Help when you need it
Desktop Lights support.
Installation questions, purchase help, bug reports, and ideas are all welcome.
Quick answers
Where does Desktop Lights run?
It runs as a macOS menu bar app. There is no regular Dock icon, and the lights sit around your selected screen edges.
Can I use Desktop Lights on more than one display?
Yes. Desktop Lights can decorate connected displays at the same time and has been tested with setups of up to two displays.
What are the Mac requirements?
Desktop Lights requires macOS 13 Ventura or later. An internet connection is needed to download the app and make or restore purchases; installed collections and saved settings can be used offline.
Can I use my purchase on more than one Mac?
Yes. Install Desktop Lights on another Mac using the same Apple Account that made the purchase, then choose Restore Purchases inside the app. Eligible non-consumable collection purchases will unlock without being purchased again.
How do I restore a purchase?
Use Restore Purchases inside Desktop Lights. The Mac App Store securely restores eligible purchases associated with your Apple Account.
Do the lights work offline?
Yes. Installed collections and your saved settings remain available offline.
Why does a collection take a moment to load the first time?
To keep the app small, Desktop Lights includes Basic Lights and Everyday Joy, and downloads the artwork for other collections the first time you preview or select one. Depending on your internet connection, that first load can take a few seconds. After that, the collection is saved on your Mac and opens without downloading again, even offline. If a collection’s artwork is updated, the new version downloads once in the same way.
How do I turn the lights off or quit the app quickly?
Click the Desktop Lights icon in your Mac menu bar and choose Turn Lights Off to hide the lights without closing the app. Choose Quit App to close Desktop Lights completely. To create faster shortcuts, choose Open Settings…, select Advanced, then use Change… beside Toggle lights or Quit app.
Which screen edges can the lights go on?
There are five placement options: every edge, top and bottom, top only, bottom only, or left and right. When your cursor moves toward the menu bar or the Dock, the lights on that edge slide out of view and return when you move away.
Can I gift a collection to someone?
No. Paid collections are in-app purchases tied to the Apple Account that bought them, so they can’t be gifted. The other person can download Desktop Lights free, which includes Basic Lights and Everyday Joy, and buy collections inside the app.
Does the app record my screen?
No. Desktop Lights does not capture your screen, read your documents, or track your activity.