Glyphdrift 0.2.1

A cleaner menu bar on the Mac.

Windows 10/11: download glyphdrift.exe below and run it. There's nothing to install. Already running an earlier version? Quit it from the tray, replace the exe and start it again; your settings carry over.

macOS 12 or later (Apple silicon and Intel): download Glyphdrift-macos.zip, open it and move Glyphdrift to Applications, replacing the old copy. Quit Glyphdrift from the menu bar first; your settings carry over.

Windows may warn that it doesn't recognize the app, because the exe isn't code-signed yet. Choose More info, then Run anyway.

macOS blocks the first launch because the app isn't notarized yet. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll down and click Open Anyway.

What's new

• Match menu bar to theme (Mac). macOS draws a pale strip behind the menu bar when a window lies under it, and Glyphdrift's wallpaper counted. Turn this on in Settings or the menu bar menu, and the menu bar sits clear on your theme's background color instead. It's off by default.
• Your desktop picture is safe. While the option is on, Glyphdrift sets the desktop picture to a solid theme color. Your own picture is saved first and comes back when you turn the option off or quit Glyphdrift, or on the next launch if it ever crashes.
• One limit: macOS keeps a picture per Space, and apps can only change the current one. Other Spaces switch over when you visit them, and quitting restores the Space you're on.
• Windows: no changes in this release.

Verify the download

SHA-256:

b06764e130ac8d64ef67c2a7d5a4bb458d88217286d4669ad01177f45fd7efd9  glyphdrift.exe
78675196cd46b257272a6184c779098c594a0e7be45aab36d2f85f431c7f3a2c  Glyphdrift-macos.zip

Glyphdrift 0.2.0

Glyphdrift now runs on macOS too.

Windows 10/11: download glyphdrift.exe below and run it. There's nothing to install. Already running an earlier version? Quit it from the tray, replace the exe and start it again; your settings carry over.

macOS 12 or later (Apple silicon and Intel): download Glyphdrift-macos.zip, open it and move Glyphdrift to Applications. Glyphdrift lives in the menu bar, with no Dock icon.

Windows may warn that it doesn't recognize the app, because the exe isn't code-signed yet. Choose More info, then Run anyway.

macOS blocks the first launch because the app isn't notarized yet. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll down and click Open Anyway.

What's new

• A native Mac app. All 23 animations and 22 themes, drawn on the desktop behind your icons, on every Space and every screen. Centered animations center on each screen.
• Menu bar controls. Settings, Animation, Theme, Show clock, Open at Login, Pause and Quit. The settings window has the same live controls as on Windows.
• Light on resources. Metal (GPU) rendering keeps CPU use in line with Windows. It pauses while the desktop is covered, for example by a fullscreen app or the lock screen, and in Low Power Mode.
• Same settings file. ~/Library/Application Support/Glyphdrift/config.toml uses the same format as on Windows and still applies edits within a second.
• Windows: no changes in this release.

Verify the download

SHA-256:

29ac326193135b28fe506897910385d7ce1763938d7b16f813528cbfdeab36e3  glyphdrift.exe
4cc8302a48d6f933a1b1236fa0caf37664102c377730a27e00d6a8f3982ee10d  Glyphdrift-macos.zip

Glyphdrift 0.1.3

Smoother contour lines.

Download glyphdrift.exe below and run it. There's nothing to install. Already running an earlier version? Quit it from the tray, replace the exe and start it again; your settings carry over.

Windows may warn that it doesn't recognize the app, because the exe isn't code-signed yet. Choose More info, then Run anyway.

What's new

• Smooth contour lines. Topographic drift, Isobars, Wood grain, Interference, Hillshade topo, Dune ripples and Lava lamp now draw their lines as smooth curves instead of short straight segments, so they bend cleanly rather than turning a corner every few pixels.
• No flicker. The curves keep their shape from frame to frame as the terrain drifts.
• Same CPU cost as the straight lines they replace.

