Dims and blurs together
Dim and Blur each have their own strength slider, so a light dim can sit over a soft blur.
For macOS 26 TahoeFree for 14 days, then $4.99
A focus app for Mac that fades every other window
Clarity dims or blurs everything except the window you are working in. Pin more windows from any app and your whole task stays clear.
Try Clarity on a Mac desktop, right here
Turn on Focus in the panel, click another window, then pin one so it stays clear too. Hold the peek button to see everything again. Nothing to install.
Pin windows from any app
Most tasks need more than one window. Pin the exact ones you need, such as one browser window, one document and one chat, and they stay clear while everything else fades.
Pin a whole app when you want all of its windows.
Pins come and go from the menu bar, mid-session.
Bring your work into focus.
Press your shortcut and everything but your work steps back. Press it again and your desktop returns as it was.
One menu bar panel. Every setting one click away.
Peeks at everything for a moment
Hold Peek in the panel, or your peek shortcut, and every window clears. Let go and focus comes back where it was.
Keeps Light and Dark Mode apart
Each mode remembers its own strengths, and Clarity switches when your Mac does.
Uses the shortcuts you choose
Pick your own keys for turning focus on and for peek, and change them in Settings whenever you like.
Clarity never leaves your screen dimmed
The dim is drawn by Clarity's own windows, so it goes away when the app quits or crashes. If the app ever freezes, a small watchdog clears the screen in about 3 seconds.
Clarity needs no special permissions
Following the active window needs no Screen Recording or Accessibility access.
Settings stay in one local file
No account, no cloud sync and no analytics.
Clarity is a native Mac app
A Swift app that lives in your menu bar and Dock.
How Clarity compares with other Mac focus apps
Every app here fades the windows you are not using. Clarity is the one that lets you pick exactly which windows stay clear, from any app.
| Clarity | HazeOver | Monocle | Muffle | Focusdim | PeekFocus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dim | Yes | Yes | Tint | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blur | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dim and blur at once, each with its own strength | Yes | No | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Keep chosen windows from different apps clear | Yes, any window you pin | No. The front window, or the front app’s windows | No. Whole apps only | No. The active window only | Not listed | No. The front app only |
| Keep whole apps clear | Yes | The front app only | Yes, with App Groups | No | Not listed | The front app only |
| Separate Light and Dark Mode settings | Yes | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| See every window for a moment | Yes, hold to peek | Yes, tap fn | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Yes, hold a key |
From each app’s own site, store listing and release notes, November 2026. “Not listed” means we found no mention of it. Each app may change; tell us if something here is out of date.
Does Clarity hide my screen when I share it?
No. Clarity is a visual focus aid for you. Screenshots, recordings and screen sharing still capture your windows as they are, so do not use it for privacy.
How do I turn Clarity off?
Press your shortcut again, switch Focus off in the panel, or quit. Your desktop returns at once, exactly as it was.
Which permissions does Clarity need?
None for following the active window. That is also why pinned windows are listed by app name and size rather than by window title.
Which Macs does Clarity run on?
Macs with macOS 26 Tahoe, the version Clarity is tested on. Older versions come only after testing on them.
Will Clarity slow my Mac down?
Dim costs very little. Blur asks more of the graphics chip, most with many windows open, so lower it or use dim alone if you notice it.
What does Clarity cost?
$4.99, paid once, with no subscription. Every download starts a 14-day free trial with every feature on. After that, a license key turns focus back on and works on up to 3 of your Macs. Buy Clarity; checkout and receipts are handled by Polar.