Releases

What changed in each version of Mole.

v1.12.0 Preview build 140 Download

  1. Efficiency: Mole stays light across multi-day sessions: sampling wakes less often, menu-bar CPU no longer creeps up, and long lists stay smooth.
  2. Clean: cleanup reaches more apps such as JianyingPro, Dia, and Zed plus outdated caches, marks cloud-synced files, and reports the space actually reclaimed. Chat history, local models, install data, and active builds stay protected.
  3. Software updates: App Store apps update inside Mole when that can finish safely, Homebrew shows real progress and batch updates survive slow networks, and direct installs such as ChatGPT and Chrome hand new releases to their own updater. When macOS blocks a replacement, the row says why and opens the right setting.
  4. Uninstall: stable and beta copies protect each other's data, remnants a reinstall would rebuild come pre-selected, and only chosen login items stop. When another task keeps Mole busy, clicking Remove says so instead of doing nothing.
  5. Battery: Battery Care holds charging at 80%, tops up to 100% on demand, and pauses in heat. The card shows live power draw, real health, and the heaviest consumer, and accessory names no longer duplicate.
  6. Menu bar: the runner cast is redrawn pixel-crisp from the open-source RunCat Neo gallery with thanks to Takuto Nakamura, every runner's pace tracks real load, and network speed stays honest under TUN proxies.
  7. Interface: launch and tab switches no longer flash, buttons answer every press, and the health score now counts drive SMART failures and long uptime.
  8. Settings: a new Open Source Licenses panel shows every bundled notice, and rows, dividers, and descriptions read cleaner.

v1.11.0 July 19, 2026

  1. Clean: a new Uninstalled App Leftovers section clears data left behind by removed apps, without mistaking apps on external drives for leftovers, and AI-tool cleanup now covers Grok while chat history stays untouched.
  2. Memory: a few minutes after the window is tucked into the menu bar, Mole releases the window's memory and trims icon caches, keeping background usage light.
  3. Storage: Purgeable Space reclaims what macOS reserves for local backups, UTM and Tart virtual-machine caches join the cleanup, and root-owned Trash apps like iMovie and GarageBand delete after a one-time admin approval.
  4. Activation reliability: a genuine copy is no longer flagged as unofficial when macOS stamps its own marks inside the app, so Clean no longer locks up, a state even reinstalling couldn't fix.
  5. Network speed: in the menu bar and Status, network speed reads the physical interface instead of the tunnel, so a VPN or TUN-mode proxy no longer skews it high or low.
  6. Menu bar: a new Both style shows the runner beside a compact two-line metrics band with live speeds and tighter lines; when Mole starts at login, opening it from the menu bar brings up the window right away.
  7. Software updates: Homebrew updates show download progress and size instead of "Preparing", batch upgrades track each package with the real failure reason, the update dot can be dismissed for the current version, and in-app updates recover on their own when leftover files block the install.
  8. Software: apps on external drives no longer show stale last-used dates, and system-installed apps uninstall correctly on accounts whose home folder differs from the user name.
  9. Optimize: a new step finds hidden preferences left by old tuning apps, the App Nap kill switch and skipped disk-image verification, and removes only those so macOS returns to its safe defaults.
  10. Interface: the hero planet no longer blinks or lingers across scans and tab switches, selection bars and filter menus gained hover feedback and VoiceOver labels, and all nine interface languages got a native-speaker pass.

