Can macOS dim inactive windows without an app?

No. macOS has no setting to dim inactive windows. It only greys out the window buttons of windows you're not using, which is easy to miss. HazeOver and MrFixable's Dim Background Windows both add real dimming, with a darkness you choose, and the dimming follows you when you switch windows.

Does Dim Background Windows work with several displays?

Yes. It dims every screen, including an external monitor, and keeps only the front window of the app you're using bright. HazeOver can also keep a window bright on each monitor, which MrFixable doesn't do. If you want one bright window per screen, HazeOver is the better fit.

Can I still click a dimmed window?

Yes. The dimming ignores the mouse, so clicks pass straight through to the windows behind it. Click a dimmed window and it comes forward, becomes the bright one, and the dimming moves behind it. When the app in front has no window open, the dimming fades away.

Can I use HazeOver and MrFixable together?

Yes, but use only one of them for dimming. Both darken background windows, so running both stacks the dimming. Every MrFixable fix has its own switch, so you can leave Dim Background Windows off, keep HazeOver, and still use MrFixable's other fixes.

Alternatives

HazeOver alternative for Mac

HazeOver is a $4.99 Mac app that dims background windows so the active window stands out. MrFixable's Dim Background Windows does the same core job: it darkens everything behind the window you're working in, from 10% to 70%, and clicks still pass through. HazeOver has more controls, such as a shortcut and per-display highlighting.

Try MrFixable free for 14 daysBuy for $19.99 Lifetime license

By Mohammed Chaara. Updated October 21, 2026. Facts about HazeOver come from its own website or App Store page, listed at the end.

What HazeOver is

HazeOver, made by Maxim Ananov, highlights the active window by dimming background windows. You can set the dimming intensity and animation speed, toggle it with a keyboard shortcut, change the intensity with a gesture, keep separate settings for Light and Dark appearance, and press Fn to pause dimming while you drag between apps. It works with the Shortcuts app, Focus filters and AppleScript, and on several monitors it can show which screen is active or highlight a window on each one. It costs $4.99 on the Mac App Store, is also available through Setapp and as a free trial download from its website, and needs macOS Ventura 13 or later.

HazeOver vs MrFixable

	HazeOver	MrFixable
Price	$4.99 on the Mac App Store, also included in Setapp	$19.99 once (lifetime license) for all 68 fixes, with a 14-day free trial
Free trial	A free trial download on hazeover.com	14 days, with every fix
What it does	Dims background windows so the active window stands out	Darkens everything behind the front window of the app you're using
Dimming settings	Intensity, animation speed, separate Light and Dark settings	Darkness from 10% to 70%, 30% to begin with
Turning it on and off	Keyboard shortcut, gesture, Fn to pause, Shortcuts, Focus filters and AppleScript	A switch in MrFixable's menu or settings
Several displays	Shows which screen is active, or highlights a window on each monitor	Dims every screen and keeps one window bright
macOS support	macOS Ventura 13 or later	macOS 14.2 Sonoma or later, tested on macOS 26 Tahoe
What else is included	Window dimming only	67 other fixes in the same app

Where each one is better

HazeOver is better for

It costs less if dimming is all you want: $4.99 against $19.99.
More ways to control it: animation speed, separate Light and Dark settings, a toggle shortcut, a gesture, and the Fn key to pause dimming while you drag.
It can be automated with the Shortcuts app, Focus filters and AppleScript.
On several monitors it can keep a window bright on each screen. MrFixable keeps one window bright across all screens.
It runs on macOS 13 Ventura, which MrFixable doesn't support.

MrFixable is better for

It comes with 67 other fixes, such as window snapping, clipboard history and per-app volume, for one $19.99 lifetime license.
Nothing to learn: one switch and one darkness slider.

Choose HazeOver if

People who only want window dimming, like to fine-tune how it looks, or automate their Mac with Shortcuts and Focus filters.

Choose MrFixable if

People who want dimming plus other everyday fixes for windows, the keyboard, sound and the Dock, in one app for one price.

Switching from HazeOver

Quit HazeOver first, so two apps don't dim your windows at once, and if it opens at login, remove it in System Settings › General › Login Items & Extensions. Then turn on Dim Background Windows in MrFixable and allow Accessibility access when macOS asks. Set the darkness in its settings: it starts at 30%.

Questions

Can macOS dim inactive windows without an app?
No. macOS has no setting to dim inactive windows. It only greys out the window buttons of windows you're not using, which is easy to miss. HazeOver and MrFixable's Dim Background Windows both add real dimming, with a darkness you choose, and the dimming follows you when you switch windows.
Does Dim Background Windows work with several displays?
Yes. It dims every screen, including an external monitor, and keeps only the front window of the app you're using bright. HazeOver can also keep a window bright on each monitor, which MrFixable doesn't do. If you want one bright window per screen, HazeOver is the better fit.
Can I still click a dimmed window?
Yes. The dimming ignores the mouse, so clicks pass straight through to the windows behind it. Click a dimmed window and it comes forward, becomes the bright one, and the dimming moves behind it. When the app in front has no window open, the dimming fades away.
Can I use HazeOver and MrFixable together?
Yes, but use only one of them for dimming. Both darken background windows, so running both stacks the dimming. Every MrFixable fix has its own switch, so you can leave Dim Background Windows off, keep HazeOver, and still use MrFixable's other fixes.