Layered sine waves rolling across the screen in characters, crests dense with @ and troughs fading to dots.
Layered sine waves rolling across the screen in characters, crests dense with @ and troughs fading to dots.
In the app you can adjust the columns and colours. It runs natively on your Mac, drawn live in real time – no video, never quite the same twice.
Use it on your Mac
- Get SCRNSVRS free from the Mac App Store.
- Select ASCII Waves in the library.
- Click Set as Screensaver or Set as Wallpaper – or both.
Preview free · macOS Tahoe 26 or laterNeed a hand? Read the setup guide.
ASCII Waves FAQ
How do I set ASCII Waves as my screensaver on a Mac?
Install SCRNSVRS free from the Mac App Store, select ASCII Waves in the library and click Set as Screensaver. macOS starts it whenever your Mac is idle, exactly like a built-in screensaver.
Can I use ASCII Waves as a live wallpaper?
Yes. Click Set as Wallpaper in SCRNSVRS and ASCII Waves plays on your desktop behind your windows and icons. You can use it as screensaver and wallpaper at the same time.
Is ASCII Waves free?
ASCII Waves is included in SCRNSVRS Unlimited. It's free for your first 7 days; after that Unlimited is $1.99/month or $9.99/year (€1.99/month or €9.99/year) for every screensaver, including new ones. It can also come up in Free this month, when 25 premium screensavers are free for everyone.
Is ASCII Waves a video loop?
No. ASCII Waves is rendered live on your Mac with Metal, so it never repeats and stays sharp on any display size. The clip on this page is a screen recording of the real thing.
Will ASCII Waves slow down my Mac or drain the battery?
No. SCRNSVRS drops to 30 fps on battery and stops rendering when the wallpaper is covered by a full-screen app, so ASCII Waves costs next to nothing in everyday use.
Which Macs does ASCII Waves run on?
ASCII Waves needs macOS Tahoe 26 or later.