v1.10.0 July 11, 2026

  1. Menu bar and Keep Screen On: the always-on menu bar uses less power while Runner still follows real load, the menu bar icon no longer flickers or rebuilds itself on multi-display setups, compact metrics and paired-device batteries take less space, text and images stay sharp after display-scale changes, and three directly selectable Keep Screen On modes cover display, closed-lid tasks, or both.
  2. Status and accessory batteries: per-process CPU and GPU usage now follow live Activity Monitor-style sampling, Apple Silicon can separate performance and efficiency cores, battery probes run independently so one slow device cannot block the rest, accented names stay visible, charging uses a clearer Mac-style ring, and process explanations retry and scroll cleanly.
  3. Analyze: whole-disk maps appear within seconds, large-folder areas stay steady while sizes converge, very large lists scroll more smoothly, Finder-style back and forward gestures work, and returning to a folder preserves its expansion and exact viewport position.
  4. Software and Startup: Intel-only apps are marked for Rosetta, the Software tab opens to prepared results, dead background registrations from removed apps are pruned instead of becoming inert rows, and disabling an app stops all of its matched login helpers.
  5. Software updates: Universal Purchase iOS records and leftover Electron template feeds no longer become Mac updates, 1Password detection works again, vendor-specific version formatting such as AdGuard VPN no longer creates permanent phantom rows, verified replacements stay bound to the same app, and App Store updates that cannot finish in-app converge into one App Store Updates action without blocking Update All.
  6. Clean: review remains smooth with hundreds of files in one category, Select All is easier to reach, preset choices stay stable while items change, and Chinese cache labels preserve product names while Traditional Chinese uses Taiwan vocabulary.
  7. Uninstall: leftover checklists appear immediately and fill sizes in the background, Mole does not prompt again for apps it just removed, grouped rows end cleanly, and vendor-reinstalled apps with stale or missing Homebrew casks fall back to a normal uninstall.
  8. Notifications: Mole warns once when startup disk space runs low and the alert opens Clean directly, Bluetooth accessories low on battery alert once per episode instead of on every reconnect and clear once charging starts, and privacy alert settings now explain how to stop alerts for a single app.
  9. Reliability and activation: helper recovery can reconnect an existing signed fan and battery service, fan control re-registers it when macOS drops the launch record, brief post-install signature failures recover instead of locking the app as unofficial, and license checks identify network failures more clearly.

v1.9.0 June 30, 2026

  1. Menu bar: a native right-click menu opens any feature in one click, and a setting can swap what the left and right clicks do. The runner can track live CPU as RunCat, Keep Screen On adds a coffee-cup badge, mounted drives gain an Eject All action, the title can show used swap as an optional second reading, and Command-Q quits like a normal Mac app.
  2. Menu bar reliability: the icon no longer vanishes after a Control Center rewrite or collapses into an invisible slot, and a slow network drive no longer delays the right-click menu. Row actions stay steady while they run, the window reopens from the menu bar after a real close, and the icon comes back when macOS parks it off-screen.
  3. Status and battery: the Network tile opens a detail card with your public IP, location, and ISP, and a paired iPhone or iPad shows its level, charging state, and model beside the Mac. Battery health follows the capacity macOS reports, Intel Macs read CPU proximity temperature, live numbers stop flickering, and Mole suggests a restart when a system process holds a core busy after long uptime.
  4. Trash and uninstall: dragging an app to the Trash can clear its leftovers from a small popup, and Homebrew receipt cleanup keeps a later reinstall from being blocked. Uninstall now reaches more privileged helpers, sibling identifiers, and Darwin caches, and protected processes hide their terminate action.
  5. Software updates: Homebrew apps from custom taps and metadata-only casks stay visible, and a slow silent download no longer drops a cask update. Renamed Mac App Store apps can update in place, and a verified Sparkle or Electron replacement must keep the same bundle identifier before Mole swaps it. Opening Updates now clearly shows it is checking while it scans and finishes the first scan faster, so a quiet moment is no longer mistaken for nothing to update, and hover hints in the Software list appear without the old delay.
  6. Clean: AI coding-tool caches can be cleared while their settings and state stay protected, caches that are system or root-owned and cannot be removed are no longer offered, and repeated disk-capacity probes are throttled so they stop flooding the log.
  7. License and permissions: activation reuses this Mac's existing license slot instead of minting a duplicate, and the Full Disk Access reopen prompt now stays inside the permission banner.
  8. Settings: a helper management entry can reinstall or remove the signed fan and battery helper, system battery charge limits are handled cleanly, and a cooling preset holds until you choose Auto or quit.
  9. Analyze and support: picking Analyze from the menu bar starts the disk scan right away, in-app support routes through the diagnostics bundle, and the thermal probe keys line up with the app's own SMC reader. Disk analysis also uses larger, easier-to-read text.

