A little help getting started.

Updated October 5, 2026

MacDelta 2.0.3 is built for Apple silicon. The Intel build requires the same one-time license: $9.99 plus applicable tax. Contact support@macdelta.app.

Set up your folders

Install MacDelta in Applications. Open Monitored Folders and follow the recommended setup. For Trash and protected folders, use Open System Settings to grant Full Disk Access to the installed app. Quit and reopen if macOS asks, then choose Check Access.

Let history build

The first capture establishes your starting point. Available macOS installation records can provide partial earlier history. By default, captures run every 30 minutes while the app is open. Settings → Observation → Open at Login optionally starts MacDelta when you sign in.

Connection and battery history

Networking has its own sidebar category for Wi-Fi, network-route changes, Bluetooth on/off, and supported paired-device connections. Battery, charging milestones, Low Power Mode, sleep and wake appear under Mac Activity. These events arrive between scheduled captures while MacDelta is awake and running.

Settings → Connection History controls network and Bluetooth observation. Bluetooth requires permission in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Bluetooth. Settings → Battery History controls battery and Low Power Mode events. Both sections are enabled by default unless you turn them off.

Wi-Fi and network-route changes settle for two seconds, paired-device connections for five seconds. Matching Wi-Fi and network-availability entries are grouped. An available network path does not prove internet access or VPN protection. Battery events require an internal battery; Low Power Mode records the effective state, which may follow your power-source settings.

Include Wi-Fi names

Choose Enable Wi-Fi Names during initial setup, or enable the option in Settings → Connection History. macOS requires Location permission to identify networks; Full Disk Access does not grant it. MacDelta never requests geographic coordinates. If access is disabled or denied, open Location Settings, enable Location Services and MacDelta, then return and choose Check Access. Without permission, connection events still work without names.

New events can include available Wi-Fi details, battery levels and observed intervals, display modes, drive details and thermal transitions. Earlier events cannot gain details that were never recorded. Link rate is not an internet-speed measurement, and durations require both endpoints to be observed.

Save a snapshot

Use the + beside Snapshots, or Shift–Command–S, to capture and name a moment. Select it to see retained events since then. Click it again to return to the time window. Compare States shows net differences between the saved state and the latest observation. Transient connection, battery, Low Power Mode, sleep and wake events appear in Timeline, not Compare States.

Why didn’t an event appear?

Changes that happen and reverse between captures may be missed. Trash must first be observed containing items before an empty state can be reported. Protected or unfinished measurements are explained in observation coverage and are not treated as zero.

Export your history

Use Export History to save a CSV for a spreadsheet or JSON for structured data. Choose the range and whether to include paths, device/volume names and Wi-Fi names. These details are included by default, so review your export before sharing it. An export is a report, not a restorable backup.

Free upgrade to v2

Existing v1 customers can upgrade at no extra charge. In MacDelta 1.1.0 or later, choose MacDelta → Check for Updates. Earlier builds need a manual download from My Downloads, using your existing purchase code or checkout email. Quit MacDelta, replace it in Applications and reopen it. Keep one installed copy. Your existing history and snapshots are preserved.

Return to v1

Verify your purchase on My Downloads and expand Prefer MacDelta v1? Download version 1.1.0 for your Mac, quit v2, then replace MacDelta in Applications. Keep the existing Application Support data folder. Shared system history and snapshots are compatible; v2-only history remains in separate files and reappears when you return to v2. V1 does not capture file, download, clipboard or app-launch history.

If you want to stay on v1, turn off automatic installation in Settings and choose Skip This Version when offered v2. Automatic checks may still notify you of later releases. The pre-v2 backup is retained under the app’s Application Support folder in Backups/pre-v2. Contact support before manually replacing history files.

Recent Files and Downloads

These views use Spotlight-indexed metadata across local volumes in the direct edition. Results depend on indexing and macOS permissions. Last Used, Modified and Created describe recorded metadata, not a complete record of every open. Forgotten means an older download with no recorded use; No recorded use also includes recent downloads with missing last-use metadata. File history and download entries do not clutter the system Timeline.

Clipboard history

Enable Record Clipboard in Clipboard to remember new copies. It is off by default and does not import the current clipboard. Search by type, pin an entry, copy it again, or delete it. Marked sensitive data and excluded applications are skipped. Pins are exempt from time-based expiry, but storage limits still apply. Pause recording before copying content you do not want retained.

Quick access and recording

The menu bar shows recent activity and offers search, Open Timeline, and Pause/Resume. Global search opens a small floating window; selecting a result opens its context in the full app. Closing the window keeps recording active; quitting stops it.

Intel Macs

The Intel build requires macOS 14 or later and the same one-time license: $9.99 plus applicable tax. Compatibility has not been verified on physical Intel Macs, and some features may have issues. Buy MacDelta and download after payment. For questions or issues, email support@macdelta.app.

Send feedback with your Mac model, macOS version, MacDelta version and steps to reproduce the issue. Review screenshots or exports before sharing.

Refunds and purchases

For technical problems, duplicate charges or download failures, email support@macdelta.app from your purchase email with your payment reference and a description of the issue. We review requests individually. Change-of-mind refunds are not offered where permitted; statutory rights remain unaffected. See our refund policy for details.

Report a problem

Support: support@macdelta.app. When reporting an issue, include the app version, macOS version, steps to reproduce and any observation coverage message. Share only the screenshots or logs you are comfortable disclosing.