Begin with a template or blank canvas
Start from Portrait Poster, Neon Stage, or Paper Journal, or establish your own visual language from an empty canvas.
Paletide 2.0 · Now open sourcePaletide
Go beyond a background. Design the whole theme yourself.
Create a personal workspace for ChatGPT and Codex Desktop on macOS. The new Designer Mode turns images, text, shapes, and layouts into editable theme elements.
macOS 13+ Apple Silicon + Intel MIT-licensed source
Designer ModeLayer-level editing
Four creative starting pointsTemplates or a blank canvas
Local processingCustom images stay on your Mac
One-click restoreReturn to the official appearance
Open source · MIT License
Review, adapt, and build Paletide with us.
The complete source is public on GitHub. You may inspect, use, modify, and distribute the code under the MIT License. The official DMG, hosted licensing service, and order support remain separate Paletide project offerings.
Paletide 2.0 · New flagship feature
A theme is no longer something you only choose. It is something you can design.
Start with one image or open a blank canvas. Designer Mode turns a fixed theme into an editable composition, so every visual element can sit where you want it.
Explore Designer Mode
Paletide Designer Mode · actual v2.0 app screenshotManage the canvas, layers, components, and theme settings in one native editor
Work with real layers
Add images, decorative text, and basic shapes, then move, scale, rotate, crop, reorder, duplicate, hide, lock, and snap them.
Design wide and compact views separately
Preview home and task pages clearly, then tune wide and compact compositions independently so key artwork survives window changes.
Preview first, apply when ready
Use Save Only to keep a draft or Save and Apply to update the active theme. Images, layers, and composition sources stay on your Mac.
Real product interface
Choosing a theme should feel as easy as choosing wallpaper.
Open Paletide to see every bundled theme, the current status, and the controls you need. This is the actual macOS app, not a concept mockup.
Paletide theme library · actual app screenshotTheme names, previews, and controls come from the current product
Designed for everyday use
More creative freedom, without making everyday use harder.
From layer composition to one-click restoration, Paletide keeps advanced controls visual while preserving the official sidebar, composer, and task interactions.
Designer Mode
Compose images, decorative text, and basic shapes on a visual canvas, with direct controls for movement, scale, rotation, order, and locking.
Two responsive compositions
Tune wide and compact canvases separately so the same theme stays intentional in both large windows and narrower workspaces.
Your own images
Import PNG, JPEG, HEIC, TIFF, or WebP files and build a personal theme entirely on your Mac without uploading the artwork.
Native macOS interface
Choose, import, apply, diagnose, pause, and restore themes from one native app window. No Terminal workflow is required.
Official apps stay intact
Themes are applied through a loopback-only local connection. Paletide does not modify the official .app, app.asar, or code signature.
Restore at any time
Pause the theme or return to the official appearance whenever you want, with a clear and reversible path.
Original bundled themes
Six atmospheres, each designed beyond a single background.
Every theme includes separate artwork for the home hero, home background, and task page, with a palette designed to keep interface content readable.
Cloud Nest Otter
A quiet riverside companion for a softer working pace.
Orbital Harbor
Send ideas outward from a still station at the edge of space.
Ring-Tide Vista
Stay focused beneath a planetary ring in deep space.
Misty Pine Valley
Morning light and quiet forest air for an unhurried workspace.
Deep-Sea Fireflies
Small lights drift through the deep and keep ideas visible.
Paper Atelier
Fold color into paper-like forms for a crisp, playful desk.
Standard Theme Studio
When you just want to change images, keep it simple.
Designer Mode is optional. The standard Theme Studio still provides a lighter three-image workflow: begin with one image in all positions or choose each one separately, then refine the result in preview.
- Set the home hero, home background, and task background independently
- Adjust focus and zoom with non-destructive crop controls
- Use common image formats while keeping artwork and themes on your Mac
Start in three steps
Download, activate, and start designing.
The workflow is designed for people who do not use Terminal. Follow the first-launch security steps once, then manage themes entirely in Paletide.
Install Paletide
Download the DMG from GitHub Releases and drag Paletide into Applications.
Enter your license code
Open License Management and connect to the internet for first activation.
Apply a theme
Choose a bundled preset, use the standard studio, or compose freely in Designer Mode.
Does macOS say the developer cannot be verified?The current release is not yet Developer ID signed. Open System Settings > Privacy & Security and choose Open Anyway.
Read the installation guide Buy a license
Download the app, then get a license code through Xianyu.
Paletide uses license-code activation. The license term, device allowance, delivery, and support scope follow the product listing and order agreement.
The purchase listing is live. The download button always retrieves the latest macOS DMG from the public GitHub Release.
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Order on XianyuChoose the license option that fits
02
Receive a license codeThe seller delivers it in the order conversation
03
Activate on your MacFirst activation requires an internet connection
Article center
Guides to Designer Mode, installation, and workspace design.
Find practical answers about macOS security prompts, image composition, local processing, and maintaining a comfortable AI workspace.
Paletide 2.0 Designer Mode: Build Custom Codex and ChatGPT Desktop Themes
Explore Paletide 2.0 Designer Mode, including four templates, visual layer editing, home and task views, wide and compact layouts, and local save and apply workflows.
Read articlePaletide Custom Background Sizes, Composition, and Cropping Guide
Learn the recommended dimensions, safe areas, draggable focal points, and non-destructive cropping workflow for home hero, home background, and task-page artwork.
Read articleHow to Change Themes in Codex and ChatGPT Desktop on macOS
Learn the complete Paletide workflow on macOS, from choosing a bundled theme to importing custom artwork, previewing it, pausing it, and restoring the official appearance.
Read articleFrequently asked questions
What to know before you buy.
These answers describe the current macOS product. Compatibility is reviewed as the official desktop apps change.
Which systems does Paletide support?
The current official release supports macOS 13 or later on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. A Windows version is in development and has not been released.
Is Paletide open source?
Yes. Paletide source code is public on GitHub under the MIT License. The official prebuilt DMG, licensing service, and order support are separate offerings and do not limit the source-code rights granted by MIT.
How is Designer Mode different from a standard theme?
The standard Theme Studio is the quick path for replacing three images and adjusting crops, colors, and materials. Paletide 2.0 Designer Mode adds editable image, decorative-text, and shape layers with separate wide and compact compositions. Both approaches preserve the native Codex navigation, copy, and interactions.
Is Paletide an official OpenAI product?
No. Paletide is an independently developed third-party theme app. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by OpenAI. Codex, ChatGPT, and related trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Does Paletide modify Codex or ChatGPT?
No. Paletide does not modify the official .app, app.asar, or code signature, and it does not read or rewrite API keys, Base URLs, or auth.json. Themes use a local connection bound only to 127.0.0.1.
Are custom images uploaded?
No. Imported images, crop settings, and custom themes stay on the current Mac. Theme artwork is not sent as part of license validation. Only use images you have the right to use.
Why can macOS say the developer cannot be verified?
The current package has not yet completed Apple Developer ID signing and notarization, so Gatekeeper may block the first launch. Download only from the GitHub Release linked by this site, then use Open Anyway in System Settings > Privacy & Security.
How does a purchased license work?
After purchasing through Xianyu, the seller provides a license code. Open License Management in Paletide, paste the code, and connect to the internet for first activation. The device count and license term follow the product listing.