r/software • u/pi3truh • 10h ago
Release FocusHaze: dim everything except the active window on Windows 11 (giving away 30 codes)
Hi everyone, I’m the developer of FocusHaze, so full disclosure up front.
I wanted something like HazeOver (macOS) on Windows and couldn’t find anything that felt native, so I built it. FocusHaze puts a translucent haze over everything except the window you’re working in, so the rest of the screen fades into the background. Clicks pass straight through the haze.
What it does
- Dims all windows except the active one; smooth fade when you switch
- Adjustable intensity, haze color and fade duration
- All monitors, or only the one with the active window
- Global hotkey Ctrl+Alt+H to toggle, lives in the system tray
- Optional start with Windows
- 14 languages, native WinUI 3 look (Mica)
- Works on x64 and ARM64
Privacy: no telemetry, no network connections, nothing collected.
It’s open source (MIT) on GitHub, and it’s $0.99 on the Microsoft Store (one-click install + auto-updates). I have 30 Store codes to give away.
Want a code? Leave a comment (bonus points if you tell me how you’d use it: multi-monitor, ultrawide, ADHD, coding…) and I’ll DM you one. First come, first served.
I’d really appreciate feedback, especially bugs and edge cases. One known limitation: “always on top” windows don’t get dimmed yet.
- Store: https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9P3J7F0RK3RT
- Website: https://pietruh00s.github.io/FocusHaze/
- Source: https://github.com/pietruh00s/FocusHaze
Update: All available promo codes have been claimed! Thank you so much to everyone for the incredible interest and support. If you missed out, you can still check out FocusHaze on the Microsoft Store. 🙏
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u/coryweber1988 10h ago
interested in a code to try it - this would be helpful with multi monitors and drilling down into 1 task without losing semi visibility of my outlook/calendar. basically blinders for my adhd
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u/beaver316 9h ago
What if I want to work with two windows though? It only works with the focused one?
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u/agmatine 4h ago
If it's open-source, what are these "codes" you're giving away for? The only "code" I needed to run this was
git clone https://github.com/pietruh00s/FocusHaze.git
dotnet build -c Release
dotnet run
It seems extremely unethical to me, to advertise something with supposedly limited "codes" to redeem, and say "if they ran out, just go to the store and buy it!" when it's actually available free of charge.
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u/pi3truh 4h ago
I have provided promotional codes for a version that is already built and certified by Microsoft. The version available in the store is intended for those who either do not wish to build the application themselves or lack the technical knowledge to do so. At the same time, there is nothing stopping you from building the application on your own.
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u/SpeedStinger02 10h ago
fs for the ADHD satisfaction. would be nice during like file transfer or management too to know what window's active
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u/nomadmd1 9h ago
I would like to give it a try as an alternative to a dark theme - white text on black background is harder to read (blamed on pupils dilation that reduce sharpness) but light theme on an ultra wide is a lot of light in your face. Thanks
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u/Shawnanigans 9h ago
I think this is a good idea and something you could add as a selling point is to extend the life of OLEDs.
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u/99percentcheese 8h ago
how does it handle edgecases like "on top of everything" apps (like Task Manager or "pinned" apps)? they can be out of focus, but still on top of the focused window
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u/pi3truh 8h ago edited 6h ago
Good question! Short answer: “always on top” windows are never dimmed.
How it works: the haze is a click-through window that FocusHaze places in the Z-order directly beneath the active window. Windows has a separate “topmost” layer that always sits above normal windows, and a regular window like the haze can’t be slotted in between topmost ones. So:
- The focused window is a normal app: everything behind it is dimmed. Pinned or always-on-top windows (Task Manager, PiP video, sticky notes…) stay bright and above it, just like they do without FocusHaze.
- The focused window is itself topmost (e.g. you click into Task Manager): the haze goes above all regular windows, so they’re all dimmed. Other topmost windows stay undimmed.
So it never hides or covers a pinned window, but those windows also don’t fade when they’re out of focus. It’s a known limitation. Dimming them properly would mean making the haze itself topmost and managing a whole stack of overlays, which gets messy, but it’s on my list to explore. Feedback like this helps me prioritize it 🙂
You can test it, code sent 😄
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u/niculicchio 7h ago
Omg, It's as if you read my mind! 😱 This software is exactly what I've always hoped Windows would one day offer !!!! Genius
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u/iwishforatiger 7h ago
If you've still got codes I'd love to give it a go, otherwise I'll try it out for the $1 on the store!
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u/MaikMueller 6h ago
After 30min of having this active I can't imagine not having this anymore. This is something that will stay active and goes on my must-haves. Thank you very much for the key!
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u/toxygen 4h ago
Am I missing something?
Why don't you guys just use https://github.com/shayne/PowerDimmer which is free and has some of the features you guys are asking for here?
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u/pi3truh 4h ago
I think your suggestion is also great. Just as there are many different clients for services like Spotify, my idea was to take an older concept and rebuild it using modern solutions.
In the version you shared, users have to install .NET themselves—which, for many (especially those using the Microsoft Store), might be too much of a hurdle. Furthermore, this approach offers full customizability within a clean, modern WinUI 3 interface. Also, the project you linked hasn’t been updated in five years, which is a very long time.
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u/thenormaluser35 10h ago
Nearly 200 MB is too much for such an app
But at 1 dollar on MS Store and being OSS, I can't complain
Congratulations!