Wintertime

Wintertime runs as a background app freezer for macOS, targeting processes that are not currently in focus. By placing blacklisted applications into a “Not Responding” state, it reduces their CPU usage to zero, which helps conserve battery life on laptops. The utility automatically resumes a frozen app when the user interacts with its window, and it offers a “Panic button” to defrost all frozen processes at once.

The tool is intended for macOS users who experience unnecessary battery drain from background applications such as web browsers, graphics‑intensive programs, or Electron‑based apps. It provides a simple graphical interface where users can start or stop the freezing operation, adjust preferences, and toggle block/unblock with a keyboard shortcut. The underlying implementation issues a `pkill -CONT` command for each blacklisted process, ensuring that frozen apps remain idle until reactivated.

Wintertime is distributed as a stable release for macOS 10.13.5 and later, available via direct download or Homebrew Cask. The project welcomes contributions and feedback through its GitHub repository.