v1.8.0 June 22, 2026

  1. Battery Care: a new power tool for supported MacBooks. While Mole is running it holds charging near 80% and resumes below 75%, so the battery spends less time sitting at a full charge. Battery Care and fan control share a single signed helper, so one admin approval is enough for both.
  2. Fan control: presets on Apple Silicon no longer depend on a sudoers setup, and Mole now returns to Auto reliably after a failure, a relaunch, or a helper update.
  3. Optimize: the fixes you can see run first, covering Dock, input switching, iCloud Drive, AirDrop, Spotlight, and Notification Center, and the deeper maintenance that follows is grouped by startup, database, network and search, and system upkeep, so the outcome reads as a summary rather than a log.
  4. Updates: apps installed in external Applications folders now appear alongside everything else in the list and in update checks. Update All installs supported updates one at a time with live progress and cancels cleanly between apps, and App Store rows hide updates that require a newer macOS, holding until the version on disk has actually changed.
  5. Status and the menu bar: process rows appear sooner, GPU details load in the background, pinned processes stay in place, and battery health follows the capacity macOS reports. In the menu bar, network speed refreshes every second, the badge reflects the interface in use rather than a proxy placeholder, and new installs turn the runner on by default. Tapping a process also explains its origin more clearly, naming a shell or SSH session and warning when it is running from a deleted or replaced binary.
  6. Clean: scan sections appear the moment Clean opens, the completion totals stay steady instead of flickering at the end, and macOS wallpaper covers are kept safe from cleanup.
  7. Uninstall: removal details pre-scan as you hover, root-owned items remain in the list instead of quietly dropping out, and when every item is skipped Mole states it plainly rather than implying a clean sweep.
  8. Analyze: it opens on the whole-disk overview and draws the large treemaps first, filling in slower folder sizes in the background. App bundles now carry their real icons, long names shorten with a hover title, the smallest cells fold into Other, and very large flat folders collapse their long tail so the view never stalls.
  9. Everyday tools: Keep Screen On gains longer durations and keeps tasks alive with the lid closed, Clean Screen waits for the exit shortcut to be released before it resumes, a manual update refresh bypasses stale catalog caches, and skipping the intro no longer leaves Software on a single stale app cache.
  10. Fit and finish: keyboard focus stays visible, RunCat joins the runners, the planets track the display's refresh rate, Bluetooth battery accessories are grouped with clearer warnings, a slow Analyze scan shows a hint in a fixed spot, the app icon adapts to Dark Mode, diagnostics are easier to copy, and DMG downloads carry proper disk-image headers.

v1.7.1 June 13, 2026

  1. Accessibility work guided by users with visual impairments: this release follows feedback from Mole users with visual impairments, making more buttons, metrics, and states read correctly with VoiceOver, smoothing keyboard paths, respecting Reduce Motion, and carrying the same accessibility care to the website.
  2. Status and the menu bar feel faster and steadier: the dashboard opens from your last snapshot while fresh data loads, process rows appear sooner, power and temperature readings line up better, and hidden Dock mode, restart launch, right-click menus, popovers, fan presets, and background sampling all hold together more reliably.
  3. Software, uninstall, and updates go deeper: Electron apps can update inside Mole alongside Sparkle, Homebrew, and the App Store, Website installers download once and reopen from the local package, update checks can be filtered by source, uninstall connects startup items and package receipts, and stale update rows or missing startup files no longer linger.
  4. Clean covers more while staying review-first: WeChat media caches, oversized active logs, Xcode device artifacts, orphaned system services, Sparkle leftovers, Spotlight remnants, Safari container cache, and project artifacts such as dist or build are easier to review, group, exclude, or keep out of future cleanups.
  5. Privacy checks are quieter and more accurate: camera and microphone use is detected as it starts, system voice services no longer trigger false microphone alerts, trusted apps can be muted, and calls you start in the frontmost app stay quiet.
  6. License device management is easier: device lists load faster, all devices can be released at once, and moving Macs or hitting the device limit can be handled in the app.
  7. Analyze, Doctor, and Clean Screen are steadier: disk analysis uses less CPU on many-core Macs, tiny treemap blocks fold into Other, Doctor reports include more system state with stricter Full Disk Access checks, and Clean Screen now exits only after a deliberate move-and-hold.
  8. The planets look more natural: Earth uses a remastered NASA Blue Marble texture with soft cloud cover, sunlight comes from one direction, the spin stays steady, and all planets render a little larger in their frame.
  9. Fan control on Apple Silicon: fan presets now apply reliably on Apple Silicon Macs, including M4-class machines where the system thermal controller had kept fan writes locked.
  10. Menu bar and window fixes: the menu bar icon is restored when Control Center drops it, the popover stays compact on shorter screens, and the window now supports the standard full-screen shortcut.
  11. Clean refinements: AI tool caches such as ChatGPT, Codex, and Antigravity can be cleaned again, and the review selection controls are clearer.

