A quick setup guide
Install the signed, notarized app, approve its first launch, and understand exactly why its typing reaction needs Accessibility access.
A Mac running macOS 13 Ventura or later, about 30 MB of free space during installation, and roughly two minutes. The current download is about 11.5 MB and contains a universal Apple silicon and Intel app.
This guide covers the current Paw-Paw release rather than repeating old instructions for unsigned apps. Version 0.1.9 is signed with Developer ID, notarized by Apple, and accepted by Gatekeeper. macOS may still ask you to confirm the first launch of an app downloaded from the internet.
Go to paw-paw.pet and click Download Free for Mac. A .dmg file will land in your Downloads folder. Version 0.1.9 is about 11.5 MB. No account or email is required.
Paw-Paw is the app we make, so this guide is naturally written around it. It is a free, native Swift app — not a port, not a web wrapper. If you want to compare other Mac desktop pets first, see our full comparison.
Double-click the .dmg file in your Downloads folder. A window opens showing the Paw-Paw icon and an Applications folder shortcut. Drag the Paw-Paw icon onto the Applications folder. That's the install step — nothing else happens yet.
You can eject and delete the .dmg file after this. It is just a delivery container; the app is now in /Applications/PawPaw.app.
Double-click PawPaw in Applications. Because the app came from the internet, macOS may ask you to confirm that you want to open it. The current release is signed with Developer ID, notarized by Apple, and has a stapled notarization ticket.
Gatekeeper checks software downloaded outside the App Store for a valid Developer ID signature, notarization, and signs of modification. Apple notarization means Apple checked the submitted release for known malicious software; it is not a general security guarantee.
If the current release is unexpectedly blocked:
PawPaw.app from Applications again.Do not bypass a warning that says the app is damaged or will harm your computer. Re-download it or contact us instead.
After you open Paw-Paw, it will ask for Accessibility access. This is the permission macOS uses to gate global keyboard and mouse event detection. Paw-Paw needs it to know when you are typing so the pet can react.
To grant it: when the dialog appears, click Open System Settings. In Privacy & Security > Accessibility, toggle the switch next to Paw-Paw to on.
If Paw-Paw is already in the list but toggled off, just toggle it on. If it is not in the list, click the + button and add it from Applications.
That is the install done. The default pet appears in the corner of your desktop. In most apps it reacts as you type once Accessibility access is granted; macOS Secure Input can temporarily prevent event detection in sensitive fields.
As you earn levels and loot, click the Paw-Paw menu-bar icon to equip unlocked animals and collected cosmetics or adjust the pet. Version 0.1.9 includes 73 cosmetics at no extra charge. First-run onboarding guides you through Accessibility access and optional privacy choices; no account is required.
If you searched for "how to add a virtual pet to Mac" rather than a specific app name, you probably had a few options in front of you. Here is why Paw-Paw is the one this guide covers.
The main alternative if you want pets that roam around rather than sit and react is Pets Therapy — an App Store option whose current US listing offers annual and lifetime in-app purchases. If you want a full comparison, see the desktop pets for Mac roundup.
The current release is signed with Developer ID and notarized by Apple. Delete the blocked copy, download it again from paw-paw.pet, and confirm the download completed. Use Open Anyway only as a deliberate fallback after confirming the source; do not bypass a warning that says the app is damaged or harmful.
macOS gates system-wide input monitoring behind Accessibility access. Paw-Paw observes event types, not typed characters, and stores aggregate keypress and click totals locally so progression can persist. It does not log or transmit typed content.
Paw-Paw is a native Swift app designed to stay lightweight, but actual CPU and battery use varies by Mac, settings, and activity. Use Activity Monitor if you want to measure it on your system.
Yes. Paw-Paw 0.1.9 is a universal binary that runs natively on Apple silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 13 Ventura or later.
Yes. In Settings, enable Hide for full-screen apps or add apps under Hide for specific apps.
Quit Paw-Paw and drag PawPaw.app from Applications to the Trash. To remove saved settings and progress too, delete ~/Library/Preferences/com.pawpaw.app.plist and ~/Library/Application Support/PawPaw, then remove Paw-Paw from Accessibility in System Settings.
Free today: no trial, paywalls, accounts, or ads. Animals and cosmetics unlock through progression at no extra charge. Native macOS, reacts as you type in most apps once Accessibility access is granted.
Download Free for MacFree today · macOS 13+ · Apple silicon + Intel