Dimmer

Dim windows individually on macOS. A lightweight menu bar app that puts a brightness slider on every open window — dim the distractions, keep your focus bright.

Features

• Per-window dimming — pick any window from the menu and set its own dim level; overlays track the window as it moves and resizes
• Multi-monitor support — works across all connected displays
• Reset all in one click
• Lightweight — pure Swift/SwiftUI menu bar app, no Dock icon, no background daemons

Install

1. Download Dimmer.app.zip from the latest release.
2. Unzip and drag Dimmer into Applications.
3. First launch: right-click → Open → Open (app is not notarized by Apple).
4. Grant Screen Recording permission when prompted — macOS requires it to enumerate other apps' windows.

Requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later.

Build from source

swift build -c release   # build
swift run Dimmer         # run
./package.sh             # produce Dimmer.app bundle

How it works

Dimmer enumerates on-screen windows via CGWindowList, then places a click-through black NSPanel overlay over each dimmed window, matching its frame (and corner radius) in real time. No private APIs, no injection — the target app is never touched.

License

MIT — see LICENSE