Never lose
your pointer.
Mouse Halo draws a glowing ring around your mouse pointer and a small ripple where you click. Even on large or multiple displays, you can see where the pointer is right away.
The settings panel is in Japanese. The download page and user guide are also in Japanese; the steps are short and described below.
- Version 0.2.2
- 2.3 MB
- Notarized by Apple
- macOS 14 or later
- Apple silicon (M1 or later)
Move your pointer and the ring follows along.
What to check before you download
Whether it runs on your Mac, what it connects to, and where your data stays.
- Price
- FreeNo account required
- Requirements
- macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon (M1 or later)Intel Macs are not supported
- App interface
- JapaneseThe settings panel is in Japanese
- Permissions
- Usually nonemacOS may ask for Input Monitoring so ripples can appear over other apps
- Network
- Official site onlyFrom 0.2.0, it checks k386.sub.jp for a new version once a day (can be turned off). No usage data is sent
- Where data is stored
- Only on this MacOnly the display settings (color, size, opacity, on/off) and the update-check setting and last check time are saved:
~/Library/Preferences/dev.duca.MouseHalo.plist - Latest version
- 0.2.2 (September 29, 2026)Release notes (Japanese)
Features
A small app that lives in the menu bar. It has no Dock icon and no regular window.
A ring around your pointer
A glowing ring follows the pointer closely with no lag. Drawing is left to the GPU, so it uses almost no CPU while the pointer is still.
Click ripples
Left, right and other button clicks send out a short ripple from the click point (it fades in about half a second).
Stays out of the way
The ring is drawn on top of everything, but clicks and drags pass straight through to the app underneath.
Multiple displays
Works across displays, full-screen apps and all Spaces, and follows you when you plug in or remove a display.
Color, size and opacity
Pick any color, a ring size from 28 to 120 px and an opacity from 20 to 100%. Settings are kept between launches.
One switch in the menu bar
Click the menu bar icon to open the settings panel, turn the highlight on or off, and choose whether it opens at login.
What it doesn't do
- Intel Macs and macOS 13 or earlier are not supported.
- It doesn't change the pointer itself; it draws a ring over it.
- It doesn't show keystrokes on screen.
- There is no keyboard shortcut to turn it on or off.
Getting started
-
Download and drag to Applications
Open the DMG and drag “Mouse Halo” to “Applications”.
-
Open the app
A ring appears around your pointer right away. No window opens; a round icon appears in the menu bar.
-
Adjust from the menu bar
Click the icon to change the color, size and opacity, or switch the highlight off.
Network and data
From 0.2.0, Mouse Halo's only network access is checking the official site (k386.sub.jp) for updates and downloading them. It doesn't send usage statistics or error reports. It handles only these four kinds of data.
MadokaPointer positions and clicks are only used for drawing, never saved.
| Data | Used for | Saved? | Sent anywhere? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pointer position | Where to draw the ring | No (kept in memory only while drawing) | No |
| Mouse button presses | Drawing a ripple where you click | No. It doesn't look at what you clicked | No |
| Display settings | Keeping color, size, opacity and on/off | Yes, in the app's preferences on this Mac | No |
| Update check | Finding out whether a new version is available | Only the last check time and the auto-check setting, on this Mac | Only fetches version info from the official site (k386.sub.jp). No settings or usage data |
- It doesn't monitor the keyboard, read screen contents or record the screen (no Screen Recording permission).
- macOS may ask for Input Monitoring so that ripples appear over other apps. The ring works without it.
FAQ
Why is it free?
I built it for my own work and want other Mac users to be able to use it too. There are no ads and no paid upgrade.
Will it block clicks in other apps?
No. The ring doesn't receive mouse events, so clicks and drags go straight to the app underneath.
I don't see click ripples.
If Mouse Halo appears in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Input Monitoring, turn it on, then quit and reopen the app.
Does it work on Intel Macs?
No. It requires an Apple silicon Mac (M1 or later) and macOS 14 or later.
How do I update?
From 0.2.0, the menu bar icon changes to an arrow when a new version is out. Open it and click “今すぐ更新” (Update now): the app downloads the update, verifies its checksum, Developer ID signature and Apple notarization, replaces itself and restarts. On 0.1.0, download the new DMG from the download page and replace the app in Applications. Your settings are kept.
How do I uninstall it?
Choose “終了” (Quit) in the menu bar panel and move Mouse Halo from Applications to the Trash. If you like, also delete ~/Library/Preferences/dev.duca.MouseHalo.plist.
Download Mouse Halo
Version 0.2.2, released September 29, 2026. The download page (in Japanese) lists the SHA-256 checksum and how to verify the file.
Trademarks
- Apple, Mac and macOS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and other countries and regions.
- Intel is a trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.
- Other company, product and service names on this site are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. ™ and ® marks are omitted in the text.
- K386 and Mouse Halo are not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by any of the companies above.