Install

Install Overflow

Overflow is a direct download — there's no App Store involved. Grab the DMG, move the app to Applications, and launch it.

  1. Download the DMG from the Download page.
  2. Open Overflow-0.1.0-arm64.dmg and drag Overflow into your Applications folder.
  3. Open Overflow from Applications (or Spotlight).

If macOS blocks the app

The first time you open Overflow, macOS 26 will very likely refuse to launch it and show a warning instead. This is expected — here's exactly what you'll see and how to get past it.

Why this happens

Early Overflow builds are not yet notarized with Apple. Notarization is a separate signing step from code-signing, and it takes time to set up — until it's in place, Gatekeeper treats the app as coming from an unidentified developer and blocks it by default. This step goes away entirely once notarized builds ship; nothing about the process below will be needed at that point.

  1. Double-click Overflow. macOS shows a dialog saying it can't verify the app (or that it was blocked to protect your Mac) and won't open it.
  2. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security.
  3. Scroll down to the Security section. You'll see a notice naming Overflow as an app that was blocked from use.
  4. Click Open Anyway next to that notice.
  5. Confirm in the follow-up dialog (you may need to authenticate with Touch ID or your password). Overflow will launch.

You only need to do this once per version — subsequent launches of the same build open normally.

First-launch permissions

On first launch, Overflow will ask for two permissions it needs to detect and interact with other apps' menu bar icons. Both are requested through standard macOS prompts.

  1. When prompted for Accessibility, click Open System Settings, then enable the toggle next to Overflow in Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
  2. When prompted for Screen Recording, do the same in Privacy & Security → Screen Recording.
  3. Quit and reopen Overflow after granting both — macOS doesn't always apply a permission change to an already-running app.
Verify anytime

You don't have to trust that the grant worked — open Overflow's own Settings panel and check the Permissions section. Both Accessibility and Screen Recording show a green Granted indicator once macOS has actually applied the permission.

Curious exactly what each permission is used for? Read the full permissions breakdown. Next: Getting started.