Why blur everything except the active window?
When you have 10, 15, or 20 windows open, visual clutter makes it hard to concentrate. Chat messages flash, email previews distract, and unrelated browser tabs pull your attention away from the task at hand.
Veil offers a simple solution: toggle it on from the menu bar, and everything except your active app fades to a soft blur. Switch to a different window, and the clear area follows automatically. No manual window management required.
How the auto-follow feature works
- Install the signed DMG. Download Veil from veilformac.com or the official GitHub releases page. The app is notarized by Apple and runs from your Applications folder.
- Grant Accessibility permission. Veil needs Accessibility access to detect which window is active. macOS will prompt you on first launch; approve it in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
- Toggle Veil on. Click the Veil icon in the menu bar. The frontmost app stays clear while every other window receives a blur effect.
- Switch apps freely. As you change focus—clicking a different window or using Cmd-Tab—the clear area follows automatically. No need to reconfigure anything.
- Use Peek for a quick reveal. Need to glance at a background window? Hold the Peek gesture to temporarily lift the blur, then release to restore it.
Two modes: Frontmost vs. Cover App
Frontmost Window mode (default): The clear window follows your focus automatically. Great for deep work when you switch between apps frequently.
Cover App mode: Lock the clear area to one specific app—even when it loses focus. Useful during presentations when you want to blur every background window on Mac and keep only one app visible at all times.
| Workflow | Choose this mode | What stays clear |
|---|---|---|
| Switching between apps with Cmd-Tab | Frontmost Window | The app currently in focus |
| Presenting or recording one app | Cover App | The app you selected, even when it loses focus |
| Hiding part of the active window | Use a region-blur tool | Veil does not cover arbitrary areas inside the clear app |
Accessibility permission troubleshooting
If Veil does not follow your active window, the Accessibility permission may not be granted correctly:
- Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility.
- Find Veil in the list. If it's not there, drag the Veil app icon into the list.
- Toggle Veil off, then on again in the list.
- Restart Veil from the menu bar.
If the problem persists, try removing Veil from the Accessibility list and re-adding it.
Multi-display notes
Veil works across multiple monitors. The blur applies to all displays, and the clear window follows focus regardless of which screen it's on. You can configure per-display behavior in Veil's settings.
What Veil does not do
- It does not hide macOS notifications. Use Focus or Do Not Disturb for that.
- It does not auto-detect meetings. You turn Veil on manually.
- It does not encrypt or secure data—it is a visual overlay only.
Pricing
Veil includes a free 3-day trial so you can test it before committing. After the trial, a one-time $7.90 payment unlocks the app for life on one Mac. There is no subscription.
Note: Veil for Mac (veilformac.com) is a separate product from "Veil-Focus & Screen Privacy" on the App Store. They are not the same app.
Ready to try Veil?
Download the free trial and test the auto-follow feature in your next work session.
Download Veil