This Mac application can transform any window into a CRT fever dream or a reminiscent Game Boy experience.
Apple may not provide quirky customization options for Macs, but Glaze has you covered.
If you're looking to go beyond basic customizations like wallpaper and accent colors on your MacBook, an indie tool called Glaze might be worth exploring. The newest version, Glaze 1.9, can completely alter your Mac's live display with over 50 GPU-powered visual effects. These include realistic imitations of CRT monitors, Game Boy screens, aged VHS tapes, comic book styles, oil paintings, old film aesthetics, vintage paper, and even Sony’s Trinitron screens.
Your Mac can finally take on the appearance of a CRT
Glaze started as a project by developer Armaan Khan to replicate the glow, curved glass, and scanlines of a vintage CRT iMac via software. The effect overlays the live screen, so it extends across app windows, videos, browsers, and games instead of vanishing once you leave the desktop.
The CRT setting can also frame the display with an optional cream-colored monitor casing, adding an extra dramatic touch to the modern MacBook screen. Users can modify the intensity of each effect, including the degree of simulated curvature.
Version 1.9 also introduces more subdued Productivity looks for daily use. The Comfort option softens glaring white interfaces, Midnight makes the display darker and warmer for nighttime use, and Color Correct includes several adaptations for color vision accessibility. The developer states that the accessibility mode will remain free.
First, you’ll need to give it some permissions
Glaze requires macOS Screen Recording permission as it needs access to the live display to apply its effects. Khan assures users that the screen is not recorded, saved, or uploaded, with all processing done locally on the Mac. There’s no account creation necessary, and the app is compatible with both Apple Silicon and Intel machines.
According to the developer, Glaze typically uses between 100MB and 300MB of memory while offloading most of the processing to the GPU. Low Power Mode can reduce GPU performance by half, causing demanding shaders to stutter, so it's recommended to disable this mode while using the app.
There is also a slight delay when switching between macOS Spaces. Although the new desktop is immediately usable, the selected shader might take about a second to respond. Glaze is available for a one-time fee of $9.99, which includes future updates and new effects. Users can access the Paper, Game Boy, and Prank Mode options for free indefinitely, while the paid license is valid for one Mac at a time and can be transferred across devices.
Vikhyaat Vivek is a tech journalist and reviewer with seven years in the field, focusing on consumer hardware.
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This Mac application can transform any window into a CRT fever dream or a reminiscent Game Boy experience.
Glaze 1.9 employs real-time GPU shaders to enhance every Mac window, video, and game, offering more than 50 styles for a one-time cost of $9.99.
