gSwitch

gSwitch is a macOS menu‑bar utility that lets users select which graphics processor a dual‑GPU MacBook Pro should use. It provides three modes—integrated only, discrete only, and dynamic switching—accessible from the menu or via command‑line flags. The app also offers optional notifications when the active GPU changes and displays the current GPU status with a gear icon indicator.

The tool is aimed at MacBook owners who want to reduce power consumption or avoid driver‑related graphics issues by keeping the high‑performance discrete GPU idle when it is not needed. It is especially useful for extending battery life on laptops that otherwise switch to the discrete chip automatically.

gSwitch runs on macOS, is distributed as a free application, and can be installed from a zip archive, Homebrew, or source. It requires standard macOS security permissions to launch and cannot force the discrete GPU off when an external display is connected.