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What is this?
BetterDisplay is a macOS menu bar app that unlocks extra display controls on your Mac, including flexible HiDPI scaling, XDR/HDR brightness boosts, DDC and HDMI-CEC hardware control, virtual screens, and picture-in-picture streaming.
BetterDisplay is a macOS menu bar app that unlocks extra display controls on your Mac, including flexible HiDPI scaling, XDR/HDR brightness boosts, DDC and HDMI-CEC hardware control, virtual screens, and picture-in-picture streaming.Is this a kernel driver or just a regular app I launch?It is a regular macOS app that lives in the menu bar - no kernel extension or driver install is required; you launch it from Applications or Spotlight and control everything from its menu bar icon.
It is a regular macOS app that lives in the menu bar - no kernel extension or driver install is required; you launch it from Applications or Spotlight and control everything from its menu bar icon.Do I need anything else installed first?No required dependencies for the free version beyond macOS itself; Homebrew is just an optional install method, and unlocking Pro features (EDID overrides, forced HDR, favorite resolutions, CLI scripting) needs a purchased license key.
No required dependencies for the free version beyond macOS itself; Homebrew is just an optional install method, and unlocking Pro features (EDID overrides, forced HDR, favorite resolutions, CLI scripting) needs a purchased license key.Which features are locked behind the Pro license?A lot of the advanced functionality - EDID overrides, forced HDR switching, favorite resolutions and keyboard shortcuts, shell script/URL integration, and advanced virtual-screen or synchronization features - all require a Pro license; the free tier covers basics like HiDPI scaling and brightness control.
A lot of the advanced functionality - EDID overrides, forced HDR switching, favorite resolutions and keyboard shortcuts, shell script/URL integration, and advanced virtual-screen or synchronization features - all require a Pro license; the free tier covers basics like HiDPI scaling and brightness control.Which macOS versions can I run it on?BetterDisplay 5 needs macOS 26 Tahoe (26.3+) or macOS 27 Golden Gate; older BetterDisplay releases (down to version 1.4.15) extend support as far back as macOS Mojave for users on older systems.
BetterDisplay 5 needs macOS 26 Tahoe (26.3+) or macOS 27 Golden Gate; older BetterDisplay releases (down to version 1.4.15) extend support as far back as macOS Mojave for users on older systems.Does it work on Intel Macs, or only Apple Silicon?Both are supported, but some features are stronger on Apple Silicon: display disconnection works on both, though Intel support is experimental, and auto-sleep on disconnect is Apple Silicon only (Intel falls back to dimming).
Both are supported, but some features are stronger on Apple Silicon: display disconnection works on both, though Intel support is experimental, and auto-sleep on disconnect is Apple Silicon only (Intel falls back to dimming).How much does a Pro license cost and is it a subscription?Pro is a one-time perpetual purchase for $21.99/€19.99, not a subscription, and includes at least a year of updates; a 14-day free trial lets you test all Pro features before buying.
Pro is a one-time perpetual purchase for $21.99/€19.99, not a subscription, and includes at least a year of updates; a 14-day free trial lets you test all Pro features before buying.What can virtual screens be used for?Virtual screens let you create custom-resolution displays - including HiDPI desktops - for headless Macs or remote access, even without a physical monitor attached.
Virtual screens let you create custom-resolution displays - including HiDPI desktops - for headless Macs or remote access, even without a physical monitor attached.Can I watch one display inside another?Yes, the picture-in-picture/streaming feature lets you view a physical or virtual display, or even a single window, in a floating window on another screen with filters and frame-rate controls - useful for things like portrait Sidecar or teleprompter setups.
Yes, the picture-in-picture/streaming feature lets you view a physical or virtual display, or even a single window, in a floating window on another screen with filters and frame-rate controls - useful for things like portrait Sidecar or teleprompter setups.Can it control my TV, not just my Mac's monitor?Yes, if the TV supports HDMI-CEC - BetterDisplay can control compatible LG webOS, Samsung Tizen, and Philips Android TVs, plus Yamaha AV receivers, including volume, mute, power, and input switching.
Yes, if the TV supports HDMI-CEC - BetterDisplay can control compatible LG webOS, Samsung Tizen, and Philips Android TVs, plus Yamaha AV receivers, including volume, mute, power, and input switching.What are similar projects?MonitorControl, Doll, OpenYoink, tendedero, rooms, dimble, boring.notch, macos-sysdata
MonitorControl, Doll, OpenYoink, tendedero, rooms, dimble, boring.notch, macos-sysdataWhich topics is it in?scaling, 4k, display, osx, productivity-tools, menubar-app, menubar, mac, video-streaming, screenshot, localization, menu-bar
scaling, 4k, display, osx, productivity-tools, menubar-app, menubar, mac, video-streaming, screenshot, localization, menu-bar