Limelight

What is a Menu Bar App?

A menu bar app is a macOS application that lives in the menu bar at the top of the screen, giving quick access to its features without a full window.

A menu bar app is a macOS application whose primary interface is an icon in the menu bar, the strip along the top-right of the screen. Clicking the icon reveals a small menu or panel of controls. These apps are designed for tools you want available at all times but do not need taking up a full window or a Dock slot. Common examples include clipboard managers, audio controls, time trackers, and quick utilities.

A menu bar app differs from a standard windowed app, which opens a large interface and usually appears in the Dock and app switcher. Menu bar apps stay out of the way, run quietly in the background, and are triggered on demand or via global keyboard shortcuts. This lightweight, always-available pattern makes them ideal for utilities you reach for repeatedly throughout the day.

Limelight is a menu bar app. It lives in your macOS menu bar and stays ready in the background, so you can toggle its cursor spotlight (⌃⌥1), keystroke display (⌃⌥2), and drawing (⌃⌥3) with global shortcuts without breaking from your presentation or recording. Because it is an overlay, it adds these visual aids on top of any app while recording and uploading nothing.

Why Limelight

  • A menu bar app lives in the macOS menu bar at the top-right of the screen.
  • It offers quick, always-available access without a full window or Dock icon.
  • It differs from standard windowed apps, which open large interfaces.
  • Limelight is a menu bar app you toggle with global shortcuts to overlay cursor spotlight, keystrokes, and drawing.
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FAQ

Is Limelight a menu bar app?
Yes. Limelight lives in the macOS menu bar and runs in the background, ready to toggle its overlay features with global keyboard shortcuts.
Does a menu bar app take over my screen?
No. Menu bar apps stay out of the way until you click the icon or press a shortcut. Limelight only draws its overlay when you activate a feature.

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