New Monocle 3.5 is finally out - and it's a big one again!
Hey, Dominik here 👋 Monocle 3.5 is out today - and it finally brings many of the most requested features and improvements since launch! First: thank you for being patient with me. The last update (3.0.3) was months ago, and I know the radio silence hasn't been ideal. As I mentioned earlier, the past few months were genuinely hectic - life got in the way, and I didn't have the capacity to focus on Monocle the way I wanted to. I wasn't able to reply to every email (sorry for that!). But I want you to know that everything that came in - every feature request, every bug report, every piece of feedback - got read and added to the backlog. Nothing went ignored. Most of what's in 3.5 came directly from your suggestions. So genuinely - thank you for keeping them coming! So what's new in 3.5: App Groups - group two or more apps so they share focus. The whole group stays clear when any of them is active. Stage Manager support - the overlay now works correctly with Stage Manager; no more dimming the thumbnails (https://x.com/heyiamdk/status/2055286534371246270?s=20) Multi-screen settings - pick between Per Screen and Global highlighting to control how Monocle behaves across displays Blur-free mode - dim without the blur, if that's what you prefer Multi-monitor fix - a stubborn bug where the overlay would misbehave across displays for many users is finally gone Monocle now detects when the macOS "Displays have separate Spaces" is OFF and adjusts its behavior automatically Each shake action (Toggle, Peek) can be disabled individually via a new "Off" option, without flipping the master shake toggle Rebuilt blur rendering for a leaner, more efficient pipeline especially when idle License can now be activated on multiple user profiles on the same Macand many more! (Full changelog) This release feels significant to me. The last few highly requested pieces are in place, and 3.5 finally feels complete - really close to what I originally imagined when I started building it almost 1.5 year ago. That doesn't mean I'm done. Further performance optimization is still high on my list, and the backlog is still full. But for the first time, it feels like the app I always intended it to be. The update is free for all existing users, as always. Monocle will notify you automatically, or you can check for updates manually via the menu bar icon or directly on the Monocle website. Homebrew users: brew upgrade monocle-app. Monocle 3.5 also launched on Product Hunt today! If you know someone who's been on the fence about trying it - now's a great time to share. There's a guide on the launch page on how to get a generous 50% discount. See Monocle on Product Hunt 🚀 Thanks for sticking around through the quiet months. I hope 3.5 is worth the wait. — Dominik
Collected discussion
Some really nice additions. And a lot more mature than the previous version. Great work! Allow me to say though, that I find the steps for blurring rather coarse and for grain too fine. And how do I dim without the blur?
Good feedback on the steps, noted - thanks! To disable the blur, slide it all the way to the left, then enable tint or monochrome instead - whichever you prefer.
I love your website; it's clean and minimalist, just like your app, but I really don't understand the need for this app, so I'd appreciate it if you could explain. When I use my Mac, I usually have it full screen, and I don't use it with small, fragmented windows like in the demo. Stage Manager was good at first, but since I have the Dock, I don't really need it to be on the side all the time.
Thanks! Well, fullscreen on a larger display, say 27" or 32" often isn't practical. Monocle doesn't hide the other apps - they're still there, just quiet. You stay aware of your context without being distracted by it. And there's something weirdly satisfying about the blur that's hard to explain until you've used it for a few minutes. It just feels calm. As I like to say: it's not just about productivity. It's about presence - feeling calm while you work. Worth a try - 7 days, no card required.
It's perfect! I tested several similar apps but none worked as well. Instant-buy (thanks for the code) 🙂 A future consideration: would be great to have settings in a normal window instead of a screen-edge sidebar. Works fine on a normal monitor, but for ultra-wide, I need to "drive" my chair to the side of the room ;-P
Thanks, really glad the polish shows! That's what really matters to me. And you're right, the landscape has changed a lot since v1.0. When I launched, Monocle was the only app doing actual blur instead of a plain dim. Now there are at least 4 alternatives. Good to have competition - not so fond of complete rip-offs though: https://x.com/heyiamdk/status/2009889315023655106?s=20 The sidebar comment made me laugh too - totally valid point for ultra-wide users. Adding it to the backlog!
Great app. Bought it instantly!
wow
Looking nice
the App Groups feature is exactly what I needed. been wanting a way to keep my browser and note app dimmed together without having to configure each one separately. nice work
looks good and polished.. will check it out..
Love them all additions!!
Love to hear that, Srinivasan! 🙌
Tried 3.0 when it came out, loved how it looked, but didn’t buy it because I knew I’d barely use it. Went to check what’s new and stumbled on the discount easter egg - couldn’t resist. Such a well made app tho, thank you. Now I just gotta force myself to actually use it lol.
What's the system resources it takes for RAM+CPU+SSD? not using the blur effect but only dimming - will it completely take the GPU computation out? (That's why I don't like liquid glass, cause it drains battery for a not needed effect. That's why I'm on Sequoia). As
hi, disabling blur and grain computation entirely when the sliders are at zero (and only tint is active) isn't something I handle properly yet. That's going on the next round of performance optimization in 3.6 - 3,7. It will make a real difference for users who only want the dimming. That said, performance is still not where I want it to be overall - it's something I improve gradually with each version. If you need something very lightweight right now, the classic plain dimmers might be a better fit for the moment. But you have a 7-day trial - worth giving it a try and seeing how it feels on your machine!
looks neat! I am not seeing the discount option on Product Hunt. Any suggestions?
thanks! re discount - look for a little easter egg on the website: https://www.heyiam.dk/monocle have fun :)
Congrats on 3.5. The feature list looks strong, but the window/floating tool space is competitive. What are the battery and CPU performances of the new version with multiple Spaces compared to built-in options or Raycast extensions?
I didn't see anything on the Product Hunt page about the discount.
here :) "50% OFF discount: As always, to celebrate the new release, I've hidden a generous discount as a new easter egg on the Monocle website. The sale is running until May 31, 2026. Good luck!"
That’s awesome, like this focusing apps a lot :)
upvoted on producthunt good luck on the launch
Very nice, it looks very sleek and clean! I'm not sure yet which approach I prefer for daily use - floating app windows with additional focus features like the one Monocle provides or a window manager with workspaces (aerospace, yabai). So far I've always used window managers to maximise window space, but I like the look of the blur as it's close to how my mind looks too 😁
I absolutely love this app and have been using it since the very first day it launched. With every update, it just keeps getting better and better 🙌