PeekFocus

What is PeekFocus?

PeekFocus is a macOS app that visually softens your desktop by dimming or blurring every window except the one you’re actively working in. Its core purpose is to help you concentrate by reducing visual distraction while keeping your current context (the frontmost app) clear.

The app provides three modes—Standard, Ambience, and Focus—each designed to handle desktop “noise” differently. You can switch modes quickly from the menu bar, use keyboard or mouse actions to toggle, and apply the effect across one or multiple displays.

Key Features

• Three focus modes (Standard, Ambience, Focus): Standard leaves the desktop alone; Ambience calms the overall backdrop; Focus keeps only the active app sharp while the rest fades.
• Mode-specific “surface” effects (independent per mode): Choose visual treatments such as frosted blur, dim darkening, or replacing the backdrop with your own wallpaper, with each mode remembering its own surface.
• Hold-to-reveal (peek through): Press and hold a configurable reveal key (Option or a modifier) to temporarily show what’s behind the effect, then release to restore the calm.
• Quick toggle via mouse shake: Give the mouse a small shake to toggle the veil on or off, designed to avoid extra UI interactions.
• Multi-display support: Apply the effect to all displays at once or configure each display independently.
• Optional live gradient: In Ambience mode, the blur surface can include a slow drifting gradient; in Focus the blur surface remains still.
• Menu bar and widget switching: Switch modes from the menu bar at any time; use a desktop widget as an alternative one-click way to change modes.
• Local privacy controls: The app states it uses no analytics and no tracking, and that everything stays local on your Mac.
• One-time purchase licensing: Available on the Mac App Store with a single purchase model (no subscriptions), plus a 7-day free trial.

How to Use PeekFocus

1. Install PeekFocus from the Mac App Store and (if available) start the app during the 7-day free trial.
2. Open the menu bar control and select a mode: Standard, Ambience, or Focus.
3. Choose a visual “surface” for each mode (blur, dim with intensity options, or wallpaper). PeekFocus keeps these selections independent per mode.
4. Use your preferred control method:
   • Switch modes from the menu bar or a desktop widget.
   • Hold the reveal key to briefly peek behind the effect.
   • Shake the mouse to toggle the veil.
5. If you use multiple monitors, configure whether PeekFocus applies to all displays together or treat each display separately.

Use Cases

• Daily work focus when switching apps: Use Focus when you need only the active app to stay visually sharp while everything else fades into the background.
• Reducing overall desktop clutter during longer sessions: Use Ambience to quiet the space behind your apps without keeping the rest perfectly sharp.
• Comparison or reference work without losing context: Use Hold to Reveal when you need to briefly check something behind the overlay, then return to the calm state immediately.
• Managing focus during meetings or presentations: Choose Standard if you want no desktop softening, or use Ambience for a consistent, calmer look while you work.
• Multi-monitor workflows: Configure different displays so you can keep the distraction level appropriate for each screen (for example, calm one display more than another).

FAQ

What does PeekFocus do? PeekFocus softens the rest of your desktop based on the selected mode: Standard leaves the desktop alone; Ambience quiets the backdrop while keeping apps visible; Focus keeps only the frontmost app sharp while everything else gently fades.

Can it be used with multiple displays? Yes. Each display can be configured independently, or you can apply the effect to all displays at once.

Does PeekFocus block notifications? No. The FAQ notes it’s purely visual and works alongside macOS notification settings. It also clarifies it does not replace macOS Focus mode notification behavior.

Can I change the keyboard shortcut? Yes. The app supports configurable shortcuts in Settings, and it mentions optional per-mode shortcuts.

Is PeekFocus a subscription? No. It’s listed as a one-time purchase on the Mac App Store, with a 7-day free trial.

Alternatives

• macOS Focus modes (built-in): For notification and app-focus management, macOS Focus modes can handle alerts and scheduling, while PeekFocus focuses specifically on visual dimming and blurring.
• Window management tools and desktop focus utilities: General-purpose tools for arranging or emphasizing windows may reduce clutter, but they may not provide the same per-mode blur/dim/wallpaper “surface” behavior.
• Other visual distraction reducers: Apps in this category typically dim or blur parts of the screen; PeekFocus is distinct in offering three modes (Standard/Ambience/Focus) and a hold-to-reveal workflow with multi-display support.
• Presentation/reading modes in productivity apps (within-app): Some apps provide their own focus or distraction-free views, but they’re limited to a specific application rather than the whole macOS desktop.