SpinSteady
Support
Need help? Email support@spinsteady.com — please include your macOS version and drive model so we can help faster. (The app's Send Feedback… menu item fills this in for you.)
Frequently asked questions
My drive still spins down after adding it. What now?
A few enclosures reset their idle timer only on writes, not reads. Open the drive's settings in SpinSteady and switch it to Write mode, or shorten the interval. If SpinSteady detected the sleep, it will offer both fixes in a notification.
What is the ".spinsteady" folder on my drive?
It's a single hidden folder containing one tiny keep-alive file — the only thing SpinSteady writes to your drive. Remove the drive from SpinSteady and you can safely delete the folder.
Does SpinSteady keep my whole Mac awake?
No. It keeps only the drives you add awake. Your display and your Mac still sleep normally.
Will keeping the drive awake damage it?
The default read-only keep-alive adds no write wear. Continuous gentle spinning is generally gentler on a consumer drive than repeated spin-up/spin-down cycles. Use write mode only if your enclosure requires it.
How do I get a refund?
The one-time unlock is an App Store purchase, so refunds go through Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.
Which drives and Macs are supported?
Any external USB or Thunderbolt drive on macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later. SpinSteady works with HDDs and SSDs; spin-down detection applies to spinning (or unknown-type) drives.