v1.6.2 June 3, 2026

  1. Keep Screen On (new): keep your Mac awake from the menu bar, choose a duration, and let startup recovery stay silent instead of unexpectedly asking for admin permission.
  2. Privacy Check (new): the menu bar popover shows camera or microphone use, with localized notifications so privacy activity is visible without opening the main window.
  3. Clean Screen (new): turn the screen into a plain color so you can wipe the display and keyboard with a clean cloth, then get back to work refreshed; press Escape to exit, with an optional input lock.
  4. Software updates cover more apps: Software checks Mac App Store, Sparkle, Electron, Homebrew cask/formula, Homebrew catalog, and GitHub Releases fallback, with clearer progress and fewer false prompts from self-updating apps or locale-specific MAS states.
  5. Uninstall finds far more leftovers: residue detection now covers receipts, Launch Items, Group Containers, Darwin temporary caches, and more App Support traces; Clear Data keeps the app while running-app, input method, and Homebrew cask Full Disk Access checks stay steadier.
  6. Clean is more useful, and still safer: Mole finds large project folders such as build, dist, target, and node_modules, but leaves them unchecked for review; AI tool state stays protected, and Safari WebKitCache plus Zed stay review-only.
  7. Analyze scans faster: disk analysis uses faster concurrent sizing, cache reuse, and child-folder prewarming, so large folders open faster; near-equal folders read more clearly and tiny files fold into a tail summary.
  8. Optimize stays inside safer boundaries: VPN detection no longer depends only on utun; related optimizations are skipped when VPN, external audio, external displays, or Bluetooth keyboard and mouse devices are active.
  9. Doctor reports are more complete: diagnostics add display, external volume, network, and security context, so issue reports carry the details maintainers need.
  10. Software stays simpler: keeps uninstall sorting, refreshes newly installed apps with Command-R, and separates directly controlled, System Settings managed, and read-only startup items.
  11. Stability and polish: Status and menu bar readings now match more closely; Podman hints, completion summaries, right-click menus, hidden Dock, Command-Q, and HUD ordering are steadier.
  12. 1.6.2 fixes: switching to Software no longer hangs; uninstall expansion no longer blanks the list; background sampling, window wake-up, and microphone false positives keep tightening.

Special thanks to @_huawuque and @liujiayi1111 for testing Mole and surfacing many real-world experience issues before the stable release.

v1.5.0 May 23, 2026

  1. Menu bar runners: choose a small moving companion in the menu bar, keep live metrics visible, use the right-click quick menu, and run Mole as a menu-bar-only app without a Dock icon.
  2. Fan controls in Status: supported Macs can switch fans between Auto, Cool, and Quiet, with live RPM and safer automatic restore behavior.
  3. In-app app updates: the Software tab can check and install updates from Sparkle, Homebrew Cask and Formula, and the Mac App Store, with clearer progress and explicit App Store handoff when needed.
  4. Startup management: review Login Items, Launch Agents, Launch Daemons, and background items from the Software tab, then disable or reveal them without hunting through System Settings.
  5. Better uninstall coverage: app search understands common aliases, leftovers include input methods, and WeChat Input Method plus Doubao Input Method can now be found and removed safely.
  6. Safer cleanup: log cleanup now accepts only real rotated logs, protects proxy and VPN app state, and only unlocks generic Application Support cache leaves when strong Chromium/Electron markers are present.
  7. Analyze polish: clearer disk labels, smoother drill-down breadcrumbs, and better prefetching make large folder maps easier to read.
  8. License device management: activation flows handle device switching and reclaim paths more clearly, so moving Mole to a new Mac needs less support back-and-forth.
  9. Reliability fixes: Homebrew cancellation now stops the child process, fan presets recover correctly across upgrades, Trash validation is stricter, and menu-bar-only mode guards against ghost states.

