Limelight
What is Screen Dimming?
Screen dimming is the act of darkening part or all of a display, often to cut distraction or to make a brighter focal area stand out.
Screen dimming reduces the brightness of a region of the display, either uniformly to ease eye strain or selectively to push surrounding content into the background. In presentations, selective dimming pairs with a brighter focal zone so the audiences eye is pulled to the undimmed area.
Screen dimming differs from a magnifier, which changes size, and from a pointer, which marks a location. It is the inverse companion of a spotlight: instead of brightening the focus, it darkens everything else. The two are often combined so the contrast between dim surroundings and a lit area becomes the emphasis.
Dimming fits demos, lectures, and recordings where reducing visual noise helps viewers concentrate. Limelight, a macOS menu-bar app, achieves a similar focusing result through its cursor spotlight (⌃⌥1), which emphasizes the area around your pointer over any app, working alongside any recorder or meeting tool without altering or capturing the screen itself.
Why Limelight
- ▸Darkens part or all of the display to reduce distraction
- ▸Selective dimming makes a brighter focal area stand out
- ▸The conceptual inverse of a spotlight effect
- ▸Limelight focuses attention with a cursor spotlight via ⌃⌥1
7-day free trial · no card required · macOS 14+
Or buy now — $15 one-time · See how it works →
One-time payment, no subscription. 7-day free trial, then $15 once. macOS 14+, notarized by Apple.
FAQ
- How does screen dimming help a presentation?
- By darkening surrounding content, it lowers visual noise and lets a brighter focal area draw the audiences attention.
- Is dimming the same as a spotlight?
- They are related opposites. Dimming darkens the surroundings, while a spotlight brightens the focus; combined, they create strong emphasis.