General
What is Veil, exactly?
Veil is a Windows screen dimmer and focus overlay. You can use it as a traditional dimmer, or turn on Highlight Mode to keep the active window clear while the rest of the desktop remains dim.
Is Veil Windows-only?
Yes. Veil is built for Windows desktop behavior and relies on Win32 APIs for overlays, tray integration, hotkeys, startup behavior, and monitor handling.
Where do I install it from?
Veil is currently distributed through the Microsoft Store. Please never install the app from any other source.
Dimming behavior
Does Veil change my real monitor brightness?
No. Veil uses a software dimming overlay on top of Windows. It is not a hardware brightness controller and does not physically change your monitor's backlight.
Why use an overlay instead of hardware brightness?
Because many screens, especially external monitors, stay too bright even at low hardware settings. Overlay dimming lets Veil go darker and work consistently across displays Windows can see.
Can I dim one monitor more than another?
Yes. Veil supports per-monitor dimming. You can also switch to Global Mode if you want one shared dim value across every connected display.
Highlight Mode
What does Highlight Mode do?
Highlight Mode is where your focused window remains un-dimmed while the rest of your desktop dims, allowing you to focus on a single task at a time without getting distracted by cluttered desktop workspaces.
Why is it labeled Beta?
Because Windows shell surfaces and popup behavior can be nuanced. The feature is polished and useful, but the app still presents it honestly as Beta.
Can it highlight one window per monitor?
Yes. Veil includes an optional per-display highlighting behavior for multi-monitor setups so each screen can keep its own active work area clear.
Tray, hotkey, and startup
Can I control Veil from the tray?
Yes. Veil includes a tray icon and a custom dark right-click menu for quick actions such as opening or minimizing the app, toggling dimming, or exiting.
Does Veil support a global hotkey?
Yes. Veil can register a system-wide hotkey so you can toggle dimming without opening the main window.
Can it start with Windows?
Yes. Veil supports starting with Windows, starting minimized, and minimize-to-tray behavior so it can stay available like a real desktop utility.
Privacy and local data
Does Veil require an account?
No. There is no account requirement and no cloud login in the runtime model.
What does Veil store on my PC?
Veil stores its settings locally under your Windows user profile. Optional logs are also stored locally when logging is enabled.
Does Veil include ads, analytics, or tracking?
No. Veil is positioned as a local-first utility. Logging is optional and off by default, and there is no required telemetry path in the app's current runtime model.