v1.4.1 May 18, 2026

  1. Menu bar HUD (new): live CPU, memory, and network speed in the menu bar, with an icon-only compact mode and a right-click quick menu.
  2. Software update checks (new): Mole now watches for new versions of your apps across the App Store, Sparkle, and Electron, and flags unseen updates with a sidebar badge.
  3. Status redesigned: new battery and disk tiles. Battery shows health and the most power-hungry app, disk uses color to signal when space runs low, and network now draws dual up and down sparklines.
  4. Clearer cleanup: see the exact path and progress while scanning, results sorted by impact, a lifetime cleanup total on the completion screen, and items you can exclude for good.
  5. Uninstall and Optimize: sort the app list by name, size, or install date, uninstall apps on external drives, and clear leftover files scattered across the system, all with a single admin prompt.
  6. Settings and window: a Launch at Login toggle, native macOS fullscreen, and a wider default window that always stays within the visible screen.
  7. More stable and secure: new battery and high-CPU alerts in Doctor, trial and license data moved to the Keychain, 53 missing translations filled across nine languages, and background sampling pauses when the window is hidden.
  8. Fixes and polish: Optimize no longer restarts Bluetooth, so a connected wireless mouse or keyboard can’t drop while it runs. Broken login-item cleanup now skips apps that live on an unplugged external drive. Licensing no longer shows a Keychain access prompt, plus battery tile spacing and other small refinements.

v1.3.0 May 13, 2026

  1. Cleanup safety: reclaimed space is now measured from the filesystem with hardlink-aware exclusive sizing. Sensitive remnants such as keychains and credentials stay visible for review instead of being silently hidden. Root-owned apps go through the recoverable Trash path.
  2. Uninstall: iOS wrapper apps and bilingual apps are now detected and removable. Dock ghosts, login items, and launch agents are cleaned in one pass with a single admin prompt.
  3. Clean review: results sorted by deletion impact (regenerable caches first, user-visible state last). Completion screen shows cumulative lifetime cleanup stats.
  4. Status: click any column header to sort the process list; click a row to pin it so it stays visible across refreshes.
  5. Analyze: narrow treemap cells now rotate labels vertically so directory names stay readable.
  6. Doctor: built-in diagnostic report from the Help menu covering permissions, system pressure, disk space, and operations logs.
  7. Languages: French and German across the Mac app and website, with localized screenshots.

v1.2.0 May 11, 2026

  1. No more keychain password prompts on launch or passive license reads.
  2. No more TCC dialogs when scanning without Full Disk Access.
  3. Overlay panels no longer flash white on first render.
  4. ESC key now reliably dismisses all overlays and cancels running operations.
  5. Status dashboard uses less CPU.
  6. Refined planet colors and accent palette.

v1.1.0 May 11, 2026

  1. System cache cleanup with admin privileges (1-3 GB typical).
  2. Uninstall now auto-quits running apps, cleans Dock and login items.
  3. All 22 optimize tasks run (admin tasks via one-time auth).
  4. 50+ new app cache targets (Steam, Notion, IINA, Raycast, and more).
  5. Homebrew cask --zap for thorough removal.
  6. Root-owned app uninstall via Finder.

v1.0.0 May 6, 2026

  1. Five tools in one app: Clean, Uninstall, Optimize, Analyze, Status.
  2. Launch early-bird license: $9 during the launch window, 14-day refund.
  3. Built-in license activation, two devices per key.
  4. Conservative safety defaults: protected paths, full review before any cleanup, Trash by default for app uninstalls.