01
Lives in the notch
An always-on layer pinned over the notch — no Dock icon, no window. Collapsed it's a static layer at 0 fps and ~zero GPU; Aurora and Liquid Glass only exist while you interact.
For macOS
Cortex Shelf
The smart notch for macOS.
Cortex Shelf turns the notch into a productivity surface that's always there and never in the way. Park files and snippets on the Shelf, recall everything you copied from a smart clipboard, jot quick notes, drop files into a staging zone, and capture screenshots — all without a window or a login. It's local-first by design (no account, no telemetry) and obsessively lightweight: collapsed 99% of the time, the notch is a static layer that burns zero GPU, and the Aurora + Liquid Glass interface only renders while you're interacting. AI is optional and runs through your local claude or codex CLI.
Coming soon In development — not available to download yet.
What it does
6 things, done well 02
Shelf area
Park files, text, and links on a shelf that's one gesture away — a staging spot for whatever you're moving between apps.
03
Smart clipboard
A searchable history of everything you've copied, so the thing you grabbed five minutes ago is still one keystroke away.
04
Quick notes & drop zone
Jot a note without breaking flow, and drag files into a drop zone that holds them until you're ready to file them.
05
Screenshots hub
Capture, collect, and drag out screenshots from one place in the notch instead of hunting across your desktop.
06
Local-first, AI optional
Everything runs on your Mac with no account and no telemetry. AI is an accelerator, not a dependency — and runs lazily through your local claude/codex CLI.
What you need
- Status
- In development — not out yet
- Runs on
- macOS 14 or later · best on macOS 26
- Price
- Free
- Needs
- A Mac with a notch (looks great without one too)
- AI
- Optional — off by default, runs on your machine
