Veil for Mac
Veil is a macOS menu bar app that blurs background windows before screen sharing. Toggle it on, and only your frontmost window stays clear while everything behind it becomes blurred. The overlay follows your focus as you switch apps.
Veil vs BlurScreen
Background window blur vs region blur.
Veil blurs all background windows, keeping only your active app clear. BlurScreen lets you draw rectangular blur regions anywhere on screen. Different approaches to screen privacy—choose based on your workflow.
What each app does
BlurScreen
BlurScreen lets you draw rectangular blur regions on your screen using a keyboard shortcut. You select specific areas to hide rather than blurring entire windows. Available for both Mac and Windows.
The problem they solve
Both apps help you protect privacy during screen sharing, but they take different approaches. Veil is designed for hiding all background windows automatically. BlurScreen is designed for hiding specific regions you select.
Feature comparison
Pricing as of September 2026.
| Feature | Veil | BlurScreen |
|---|---|---|
| Primary approach | Background window blur | Region blur (draw rectangles) |
| Best for | Meetings, demos, recordings | Hiding specific screen areas |
| Privacy approach | Automatic — blurs all inactive windows | Manual — draw regions to blur |
| Screen sharing workflow | Toggle on, share screen, present with one clear app | Draw blur rectangles over areas you want hidden |
| Activation | Manual toggle from menu bar | Keyboard shortcut to draw regions |
| Auto-follow focus | Yes (frontmost window mode) | No (fixed regions) |
| Platform | macOS only | Mac and Windows |
| Pricing | $7.90 lifetime (1 Mac) | $19 Basic / $47 Pro / $97 Team (one-time) |
| Trial | 3-day free trial | Free trial available |
| Content upload | No — runs locally | No — runs locally per FAQ |
| Hides notifications | No | No (blur regions only) |
Choose Veil if…
- You want to blur all background windows automatically during screen sharing.
- You need the overlay to follow your focus as you switch apps.
- You prefer a simple on/off toggle rather than drawing regions.
- You work primarily on macOS.
Choose BlurScreen if…
- You need to blur specific regions on screen rather than entire windows.
- You want precise control over exactly what areas are hidden.
- You work on both Mac and Windows.
- You need to hide parts of a single window while showing others.
Different tools for different workflows
Veil and BlurScreen solve privacy differently. Veil takes a window-based approach: blur everything except your active app. BlurScreen takes a region-based approach: draw rectangles to blur specific areas. If you want automatic background blur during screen sharing, Veil is designed for that. If you need to hide specific parts of your screen regardless of window boundaries, BlurScreen offers that control.
Honest limitations
- Veil requires manual toggle — you turn it on before screen sharing and off when done. No auto-detection of meetings.
- Veil does not hide notifications — use macOS Focus or Do Not Disturb for that.
- Veil has no AI or OCR — it blurs windows, not specific text or content.
- BlurScreen uses fixed regions — they don't follow window movement.
Which should you choose?
There's no single "better" app—they solve different problems:
- Choose Veil if you want all background windows blurred during screen sharing. One toggle, automatic focus following.
- Choose BlurScreen if you need to blur specific regions anywhere on screen. More manual, more precise control.
- Consider both if you sometimes need full background blur and sometimes need targeted region blur.
FAQ
Comparison questions
What is the difference between Veil and BlurScreen?
Veil blurs all background windows automatically, keeping only your active app clear. BlurScreen lets you draw rectangular blur regions anywhere on screen to hide specific areas. They take different approaches to screen privacy.
Does BlurScreen work on Mac and Windows?
Yes. BlurScreen is available for both Mac and Windows. Veil is macOS-only.
Does BlurScreen upload my screen content?
No. According to BlurScreen's FAQ, the app does not upload any screen content. Both Veil and BlurScreen process everything locally.
Is BlurScreen cheaper than Veil?
Veil is $7.90 one-time. BlurScreen starts at $19 for the Basic plan, $47 for Pro, and $97 for Team—all one-time purchases. Veil is the lower cost option.
Related comparison pages
- Mac screen privacy apps — Overview of privacy tools by category
- Veil vs Stealthly — Window blur vs presentation cleanup
- Veil vs Monocle — Privacy overlay vs focus tool
- Blur background windows on Mac