Verify the download

SHA-256 of glyphdrift.exe:

42FD12BDDF50AD171E064179044D8B5582E5B542FED9281770EC91887BD46EC0

Glyphdrift 0.1.2

A performance release: the heavier animations use far less CPU, plus a tidier settings window.

Download glyphdrift.exe below and run it. There's nothing to install. Already running an earlier version? Quit it from the tray, replace the exe and start it again; your settings carry over.

Windows may warn that it doesn't recognize the app, because the exe isn't code-signed yet. Choose More info, then Run anyway.

What's new

• Much lighter contour and fluid animations. Measured on a 3440×1440 screen, Wood grain, Interference, Ridgelines and Isobars use roughly half the CPU they did, and Ink in water's simulation is 3.5× faster. At the default scale every animation now uses 1–5% of an 8-thread CPU, most around 1%.
• 20 fps Auto rate for the slow-drifting Contour and Fluid animations, which roughly halves their cost again. Pick 30 or 60 fps under Frame rate in Settings if you prefer.
• Small overall scales stay affordable. Shrinking Overall scale no longer quadruples the work; contour lines are sampled no finer than 8 px, so they look slightly coarser at very small scales.
• Grouped theme list in Settings, under Terminal, Editor and Neon headings, matching the animation list. Screen readers can now read the theme names.

Verify the download

SHA-256 of glyphdrift.exe:

E427EC9413F66D495D75A5FDEBC6FA250794F3344B7D20EAAB6FB7924B887145

Glyphdrift 0.1.1

A small polish release.

Download glyphdrift.exe below and run it. There's nothing to install. Left-click the tray icon for settings; turn on Start with Windows from the right-click menu to keep it. Already running 0.1.0? Quit it from the tray, replace the exe and start it again; your settings carry over.

Windows may warn that it doesn't recognize the app, because the exe isn't code-signed yet. Choose More info, then Run anyway.

What's new

• First-run hint: on first launch, a notification shows where the tray icon is (including the ^ overflow on Windows 11). Clicking it opens Settings.
• Proper app identity: Windows now shows the app as "Glyphdrift" by Sectr99, version 0.1.1, in notifications, Task Manager, file Properties and Startup apps, instead of the bare file name.

Verify the download

SHA-256 of glyphdrift.exe:

F642C3075567F86BA450DC40A7818772E138949F5982363768D5DF469F7D5F3A

Glyphdrift 0.1.0

The first release of Glyphdrift: a quiet live wallpaper for Windows 10 and 11. Contour maps, ASCII and minimal motion graphics drift behind your desktop icons.

Download glyphdrift.exe below and run it. There's nothing to install. Left-click the tray icon for settings; turn on Start with Windows from the right-click menu to keep it.

Windows may warn that it doesn't recognize the app, because the exe isn't code-signed yet. Choose More info, then Run anyway.

What's in it

• 23 animations in five groups: Contour (Topographic drift, Ridgelines, Isobars, Wood grain, Interference, Hillshade topo, Dune ripples), Fluid (Lava lamp, Ink in water), Loops (Helix, Wire globe, Dot wave, Cubes, Sunburst, Moon), ASCII (Matrix rain, Plasma, Fire, Waves, Ripples, Wind) and Graphics (Constellation, Flow field)
• 22 themes, including Catppuccin Mocha, Tokyo Night, Nord, Gruvbox, Dracula, Rosé Pine and more
• Optional clock in Topographic drift; the contour lines flow around it
• Live settings: speed, icon readability, overall and object scale, frame rate. The window opens by the tray so the wallpaper is your preview
• Stays out of the way: under 1% CPU at the default frame rate, pauses for fullscreen apps and battery saver (the tray icon turns grey and says why)
• Single portable exe, no installer, no admin rights, no network access

Verify the download

SHA-256 of glyphdrift.exe:

3AB1DD292408186F63797BB28DD6505C83DF2B1F309D748320F07ECA56FB29F0