Limelight

What is a Tutorial Overlay?

A tutorial overlay is a visual layer placed over an interface to guide viewers through steps, drawing attention to the right spot at the right time.

A tutorial overlay is anything drawn on top of an app or screen to help someone follow along. It can highlight a button, point an arrow at a menu, or dim the rest of the screen so the next action stands out.

Overlays differ from edited content. Rather than changing the app, an overlay sits above it as a separate layer, so the same guidance can be shown live during a walkthrough or captured in a recording. Some overlays are pre-scripted into an app; others are created on the fly by a presenter.

Limelight is a macOS menu-bar app for building tutorial overlays live. You can spotlight the cursor to direct the eye, show your keystrokes so viewers can copy a shortcut, and draw freehand to circle or arrow the next step. Everything is a pure overlay on top of any app, so it works during recordings, lectures, and screen-share demos.

Why Limelight

  • A tutorial overlay guides viewers through steps on top of an app
  • It sits above the interface rather than editing it
  • Limelight spotlights the cursor, shows keystrokes, and draws freehand
  • All three work live over any app from the menu bar
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FAQ

Do I need to script a tutorial overlay in advance?
Not with Limelight. You create the overlay live as you present, spotlighting the cursor, showing keystrokes, or drawing on whatever is on screen.
Can viewers see which shortcut I pressed?
Yes. Limelight's keystroke display shows your keyboard shortcuts on screen so viewers can follow and copy them during a tutorial.

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