Desktop Goose on Mac: What It Does and How to Quit It

1. What Desktop Goose Says About Itself

Every row comes from the author's own page, as of October 2026. The comments under it are other people's words, so nothing here comes from them. A row that says the author's description is silent is a note about the page. Whether the app does that thing is a separate question.

Nobody here downloaded or ran the file, so this page says nothing about what's inside it.

2. How to Close and Delete Desktop Goose on Mac

To close Desktop Goose, quit it. To delete it, remove it. Apple's support pages give the steps, and they apply to any Mac app, so they aren't Desktop Goose's own instructions.

1. Quit it normally. Try a normal quit first, so the app can finish what it needs to do, such as saving changes. Press Command-Q, or choose Quit from the app's menu in the menu bar.
2. Force Quit it. If an app isn't responding, press Option, Command and Esc together, or choose Force Quit from the Apple menu. Then select the app in the Force Quit window and click Force Quit. If an app won't force quit, try restarting your Mac.
3. Use Activity Monitor. Apple says Activity Monitor can quit a process even when it isn't responding. Select it in the Process Name list, click the Stop button in the upper-left corner of the window, then choose Quit or Force Quit. Apple says Force Quit makes the process quit immediately, and you may lose data if it has files open.
4. Remove it. To find the app, you can search for it with Spotlight, then press and hold Command while you double-click the result to show it in the Finder. Most apps are in the Applications folder. If the app has its own Uninstall or Uninstaller app, use that. Apple says that's the best way to delete the app and any login items, extensions or other data it might have stored elsewhere. No uninstaller? Quit the app, drag it to the Trash, then choose Finder > Empty Trash to delete it for good.

3. What Can Be Said About Safety

Is it harmless? Is it a virus? This page can't tell you either way, and it won't guess.

Apple's guidance covers apps downloaded from outside the App Store. For an app downloaded from the internet or directly from a developer, Apple says macOS checks the developer's Developer ID signature, and that by default macOS Catalina and later also require the software to be notarised. Apple says macOS asks for your approval before you open downloaded software for the first time. The author's description on Desktop Goose's page does not say whether the Mac build is signed or notarised. That's why this page can't say whether macOS will warn you about it.

If macOS does warn you, Apple's page covers that too. If macOS cannot verify an app's developer and, in macOS Catalina and later, the app has not been notarised, Apple says macOS cannot confirm the app is free of malware. Apple says that if you are certain an app comes from a trustworthy source and has not been tampered with, you may be able to temporarily override your Mac security settings to open it. After you try to open the app, open System Settings, click Privacy & Security, then scroll down and click Open Anyway. Apple says the warning prompt reappears, and if you are absolutely sure you want to open the app anyway, you can click Open.

4. Other Pet Apps for Mac

Here are other pet apps for Mac, each as it describes itself on its own page. They're listed alphabetically, with no ranking. Pages change, so check the app's page for its current macOS version and price before you download.

Want shimeji on your Mac? There's a guide for that too: Shimeji on Mac.

Rebel Goose's App Store listing says it is only for Mac and lists macOS 13.0 or later. Rebel Goose's App Store listing names Hossin Asaadi as the developer. Desktop Goose's itch.io page lists samperson as its author. The two developer names are different. Rebel Goose's App Store listing says every behaviour has its own switch, that a toggle in the menu bar sends the geese home, and that you can have up to five geese.

Disclosure: Nibbii publishes this page and is one of the apps named here. Nibbii is a pixel pet that lives in your MacBook notch. On a Mac with no notch, it draws its own perch at the top of the screen. Nibbii is a Mac app and requires macOS 15+. Roaming around the desktop is a Pro feature. Nibbii is designed to sit quietly in the background while it keeps you company.

The base app is free to keep: one starter pet, two worlds, core care and play, simple essentials, and growth through Level 10. Pro lets you collect all 11 pets and 22 worlds as you play. See the download page and the pricing page. For how Nibbii sits beside other apps, see the Mac desktop pet guide, the Dockling comparison, the Mac Pet comparison, the Nibbii vs Pets Therapy comparison and the MacBook notch pet page.

5. Questions People Ask

6. Sources

• Facts about Nibbii come from this site.
• Facts about Desktop Goose come from the itch.io page, as of October 2026.
• Facts about Dockling come from dockling.space, as of October 2026.
• Facts about Mac Pet come from mac-pet.com, as of October 2026.
• Facts about OpenPets come from openpets.dev, as of October 2026.
• Facts about Pets Therapy come from its website, as of October 2026.
• Facts about Rebel Goose come from the App Store page, as of October 2026.

Steps come from Apple's support pages.

• How to force an app to quit on Mac, which Apple dates December 2025.
• Quit an app or process in Activity Monitor on Mac.
• Delete or uninstall apps on Mac, which Apple dates June 2026.
• Open apps safely on your Mac, which Apple dates June 2026.

See all guides.