How to set up a MacBook anti-theft alarm
Install Unplug Alarm from the Mac App Store, open its menu bar controls, and choose the events and actions you want. Activate the alarm, test one trigger, and add the Client app if you want notifications on your phone.
Quick setup
- Install and open Unplug Alarm on the Mac.
- Select Power Unplugged or Screen Closed.
- Choose alarm actions and pair a Client if needed.
- Activate and test each chosen trigger.
- Deactivate before packing up.
Install the Mac app and find its controls
Download Unplug Alarm using the official Mac App Store link. Open the app and find its icon in the menu bar. The app’s controls let you select alarm conditions and responses without keeping a full application window in front of your work.
Start by deciding what you want an alarm to mean. At a shared desk, you might want to know if someone disconnects the charger. In another setting, closing the screen may be the event you care about. Make that choice before enabling every option.
The current listing requires macOS 12 or later. The app is free to download with in-app purchases. Check the purchase options in the store or app: core Mac protection and remote notifications are offered through different plans.
Choose your alarm triggers and actions
Under Alarm On, choose Power Unplugged, Screen Closed, or both. Power Unplugged needs an existing power connection to disconnect. Screen Closed monitors the lid event. Neither label means the app detects every physical movement of the laptop.
Under Alarm Actions, choose the siren if you want a loud response on the Mac. Photo capture and notifications can add context on your phone when configured with the Client. Give the app any permissions required for the features you select.
The menu also includes an overlay warning and a lock-device option while active. Review these separately from the triggers. A trigger describes what starts an alarm; an action describes what the app does when that event occurs.
Pair your phone if you want remote alerts
Install Unplug Alarm Client on your iPhone or Android phone. On the Mac, open Notifications and choose Set up new device. Follow the pairing flow and scan the displayed QR code with the Client where prompted.
Remote alerts and photo notifications use the yearly plan. The lifetime purchase covers core protection on the Mac. A local-only setup may suit a desk where you are always within earshot; the Client is useful when the phone is the device you check.
Allow notifications on the phone. On iPhone, enable Critical Alerts if you want supported alerts to sound when muted or in Do Not Disturb. Android has different notification controls, so verify its behavior directly on the phone you use.
Test, then build a repeatable routine
Choose somewhere the siren will not interrupt others. Activate Unplug Alarm and perform one selected event, such as disconnecting the charger. Confirm that the expected local sound occurs and that any paired phone receives the notification.
If you enabled photo capture, check the picture. If you selected both power and lid triggers, test them individually so you know which response belongs to each event. This also helps you separate an event-detection problem from a phone-notification problem.
Deactivate the app before closing the lid or unplugging your own Mac to pack up. For later sessions, use the same tested setup and repeat a check whenever your dock, phone, permissions, or notification settings change. Keep the Mac within sight where possible and take it with you when leaving it out of view.
More questions
Which trigger should I test first?
Start with power disconnection while the MacBook is connected to its usual charger. It is easy to reproduce while keeping the screen open to inspect the controls.
Do I need to pair a phone for the Mac siren?
The siren runs on the Mac. Pair the Client when you want remote alerts or photo notifications, which require the yearly plan.
