What you can see
The RunDog popover shows Claude session and weekly usage along with the time remaining until each reset. When the popover is closed, the runner acts as a compact signal: it strolls when usage is plentiful, speeds up in stages as quota runs low, and sleeps when the limit is reached.
- Fast runner
- Less usage remains
- Slow runner
- More usage remains
- Sleeping runner
- The limit is reached and waiting for reset
Connect your Claude account
- Install and open RunDog from the Mac App Store.
- Click the menu bar runner and choose Claude login.
- Sign in to your own Claude account in the browser and approve access.
- Copy the displayed code, return to RunDog, and paste it into the waiting field.
- Confirm that usage and reset times appear in the popover.
RunDog has no separate account system. Disconnecting removes only the Claude token that RunDog stored in the Mac Keychain. It does not sign you out of Claude Code or other apps.
Automatic refresh and error states
Usage refreshes every 60 seconds and can be refreshed manually. Polling pauses while your Mac sleeps and resumes after wake. If the provider requires authentication again, RunDog shows a login-needed state instead of presenting stale data as current.
Privacy boundary
The app contains no analytics, advertising, or tracking SDK. Sign-in tokens remain in the macOS Keychain, and usage requests travel directly from your Mac to Claude. Nothing passes through a RunDog developer server. The website's separate cookie and advertising terms are explained in the privacy notice.
Session allowance and weekly allowance are read differently
A Claude subscription applies a short-cycle session allowance and a longer weekly allowance at the same time. The RunDog popover separates the two, each with its own remaining percentage and reset countdown. A low session value is manageable when its reset is minutes away, while a comfortable session value can still be risky if the weekly value is nearly exhausted and a large refactor is about to start. Runner speed follows whichever allowance is tighter, so when the runner suddenly speeds up, open the popover to see which limit is responsible.
- Session allowance
- Remaining percentage and time until the session resets
- Weekly allowance
- Weekly remaining usage and the next weekly reset
- Runner speed
- Accelerates in stages based on the tighter allowance
Reading the runner speed stages
With plenty of usage left, the runner strolls. As remaining usage drops it passes through several stages and accelerates step by step; the fastest pace is capped so the menu bar never becomes distracting. When the limit is fully used the runner falls asleep and wakes up again after the next reset restores usage. An N mark appears on the runner when a new version is available, and the settings window offers a stop option when you want the menu bar quiet for a while. The runner is a summary signal only — rely on the popover numbers when you need an exact value.
What to check when something looks wrong
- The code field is not visible — close the popover after browser approval and click the runner again; the field is still waiting. Versions before 1.0.1 had a bug where the field disappeared, so update to the latest release.
- Login-needed keeps returning — the Claude authentication has expired. Sign out from the account menu in the popover and connect again from the start; a fresh token is stored in the Keychain.
- Numbers look stale — press refresh to fetch immediately. Right after the Mac wakes from sleep, the first refresh can take up to 60 seconds.
- Switching to another Claude account — sign out from the account menu and sign in with the other account. If the browser is already signed in to a different account, switch accounts in the browser first.
- The runner is missing from the menu bar — confirm that the Claude runner is enabled in the RunDog settings window and that macOS has not hidden the icon because the menu bar is full.
Using RunDog alongside Claude Code
RunDog's Claude connection is independent of the Claude Code or desktop app sign-in. Signing out of RunDog leaves the terminal session untouched, and re-authenticating Claude Code does not affect RunDog. Both read the same subscription allowance, so the remaining percentage refers to the same value, but because RunDog refreshes every 60 seconds a request just sent from the terminal may take a moment to show up.