Paper Birds Support

Getting started

Open Paper Birds and look for its paper bird icon in the macOS menu bar. No Paper Birds account or sign-in is required.

Click the icon and choose Settings & Expanded Flight… to change your flight. If Expanded Flight is already unlocked, this menu item is called Settings….

Starting and stopping a flight

Choose Start Flight from the menu bar, or use the Start Flight button in settings. A full-screen flight opens on every connected display.

Press Escape to stop immediately. Moving the mouse or pressing another key also leaves full-screen flight after its brief, one-second startup grace period.

Automatic flight

In settings, open General → Start after inactivity. Choose 1, 5, 10, 20, or 30 minutes, or choose Never · Start manually to turn automatic flight off.

Keep Paper Birds running and close its settings window. Automatic flight waits while another app keeps the display awake, such as during video playback, then waits a fresh idle interval. Your Mac’s sleep and lock settings still apply.

Launch at login

In General, turn on Launch at login to start Paper Birds when you sign in to your Mac. If macOS requests approval, allow Paper Birds in System Settings → General → Login Items. You can turn the option off again in Paper Birds.

Expanded Flight

Expanded Flight is an optional one-time In-App Purchase, with no subscription. It unlocks additional worlds, up to seven birds, formations, colors, seasons, camera options, forest density, and tail trails.

Open the Expanded Flight tab in settings to see the available purchase options. Prices are supplied by the App Store inside the app.

Restore purchases

1. Open Settings & Expanded Flight… from the menu bar.
2. Select the Expanded Flight tab.
3. Click Restore Purchases and follow any Apple sign-in prompt using the Apple Account that made the purchase.

The app asks Apple to restore your purchase and checks the result. The Expanded Flight tab disappears when access is already unlocked. Restore Purchases is also available in the upgrade prompt shown when you select a locked option.

macOS screen saver settings

Paper Birds is an independent macOS menu bar app. It does not install a traditional .saver plug-in, so it does not appear in System Settings → Screen Saver.

Full-screen flight does not lock your Mac or replace the macOS security lock screen. Use your normal macOS lock and sleep settings for security.

Troubleshooting

A flight does not start automatically

Check that Paper Birds is running, its settings window is closed, and Start after inactivity is not set to Never. Apps that keep the display awake can delay automatic flight. You can still choose Start Flight manually.

Launch at login needs approval

Check the message next to the setting, then review System Settings → General → Login Items.

A purchase is unavailable or has not restored

Read the message shown in the Expanded Flight panel. Check your internet connection and App Store account, then try Restore Purchases again. Pending purchases unlock only after Apple confirms them.

A flight stops after a display change

Changing a display’s size, scale, or connection ends the current flight. Choose Start Flight again once your displays are ready.

System requirements

macOS 13 or later, on an Apple Silicon or Intel Mac.

Contact

For Paper Birds support or privacy questions, email woodendev@gmail.com.