How to see CPU and RAM on your Mac desktop

macOS has no documented CPU widget, but Activity Monitor can show a live graph: choose Window > CPU History. For true desktop widgets, the free Stats app adds CPU and RAM widgets after you enable its macOS widgets option, then add them with Edit Widgets.

If you want a CPU widget on your Mac desktop, first check what macOS already includes: Activity Monitor can show a live CPU graph in its own window or in the Dock, without another download. Apple documents no CPU or memory widget in its widget guide. For actual widgets, Stats is free and open source; iStatistica also bundles macOS widgets. Menu-bar monitors, floating windows and dashboard wallpapers are different kinds of tools, so this guide compares what each really puts on screen, what it costs and what it cannot show.

Updated 2026-09-23 · 8 min read

What macOS already gives you for CPU and memory

You do not need a desktop widget to keep a CPU graph in view. Open Activity Monitor from Applications or Spotlight. Choose Window > CPU Usage for current processor load, or Window > CPU History for a scrolling graph. The graph has its own window, which you can move beside your work. Choose Window > GPU History for GPU activity. These are built-in windows, not items in Apple’s widget gallery.

For a graph in the Dock, choose View > Dock Icon in Activity Monitor and select one of Apple’s Show CPU options. That menu can also show Show Network Usage or Show Disk Activity. The Dock view stays available while Activity Monitor is open, but it is a compact indicator.

To check memory, select Memory and read Memory Pressure at the bottom of the window, as described in Apple’s memory guide. It summarizes how well memory is meeting your Mac’s current needs. Apple documents this graph in the window, not in the Dock icon. Its widget guide explains how to add and arrange widgets but does not list CPU or memory widgets. Apple’s separate Batteries instructions cover connected devices such as Beats; do not assume that widget reports your Mac’s own battery level.

Real desktop widgets for CPU and RAM: Stats and iStatistica

Stats is the strongest free option when you specifically want CPU and RAM on the desktop. It supports macOS 12 and later on Apple Silicon and Intel, but Apple desktop widgets require macOS 14 Sonoma or later; on earlier systems, use Stats’ menu-bar modules. The project is open source under the MIT license. Its modules include CPU, GPU, memory, disk, network, battery, fans and sensors, alongside menu-bar readings. See the Stats project for current details.

Stats widgets can initially show no data. The project says communication with widgets is disabled by default because of high data load in the macOS process chronod. Enable the macOS widgets option in Stats settings, then add the widgets again if necessary. Stats does not support beta macOS versions, and its fan-control feature is in legacy mode without updates or fixes.

iStatistica bundles menu-bar readings with widgets for system, memory, disks and storage, and network. The US App Store listing checked 23 September 2026 showed $5.99; its Pro upgrade was listed at $9.99. The vendor supports macOS 10.11 or later on Apple Silicon and Intel. It does not say where its widgets can be placed, so “widgets included” is not proof they all sit on the desktop. Temperature and fan sensors need a separate Pro plugin.

After installing Stats on macOS 14 or later, Control-click the wallpaper, choose Edit Widgets, and look for its widgets in the gallery. iStatistica lists macOS widgets but does not say whether they can be placed on the desktop, so verify that detail before buying if desktop placement is essential. A menu-bar readout alone does not make an app a desktop-widget provider.

Menu-bar and floating monitors are useful, but they are not desktop widgets

iStat Menus 7 is built for the menu bar. Bjango’s direct license was $11.99 with a 14-day trial when checked 23 September 2026. The direct version requires macOS 11 or later; the App Store version requires macOS 14 or later. Bjango does not document desktop widgets on its product page, App Store listing or help pages, so choose it for readings near the clock, not for a panel behind your windows.

MONIT is free on the App Store and requires macOS 14.6 or later. It shows CPU, GPU, memory, disk, network and battery in a floating window and menu-bar icon. Although its publisher calls the panel a widget, it is not added through Apple’s desktop gallery. Sensors require a separate helper. The current App Store listing says free; an older $2.99 price in structured product data does not match it.

These are useful when an always-nearby readout matters more than desktop placement. iStat Menus sits in the menu bar; MONIT’s window can be positioned on screen. For widgets that live on the desktop, compare Stats and iStatistica instead.

Build your own desktop monitor with Übersicht

Übersicht runs shell commands and displays their output in small desktop containers called widgets. It is free under GPL v3, supports macOS 12 or later, and uses JavaScript and JSX for widget code. That gives you control over a custom CPU or memory readout, but you own the code, layout and data source. Its latest listed build is 1.6.82 from December 2023, so check compatibility and project activity before building around it.

