Mac password turns it off. With the optional iPhone and iPad companion, an alert is sent to your phone, and Camera Evidence can make up to three photos available privately to your paired phone. Incident video stays on the Mac and is never uploaded. There's no account.
Keep in mind: it needs an Apple silicon MacBook with macOS 14 or later, and a one-time approval of its motion helper. It doesn't react to the charger being unplugged.
Unplug Alarm
Best for: people who always work plugged in.
Unplug Alarm, from Apprime Studio, sounds a loud siren when the charger is unplugged or the screen is closed, and only a password or Touch ID stops it. With its Client app on your phone or tablet, you get a notification and a photo taken when the Mac is unplugged. It's on the Mac App Store and runs on macOS 12 or later.
Keep in mind: it reacts to the charger and the lid, so a thief who lifts a Mac that isn't plugged in, with the lid open, isn't what it's built to catch.
Clyde
Best for: a simple, free lid alarm.
Clyde watches the lid. If someone tries to close your MacBook while Clyde is on, the paid version calls your iPhone or Apple Watch, and you can also have it sound an alarm on the Mac. Signing back in turns it off. A free version rings the alarm on the Mac without notifying your phone.
Keep in mind: it reacts to the lid closing, not to the Mac being moved or used with the lid open.
Don't Touch
Best for: a cheap, loud, offline deterrent for café breaks.
Don't Touch turns the screen red, plays a siren at full volume, and speaks lines like "Put. Me. Down." when someone touches the keyboard or trackpad, closes or tilts the lid, unplugs the charger, or moves the Mac. It detects movement with the camera, by noticing the whole picture shift, without recording. It stops when you type your PIN. It costs $5 once, runs on macOS 13 or later on Apple silicon and Intel, and never connects to the internet.
Keep in mind: there are no phone alerts, so it only helps if the noise does the job.
Stealward
Best for: watching your bag and belongings as well as the Mac.
Stealward alerts your iPhone or iPad when the Mac is moved, unplugged, or stops checking in, and sounds a local alarm. Its camera can also watch the belongings you leave in view, with an AI description of what's happening and encrypted live video you can open from your phone. The core protection is free.
Keep in mind: its most distinctive features use the camera, including live video sent to your phone. If you only want a siren and an alert, a simpler app may suit you.
Apple Find My
Turn it on whatever else you use. Find My locates an online Mac, lets you lock or erase it remotely, and Activation Lock makes a stolen Mac much harder to reuse. It doesn't make a sound when someone picks your Mac up, so it works best alongside an alarm. Our anti-theft checklist covers the settings to turn on.
How to choose
- You want it to react when the Mac is lifted or used: MacGuard, Don't Touch, or Stealward.
- You're always plugged in: Unplug Alarm covers the charger and the lid.
- You want something free and simple: Clyde's free version or the free MacGuard Mac app.
- You want an alert on your phone: MacGuard, Unplug Alarm, Stealward, or Clyde's paid version.
- You don't want anything to leave your Mac: Don't Touch, or MacGuard without the companion.
Whatever you pick, test it at home first, and remember that an alarm deters and alerts. It doesn't physically stop a determined thief.