Choose your look
Pick a collection, bulb design, palette, size, placement, and animation speed.
macOS menu bar app
Animated desktop lights for your Mac
Real app view · not a mockup
Decorate your screens like you decorate your home.
Desktop Lights hangs animated string lights around the edges of your Mac screen—every side, top and bottom, top only, bottom only, or left and right—and slides them out of the way when your cursor reaches the menu bar or Dock. Add Christmas, Halloween, Filipino parol, Lunar New Year, and year-round collections, all controlled from the menu bar.
Requires macOS 13.0 or later. Basic Lights and Everyday Joy are included free. No account or subscription required.
Included free
Start with two collections, no purchase needed.
Make it yours
More than a string of bulbs.
Dress every edge
Use all sides or choose the exact screen edges that suit your workspace.
Add festive details
Selected collections include coordinated garlands, wreaths, and greetings.
Made for your workspace
Desktop decoration that stays out of your way.
Works while you work
Desktop Lights runs quietly from the menu bar without adding a Dock icon or covering your apps.
Decorate every display
Frame connected displays and choose exactly which edges show lights, from a subtle top row to a full-screen glow.
Private and local
No account is required, and the app does not collect personal data. Your selected settings stay on your Mac.
Questions, answered
What is Desktop Lights?
Desktop Lights is a macOS menu bar app that puts animated string lights and decorations around the edges of your Mac screen. Choose a collection, bulb size, colors, animation, and which edges to decorate. The lights sit behind your work and the app has no Dock icon.
How do I put Christmas lights on my Mac screen?
Download Desktop Lights free from the Mac App Store and open it from the menu bar. Basic Lights, included free, gives you classic multicolor string lights right away. For Christmas ornaments, garlands, and greetings, add Classic Christmas, Nordic Christmas, or the Filipino parol collections. See Christmas lights for Mac →
Will the lights get in the way of my menu bar or Dock?
No. When you move your cursor toward the menu bar or the Dock, the lights on that edge slide out of view, then settle back once you move away. You can also show lights on only the edges you choose.
Is Desktop Lights free?
Yes. The app is free and includes two collections, Basic Lights and Everyday Joy, with all placement and animation controls. Additional collections are one-time in-app purchases of US$2.99–US$5.99 each. There is no subscription and no account. See pricing →
Which Macs does Desktop Lights work on?
Desktop Lights requires macOS 13 Ventura or later. It can decorate connected displays at the same time and has been tested with setups of up to two displays.
Your desktop could use a little glow.
Start free with Basic Lights and Everyday Joy, then add the Christmas, Halloween, parol, Lunar New Year, or year-round collections that feel like you.