Limelight

What does Annotate Over Apps mean?

To annotate over apps is to draw or mark on a transparent layer that sits above any running application, so your marks appear on top of whatever is on screen.

Annotating over apps means your marks are not confined to one program. Instead of drawing inside a single document or slide deck, you draw on a system-wide overlay that floats above everything. That lets you circle a button in a browser, underline code in an editor, and sketch on a video, all without switching tools or leaving the app you are showing.

This is different from in-app annotation, where each app has its own markup feature that only works inside that app. An overlay approach is app-agnostic: it does not care what is underneath because it draws on a layer in front. The trade-off is that overlay marks are typically live and temporary rather than saved into a specific file.

Limelight is a macOS menu-bar overlay made for exactly this. A global hotkey lets you draw freehand over any app, and ⌃⌥C clears the screen. Because it sits above everything and is a pure overlay, it works the same whether you are in Chrome, Xcode, Keynote, or a Zoom share, and your marks appear in any recording or call.

Why Limelight

  • ▸Draws on a system-wide layer above every running app
  • ▸Works the same across browsers, editors, slides, and video
  • ▸App-agnostic, unlike per-app markup features
  • ▸Limelight annotates over any macOS app via a global hotkey, cleared with ⌃⌥C
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One-time payment, no subscription. 7-day free trial, then $15 once. macOS 14+, notarized by Apple.

FAQ

Do I need a separate annotation tool for each app?
No. An overlay like Limelight draws above everything, so one hotkey lets you annotate over any app without per-app markup features.
Does annotating over apps interfere with the app underneath?
No. Limelight draws on a transparent layer in front. The underlying app keeps running normally, and the marks clear with ⌃⌥C.

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