Shady
Shady is a lightweight utility that reduces screen brightness below macOS's standard minimum by overlaying a virtual shade. It was designed for users working in low-light conditions or with eye sensitivity to brightness. The app works across multiple displays, allows shade intensity adjustment in 5% increments via the menu bar, and remembers the user's preferred shade level on launch. It is completely non-invasive — the shade layer ignores mouse clicks so normal Mac usage continues uninterrupted.
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1 suggestionShady has been discontinued and is no longer supported by the developer. The last released version was built for Intel Macs and, while it may still run under Rosetta 2 today, will stop launching entirely when Apple removes Rosetta 2 in macOS 28 (September 2028). The app has not received updates in many years and there is no native Apple Silicon build. For a straightforward replacement, f.lux is the most popular and actively maintained alternative — it offers similar screen dimming and color temperature adjustment, runs natively on Apple Silicon, and is free. If you prefer a more direct brightness-control solution without color temperature features, Night Shift (built into macOS) provides basic dimming, though it does not go as low as Shady or f.lux. Given that you have over two years before the Rosetta 2 deadline, migrating to f.lux now will ensure your dimming workflow survives the transition.
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