Perceived brightness
Brightness changes the user's view through an overlay rather than changing monitor backlight hardware.
What it does
A small control surface with honest limits.
The app is intentionally narrow: one display target, software dimming controls, visible state, and release notes that do not overstate readiness.
Warmth
Gamma adjustment reduces blue light and should restore the original table when cleared.
Selected display
The target display is part of the workflow, because the app is built around one external INNOS monitor.
Visible limits
Known QA gaps stay visible so platform-blocked or untested scenarios are not presented as solved.
Use
The everyday workflow is short.
Launch the app, confirm the display, adjust dimming, then use quick disable or restore when the context changes.
Launch from the menu bar
InnosDimmer is a menu bar utility. It is meant to stay quiet until you need dimming controls.
Confirm the external display
Keep the selected target on the intended INNOS external display before testing overlay dimming.
Set brightness and warmth
Brightness is perceived dimming through a click-through overlay. Warmth is gamma adjustment with restore safeguards.
Disable or restore quickly
Use quick disable for bright working contexts, then restore previous dimming when you return to low-light work.
States
Every state should tell the truth.
The app should not treat a platform limitation as success. If macOS blocks a surface, the state should make that visible.
Software dimming ready
No dimming command has been applied yet. This is the neutral launch state.
Overlay active
Perceived brightness is being adjusted through click-through overlay windows.
Platform blocked
macOS or the target surface prevented reliable dimming. Record it as a limitation.
Shortcuts
Custom shortcuts, not native brightness keys.
InnosDimmer avoids native brightness/media key interception. The defaults use Option + Shift combinations for explicit app-level control.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Brightness up | Option + Shift + Up |
| Brightness down | Option + Shift + Down |
| Warmth up | Option + Shift + Right |
| Warmth down | Option + Shift + Left |
| Quick disable overlay | Option + Shift + 0 |
| Restore previous dimming | Option + Shift + R |
Schedule
Manual changes pause automation until the next boundary.
The default schedule is simple enough to verify by hand. Keep schedule behavior visible in QA notes before treating it as release-ready.
09:00
Brightness 80, warmth 12.
19:00
Brightness 45, warmth 32.
23:00
Brightness 25, warmth 58.
Before relying on it
Some surfaces still need manual proof.
This app changes perceived brightness, not monitor backlight brightness. The QA matrix should hold concrete notes for each surface before broad claims are made.
Already smoke-tested
General desktop overlay dimming, brightness/blue controls, quick disable/restore, Finder shortcut, and settings opening have recorded evidence.
Still needs proof
Full-screen Spaces, protected playback, screen sharing, sleep/wake, HDMI reconnect, and browser/full-screen shortcuts still need notes.
Diagnostics
Use Settings -> Export diagnostics after successful dimming and after observed blocked or failed scenarios.
Release readiness
Publish artifacts only after the evidence matches the claim.
No downloadable binary is attached to the release draft yet. Before publishing, run Debug and Release verification, launch the Release app locally, record relevant QA matrix rows, and name the signing or notarization status clearly.