WidgetScreen lock – WidgetScreen, a free macOS app by UK student Sam Cook, adds frosted or clear “glassy” widgets to the Mac lock screen. It shows quick glances for weather, time, calendar, battery, music playback, countdowns, and system info—then disappears as soon as you sign i
The Mac lock screen has always been a little too quiet. You get the time, your wallpaper, and not much else—while macOS widgets sit on the desktop where you’re already signed in.
WidgetScreen is aiming straight at that gap. The free Mac app. created by UK computer science student Sam Cook. places glassy widgets directly on the lock screen. letting you check things like the weather. clock. calendar. battery status. music playback. countdowns. and system information—without the information vanishing the moment your Mac locks.
The app is intentionally limited to the lock screen. The widgets appear when the Mac is locked and disappear when the user signs in, so they don’t compete with the widgets you may already use on the desktop.
What makes WidgetScreen feel built for quick checks is how it’s designed to behave when your attention is elsewhere. You can arrange widgets on a grid, resize them, choose between frosted or clear glass styles, and adjust units and time format. You can also decide which display the widgets show on.
There’s also a notable reassurance around permissions. WidgetScreen does not ask for Screen Recording permission. Its website says it does not capture your screen or read your wallpaper. Instead, the widgets sit above the lock screen as native windows.
Weather data is handled through Open-Meteo, with a coarse IP-based location by default. Users can also set a custom city manually.
Cost is one of the most straightforward parts of the pitch: WidgetScreen is completely free, requires no account, and works on macOS 15 or later. It also sits in the menu bar, making it easier to tweak settings without digging through the system.
Cook is already iterating based on feedback from Reddit users. Automatic updates have been added, along with improved frosted glass visuals. Future ideas under consideration include user-added widgets, desktop support, more opacity controls, extra calendar options, and additional widget styles.
WidgetScreen macOS lock screen widgets Sam Cook glassy widgets Open-Meteo desktop widgets macOS 15 privacy weather widgets
So it shows the weather on the lock screen without even signing in? Kinda wild.
Not gonna lie I don’t trust apps that sit on the lock screen. Like if it’s “native windows” then why do I care? Also Open-Meteo sounds sketchy idk.
Wait it disappears when you sign in… so you have to lock it again just to see the time?? That seems backwards. I thought lock screen meant it stays there always. unless I’m missing something.
Free is cool but I bet it’ll drain battery or something. Also the article says no screen recording permission but it’s still grabbing IP location for weather which feels like tracking? Idk I’m probably overthinking it. Still, frosted glass looks neat.