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 Stealthly
Window blur vs presentation cleanup.
Veil blurs background windows during screen sharing, keeping your active app clear. Stealthly hides desktop icons, dock, wallpaper, and menu bar icons for a clean presentation. Both help you present professionally—in different ways.
What each app does
Stealthly
Stealthly hides desktop clutter before presentations: desktop icons, wallpaper, dock, menu bar icons, and active windows. It can also enable Do Not Disturb. The website version mentions auto-detect for screen sharing; the Mac App Store version has more limited features.
The problem they solve
Both apps help you present a clean, professional screen. Veil focuses on blurring windows you don't want visible. Stealthly focuses on hiding desktop elements like icons and wallpaper. They solve different aspects of presentation privacy.
Feature comparison
Pricing as of September 2026.
| Feature | Veil | Stealthly |
|---|---|---|
| Primary approach | Background window blur | Hide desktop elements |
| Best for | Hiding background apps during screen share | Clean desktop for presentations |
| Privacy approach | Blur inactive windows | Hide icons, dock, wallpaper, menu bar |
| Hides background windows | Yes (blurs them) | Can hide active windows |
| Hides desktop icons | No | Yes |
| Hides dock | No | Yes |
| Hides menu bar icons | No | Yes |
| Hides wallpaper | No | Yes |
| Do Not Disturb | No | Yes |
| Screen sharing workflow | Toggle on, share screen, present with one clear app | Activate to hide desktop clutter before sharing |
| Activation | Manual toggle from menu bar | Manual or auto-detect (website version) |
| Platform | macOS | macOS 14+ (Sonoma or later) |
| Pricing | $7.90 lifetime (1 Mac) | $12.99 one-time |
| Trial | 3-day free trial | 14-day free trial |
| Hides notifications | No | Yes (via DND) |
Choose Veil if…
- You want to blur background windows during screen sharing.
- You need the overlay to follow your focus as you switch apps.
- You want background apps hidden but still accessible behind the blur.
- You don't need to hide desktop icons, dock, or wallpaper.
Choose Stealthly if…
- You want to hide desktop icons, dock, wallpaper, and menu bar icons.
- You need integrated Do Not Disturb for presentations.
- You want auto-detect for screen sharing (website version).
- You want a completely clean desktop rather than blurred windows.
Different aspects of presentation privacy
Veil and Stealthly address different parts of screen privacy. Veil blurs windows so chat apps and other background content aren't readable. Stealthly cleans up the desktop environment itself—icons, dock, wallpaper—for a minimal presentation setup. Some users may want both: Stealthly for a clean desktop and Veil for blurred background windows.
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.
- Veil does not hide desktop icons, dock, or wallpaper — it only blurs windows.
- Stealthly requires macOS 14+ — older macOS versions are not supported.
- Stealthly MAS version — the Mac App Store version has more limited features than the website version.
Which should you choose?
There's no single "better" app—they solve different problems:
- Choose Veil if you want background windows blurred during screen sharing. Keep your active app clear while chat and other apps become unreadable.
- Choose Stealthly if you want a completely clean desktop for presentations. Hide icons, dock, wallpaper, and menu bar clutter.
- Use both if you want the cleanest possible presentation setup: Stealthly for desktop cleanup and Veil for window blur.
FAQ
Comparison questions
What is the difference between Veil and Stealthly?
Veil blurs background windows while keeping your active app clear during screen sharing. Stealthly hides desktop clutter like icons, wallpaper, dock, menu bar icons, and can hide active windows. Different approaches to cleaning up your screen for presentations.
Does Stealthly have auto-detect for screen sharing?
The Stealthly website version mentions auto-detect functionality. However, the Mac App Store version has more limited features. Check the specific version for available features.
Which macOS versions do Veil and Stealthly support?
Both apps require recent macOS versions. Stealthly requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later. Check each app's requirements for your specific macOS version.
Can I use Veil and Stealthly together?
Yes. They address different aspects of screen privacy. Stealthly can clean up your desktop (icons, dock, wallpaper) while Veil blurs background windows. They don't conflict.
Related comparison pages
- Mac screen privacy apps — Overview of privacy tools by category
- Veil vs BlurScreen — Window blur vs region blur
- Veil vs Monocle — Privacy overlay vs focus tool
- Blur background windows on Mac