Live, over any window
The lens shows what's beneath it as it changes: video, scrolling pages, a cursor in a text field.
Desktop Lens
A magnifying glass for anything on your screen.
Desktop Lens is a floating lens that magnifies whatever is under it, in real time: small text, interface details, images in any window. Scroll to zoom, drag it where you need it, hide it from the menu bar. PRO adds lens shapes, sharper detail and a glass effect.
macOS 10.12 or later · Screen Recording permission
What it does
Round, rounded or squarePRO
Choose the lens shape that suits the task.
Glass effectPRO
A refraction effect that makes the lens look like real glass.
All features
- Live, over any window — The lens shows what's beneath it as it changes: video, scrolling pages, a cursor in a text field. (Desktop Lens)
- 2× to 20× zoom — Scroll or pinch on the lens to zoom in and out. (Desktop Lens)
- Drag it anywhere — Move the lens over whatever you want to see up close. (Desktop Lens)
- Smooth or pixel-sharp — Turn smoothing off to see individual pixels, handy for checking designs. (Desktop Lens)
- Stays out of the way — Lives in the menu bar, not the Dock. Hide or show the lens from the menu bar icon, or keep it above other windows. (Desktop Lens)
- Your border colour — Pick a colour for the lens rim. (Desktop Lens)
- Round, rounded or square — Choose the lens shape that suits the task. (PRO)
- Increased detail — Sharpens the magnified image so small text stays crisp. (PRO)
- Glass effect — A refraction effect that makes the lens look like real glass. (PRO)
- Energy saving — Refreshes less often to save battery on long sessions. The glass effect is off meanwhile. (PRO)
- Shadow or flat — Turn the lens shadow off for a flat look. (PRO)
Compare versions
Compare the features in each version.
| Desktop LensThe round lens with zoom and smoothing. | PROLens shapes, sharper detail and the glass effect. | |
|---|---|---|
| Round, rounded or square | Not included | Included |
| Increased detail | Not included | Included |
| Glass effect | Not included | Included |
| Energy saving | Not included | Included |
| Shadow or flat | Not included | Included |
| Price | $1.99App StoreGet | $3.99App StoreGet |
Privacy
Desktop Lens doesn't collect any data. Its App Store privacy label reads “Data Not Collected”.
Details
- Requires
- macOS 10.12 or laterScreen Recording permission
- Category
- Utilities
- Price
- Desktop Lens: $1.99, one-time purchasePRO: $3.99, one-time purchase
Support
Why does it ask for Screen Recording permission?
macOS requires it for any app that shows what's on the screen. The image goes straight to the lens and nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
Where is the app after I open it?
In the menu bar. Click its icon for the menu: hide or show the lens, smoothing, settings. Right-clicking the lens opens the same menu.
What's the difference between Desktop Lens and PRO?
PRO adds lens shapes, increased detail, the glass effect, energy saving and the shadow option. They are separate apps: buying one doesn't unlock the other.
Something else?
Write to [email protected]. Include your macOS version and what you were doing when the problem appeared.
Desktop Lens
A magnifying glass for anything on your screen.
Desktop Lens · $1.99