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Exclude software-dimming overlay windows from screen capture #1877

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Exclude software-dimming overlay windows from screen capture #1877

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ed07a0c
fix: exclude software-dimming overlay windows from screen capture
cgchiroyasu-dev Jun 27, 2026
4d62fa9
Only exclude shade from capture on non-virtual displays
cgchiroyasu-dev Jun 27, 2026
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9 changes: 9 additions & 0 deletions MonitorControl/Support/DisplayManager.swift
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class DisplayManager {
self.gammaActivityEnforcer.alphaValue = 1 * (DEBUG_GAMMA_ENFORCER ? 0.5 : 0.01)
self.gammaActivityEnforcer.ignoresMouseEvents = true
self.gammaActivityEnforcer.level = .screenSaver
self.gammaActivityEnforcer.sharingType = .none // exclude helper overlay from screen capture/recording
self.gammaActivityEnforcer.orderFrontRegardless()
self.gammaActivityEnforcer.collectionBehavior = [.stationary, .canJoinAllSpaces]
os_log("Gamma activity enforcer created.", type: .info)
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -70,6 +71,14 @@ class DisplayManager {
shade.backgroundColor = .clear
shade.ignoresMouseEvents = true
shade.level = NSWindow.Level(rawValue: Int(CGShieldingWindowLevel()))
// Hiding the shade from screen capture is only safe on real displays. On VIRTUAL
// displays (AirPlay / Sidecar / DisplayLink) macOS presents the display itself via
// screen capture, so a non-capturable shade would also disappear from the physical
// monitor and stop dimming it. Only opt these shades out of capture when the display
// is not virtual (e.g. a Mac mini HDMI / blacklisted display using shade dimming).
if !DisplayManager.isVirtual(displayID: displayID) {
shade.sharingType = .none // dimming overlay must not appear in screenshots / screen recordings
}
shade.orderFrontRegardless()
shade.collectionBehavior = [.stationary, .canJoinAllSpaces, .ignoresCycle]
shade.setFrame(screen.frame, display: true)
Expand Down