Let the room go dark.
Dim your Apple Studio Display from the Mac menu bar. Move your mouse to bring the brightness back.
Two ways to let the room go dark. Blackout mode lowers your Studio Display’s brightness and adds a black cover. Sleep All Displays uses real macOS display sleep while keeping your plugged-in Mac working. A countdown gives you time to switch off your mouse.
A few things to know.
Does it turn the Studio Display backlight off?
Sleep All Displays requests actual macOS display sleep for every screen, rather than drawing a black image. It keeps your Mac working while connected to power. The separate Black Out Studio Display mode still uses minimum hardware brightness and a black cover; that mode leaves the backlight on.
Can my Mac keep working with the screens asleep?
Yes. Right-click the menu bar icon and choose Sleep All Displays. You have 15 seconds to turn off your Magic Mouse before sleep starts; choose 10, 15, 30 or 60 seconds in Display Sleep Delay. Click the icon again to cancel. Keep your Mac connected to power and your MacBook lid open. Normal sleep settings return when the screens wake, you unplug or you quit Studio Dimmer.
Will remote AI tools wake the screens?
Background requests, builds and downloads can continue while the screens sleep. Mouse, keyboard and computer-use automation may wake them. Studio Dimmer does not block these wake requests or cover the desktop after waking, which could interfere with screenshot-based tools. Stay Dark Until Click applies only to blackout mode.
What do I need to run it?
A Mac running macOS 13 or later, on Apple silicon or Intel, with an Apple Studio Display connected. This is a Mac app, not an iPhone or iPad app.
How do I install Studio Dimmer?
Download the ZIP on your Mac, unzip it, and move Studio Dimmer.app into Applications. This release is signed with Developer ID and notarised by Apple. macOS may still ask you to confirm opening an app downloaded from the internet. You do not need to disable system security.
Why do you ask for my email?
Studio Dimmer is free in exchange for joining the Axoi Studio Dispatch: occasional news about apps, websites and product updates from the same maker. Signup is explicit, and you can unsubscribe from future emails.
Free with Axoi Studio Dispatch signup.
macOS 13 or later. Apple silicon and Intel.
Made by Alex.
Part of Axoi Studio.
I build apps and websites for my own projects and for clients. If Studio Dimmer is useful to you, these two might be, too.
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