Use a dashboard wallpaper for glanceable system stats

Orbl puts small stat chips on a dashboard wallpaper rather than adding desktop widgets. Its free built-ins show CPU, memory, disk and Wi-Fi health. Premium was listed at a $29 launch price, rising to $49 after the first 50 purchases, on 23 September 2026. It requires macOS 14 or later and Apple silicon.

This suits a glanceable background, not deep diagnosis. Orbl itself says it is not a deep sensor tool like iStat Menus. Its indicators also belong to the wallpaper layer, not Apple’s widget gallery.

What changes with macOS 27—and what does not

A 17 September 2026 report on the macOS 27 preview described real-time widget updates while the related app is open and a new Extra-Large Portrait size for desktop widgets. Those changes may affect refresh and layout, but the report does not establish a new Apple CPU or memory widget. The current Apple widget instructions still cover adding and arranging supported widgets; Activity Monitor remains the documented built-in way to view CPU graphs.

A new size or refresh behavior does not create a new sensor source. A widget can only show the data its app supplies, and desktop placement does not make an app a full system monitor.

Where Mac+ fits—and why it is not a CPU monitor

Mac+ is a desktop-customization app with widgets for battery, storage, memory and network. It has no CPU, GPU, fan or temperature widget, so it cannot serve as a CPU meter or thermal monitor. The site does not document what its memory, storage, network or battery widgets measure or how often they refresh; treat them as glanceable desktop pieces, not diagnostic tools.

Mac+ runs on macOS 13 or later on Apple Silicon and Intel, renders locally, and has no ads or telemetry. It is free to download; Pro is €9.99 once or €1.99 per month with a 7-day trial. It may fit if you also want animated scenes, folder icons or desktop widgets in one visual setup. Keep Activity Monitor or a dedicated system monitor for CPU and memory diagnosis. For a broader look, see our Mac desktop widget app comparison and the Mac+ widgets guide.

Which Mac system monitor should you choose?

If you are diagnosing a slow Mac, start with Activity Monitor: its CPU and GPU views and Memory Pressure graph are built in and free. Use the Dock icon for a small persistent graph. If you want true CPU and RAM widgets, try Stats first; enable its widget communication option if it shows no data.

Choose iStatistica for bundled menu-bar and widget tools, iStat Menus for detailed menu-bar readings, MONIT for a floating window, Übersicht for code-built desktop readouts, or Orbl for a wallpaper dashboard. Mac+ is relevant if you also want to customize the desktop, but it has no CPU widget. Continue with how to add Mac desktop widgets or the animated wallpaper battery guide for those related questions.

Set up the native CPU and memory views first

1. Open Activity Monitor, then choose Window > CPU History for a scrolling CPU graph. Choose Window > CPU Usage if you want the current processor load instead, or Window > GPU History for GPU activity. Move the graph window to a place where it is easy to glance at.
2. To show activity in the Dock, choose View > Dock Icon and select one of the available Show CPU options. In the same menu, choose Show Network Usage or Show Disk Activity when those are the readings you need.
3. For memory, select Memory in Activity Monitor and watch Memory Pressure at the bottom of its window. Apple documents this graph in Activity Monitor, not as a Dock-icon graph.
4. To see the charge of compatible connected devices, Control-click the wallpaper, choose Edit Widgets, and select Batteries in the widget gallery. Apple’s guide describes the widget for connected devices such as Beats; it does not promise the Mac’s own battery level there.
5. If you need actual CPU or RAM desktop widgets, install Stats, enable its macOS widgets option in Stats settings, then add the widgets through Edit Widgets. If they show no data, check that setting before troubleshooting the readings.

Mac+ includes battery, storage, memory and network widgets; it has no CPU widget.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

Sources

• Apple Support — Add and customize widgets on Mac
• Apple Support — View CPU activity in Activity Monitor on Mac
• Apple Support — View GPU activity in Activity Monitor on Mac
• Apple Support — View network activity in Activity Monitor on Mac
• Apple Support — View disk activity in Activity Monitor on Mac
• Apple Support — View memory usage in Activity Monitor on Mac
• Apple Support — Add a battery widget on Mac (Beats guide)
• Stats — project README (MIT license, widget setup, supported macOS)

← All guides