A second wind
for your old Mac.
Apple stopped updating it. We didn't. Second Wind turns your 2013–2017 Intel Mac into a fast, safe, familiar computer again — free and open source.
Public release coming very soon — star the repo to be there on day one.
Before
After Second Wind
Real, unedited screenshots from our automated end-to-end tests: Ubuntu 24.04 exactly as it comes (left), and what Second Wind turns it into (right).
Everything your fingers expect. On hardware you already own.
Under the hood it's Ubuntu Linux — supported with security updates until 2029. On the surface, it feels like home.
Your keyboard, the Mac way
⌘C, ⌘V, ⌘Tab, ⌘Space — every shortcut stays exactly where your fingers expect it, in every app.
Spotlight search
Tap ⌘ Space and type. Apps, files, calculator — instant, just like you're used to.
A familiar face
The dock, the top bar with a ⌘ menu, light & airy typography, a dynamic wallpaper. It looks and moves like a Mac.
Hardware that just works
FaceTime HD camera, Wi-Fi, fan control, sleep and hibernation — set up automatically for your exact model.
An app store included
21 hand-picked apps — browser, WhatsApp, Zoom, office, photos — one click each, always from official sources.
Safe and honest
Open source, every download verified, no telemetry, no ads. Your Mac phones nobody home.
Three steps. Zero terminal.
You never type a command. The installer asks four simple questions and does the rest by itself.
Create the USB stick
Use our USB creator on any computer. It downloads the official Ubuntu image and prepares everything.
Plug it into your Mac
Turn the Mac on holding the Option (⌥) key and pick the yellow USB drive. That's the hardest part.
Answer four questions
Language, keyboard, Wi-Fi, your name. Then go make coffee — your Mac comes back reborn.
Will it run on my Mac?
Built for the Intel Macs Apple stopped updating. Find your model — the year is on the back of the machine, or in → About This Mac.
| Your Mac | Years | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air 11″ / 13″ | 2013 – 2017 | ✓ Ready today |
| MacBook Pro Retina 13″ / 15″ | 2013 – 2015 | ✓ Ready today |
| iMac 21.5″ / 27″ | 2013 – 2015 | ✓ Ready today |
| MacBook Pro 13″ / 15″ (Touch Bar era) | 2016 – 2017 | ◐ In progress |
| Any Mac with Apple T2 chip | 2018 + | — Not yet (v2) |
| Apple Silicon (M1 and later) | 2020 + | — Not planned (still supported by Apple) |
Full technical matrix, model by model: docs/compatibility.md
Questions people actually ask
Is it really free?
Yes. The installer is open source (MIT) and free forever. Later we'll offer optional paid extras — a Mac app that builds the USB for you, priority support — but the full experience above costs nothing.
Will I lose macOS and my files?
Yes — Second Wind replaces macOS entirely with Ubuntu Linux. It's meant for Macs that no longer receive Apple updates. Back up your files first (the installer reminds you before touching anything).
Is this legal? Is it a hack?
It's not a hack. Second Wind installs Ubuntu, a mainstream free operating system, plus open-source components. Nothing from Apple is copied or redistributed. It's your hardware — you're allowed to run what you want on it.
Why not just keep using old macOS?
Without security updates, browsers and banking sites gradually stop working — and staying online gets risky. Ubuntu 24.04 receives security updates until 2029, and modern apps (Chrome, WhatsApp, Zoom) run on it today.
I'm not technical. Honestly — can I do this?
That's exactly who we built it for. If you can plug in a USB stick and hold down one key, you can do this. You never see a terminal, and every step explains itself in plain language, in English or Spanish.
Can I go back to macOS later?
Yes — macOS can be reinstalled from Apple's own recovery (Internet Recovery, ⌘⌥R at power-on) or from a macOS USB stick, on any of these models. Your files must come from your backup.
Give your Mac its second wind.
Don't send a perfectly good machine to a drawer — or a landfill.