Limelight
What is Keystroke Overlay?
A keystroke overlay is an on-screen layer that displays the keys you press as you press them, so an audience can see which keys or shortcuts you used.
A keystroke overlay is a visual element drawn on top of your screen that reveals the keys or key combinations you are pressing. It is most often used during screen recordings, live demos, tutorials, and presentations, where the audience cannot see your physical keyboard and would otherwise miss the actions behind what appears on screen.
A keystroke overlay is not a keylogger or a typing tracker meant to capture everything you type. Well-designed overlays focus on shortcuts and command combinations rather than ordinary text, keeping the display readable and avoiding clutter. It is also distinct from a cursor highlight, which draws attention to the pointer rather than the keyboard.
In a screen-presenting workflow, a keystroke overlay closes the gap between what you do and what your audience sees. Limelight provides a keystroke overlay as one of its three menu-bar features on macOS: press ⌃⌥2 and your shortcut combinations and special keys appear as clean on-screen badges, while normal typing stays hidden to keep recordings tidy.
Why Limelight
- ▸Displays the keys or shortcuts you press as on-screen badges in real time
- ▸Helps audiences follow keyboard actions during demos, tutorials, and talks
- ▸Best when it shows shortcuts and special keys, not every character typed
- ▸Limelight toggles its keystroke overlay with the global hotkey ⌃⌥2
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FAQ
- Does a keystroke overlay record my keys?
- No. A keystroke overlay only displays keys visually on screen. Limelight is a pure overlay and records or uploads nothing.
- Will it show everything I type?
- A good keystroke overlay shows shortcuts and special keys rather than ordinary text. Limelight deliberately hides normal typing to keep recordings clean.