Custom Resolutions, XDR/HDR Extra Brightness, Dummy Displays, Brightness Adjustment, Picture in Picture, Display and EDID overrides + more!
BetterDisplay is a truly wonderful tool! It let's you convert your displays to fully scalable screens, manage display configuration overrides, allows brightness and color control, provides XDR/HDR brightness upscaling (extra brightness beyond 100% for compatible displays with Apple Silicon Macs), full dimming to black, helps you create and manage virtual displays (dummies) for your Mac, create Picture in Picture windows of your displays and gives you a host of other features to manage your display's settings easily from the menu bar.
- BetterDisplay is the only app currently with DDC control for all modern Macs (full DDC support for M2 and M2 Pro/Max, M1 built-in HDMI, and 2018 mini built-in HDMI) - DDC features are completely free for personal users without limitation.
- EDID override support for both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs! *
- Disconnect and reconnect displays (removing them from the display layout and adding them back) on Apple Silicon (requires macOS Ventura)!**
- Option to auto-disconnect built-in screen upon connecting an external display. *
- Convert your internal and natively connected external displays to smoothly-scaled HiDPI displays using native smooth scaling (displays with notch, HDR, HDCP, high refresh rate fully supported)! *
- Reach the full brightness potential of your XDR or HDR display - XDR brightness upscale to 1600 nits, external HDR display brightness upscale also supported. This feature requires an Apple Silicon Mac. *
- Change the display's brightness, volume and colors via software and hardware (DDC) control via sliders and native or custom keyboard shortcuts!
- Change display inputs via DDC on supported displays.
- Create custom HiDPI resolutions for real displays manually and redefine certain system display parameters!
- Create any number of dummies (virtual screens) with varying aspect ratios.
- Enable Night Shift for your TV!
- Change the resolution easily with a slider!
- Define favorite resolutions and reach them via the app menu, resolution slider or keyboard shortcuts. *
- Protect display configuration, forbid auto-switch to VRR etc. *
- Use headless Macs (servers) with any resolution and HiDPI mode for remote access.
- Create Picture in Picture window for any real or dummy displays. *
- Redirect your display's contents (real or dummy) to an other screen via streaming. *
- If you are using a big TV up close, use the bottom half of your TV as a wide screen display (off-center streaming). *
- Scale Sidecar resolutions and portrait SideCar support (via dummy full screen streaming). *
- Better quality zooming (
System Preferences»Accessibility»Zoom) or High Quality screenshots even on 1080p displays - Easily change the resolution of your real and dummy displays via a slider (or submenu) from the menubar.
- Quickly accessible refresh rate and screen rotation menu.
- Simplify creating mirrored sets. *
- Easily move around displays relative to each other using the app menu.
- Quickly designate a display to be main display.
- Associate dummies with displays for auto connect/disconnect.
- Keyboard shortcuts for brightness and audio control.
- Advanced keyboard shortcuts support. *
- Custom dummies (resolution, orientation, naming). *
- Create a dummy optimized for a real display. *
- Export display EDID and show detailed display information (Intel and Apple Silicon).
... and more is coming! :)
Note: featues marked with an asterisk (*) require a Pro license. Some features may be available in the latest pre-release version only.
For a more detailed list and comparison with some popular alternatives, click here...
| BetterDisplay | MonitorControl | Lunar | SwitchResX | Vivid | DisplayBuddy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom scaled resolution editing | 🆓 | 💰 | ||||
| Native smooth scaling | 💰 | |||||
| Disconnect/connect displays | 💰 | 💰 | ||||
| Night Shift for TVs | 🆓 | |||||
| Display name override | 🆓 | 💰 | ||||
| Native, default resolution editing | 🆓 | |||||
| Dummy display creation | 🆓 | |||||
| Dummy-display association | 🆓 | |||||
| Display mode selector menu | 🆓 | 🆓 | 💰 | |||
| Resolution slider | 🆓 | |||||
| Picture in Picture | 💰 | |||||
| Custom dummies | 💰 | |||||
| Full screen streaming | 💰 | |||||
| Stream/PIP, stretching, off-centering | 💰 | |||||
| Stream/PIP rotation, portrait Sidecar | 💰 | |||||
| Stream/PIP crop feature | 💰 | |||||
| Teleprompter mode (stream flipping) | 💰 | |||||
| Mirror configuration | 💰 | |||||
| DDC via the M1 built-in HDMI | 🆓 | 🆓 | ||||
| DDC for M2 Pro/Max | 🆓 | 🆓 | ||||
| DDC for Intel 2018 mini built-in HDMI | 🆓 | |||||
| DDC brightness control | 🆓 | 🆓 | ❗ | 💰 | ||
| DDC volume control | 🆓 | 🆓 | ❗ | 💰 | ||
| DDC input switching | 🆓 | 🆓 | 💰 | |||
| DDC input customization | 🆓 | |||||
| DDC power control | 🆓 | 🆓 | ||||
| Native brightnesss and volume keys | 🆓 | 🆓 | 🆓 | |||
| Basic custom keyboard shortcuts | 🆓 | 🆓 | 🆓 | 💰 | 💰 | 💰 |
| Advanced custom keyboard shortcuts | 💰 | ❗ | 💰 | |||
| Basic native OSD support | 🆓 | 🆓 | 🆓 | 💰 | ||
| Combined native OSD support | 🆓 | 🆓 | ||||
| Software dimming (color table) | 🆓 | 🆓 | ❗ | 💰 | ||
| Software dimming (overlay) | 🆓 | 🆓 | ❗ | |||
| Combined dimming | 🆓 | 🆓 | ❗ | |||
| Dimming to black | 🆓 | 🆓 | 💰 | |||
| Color adjustments | 💰 | 💰 | ||||
| Color temperature control | 💰 | 💰 | ||||
| XDR extra brightness | 💰 | 💰 | 💰 | |||
| Third party HDR extra brightness | 💰 | 💰 | ||||
| HDR extra brightness calibration | 💰 | |||||
| Display config protection | 💰 | |||||
| EDID retrieval | 🆓 | 💰 | ||||
| EDID override (Apple Silicon) | 💰 | |||||
| EDID override (Intel) | 💰 | |||||
| Custom timings on Intel | 💰 | |||||
| Command Line Integration | ⌛🆓 | 💰 | ||||
| DIY hardware integration | 💰 | |||||
| Basic brightness syncing | ⌛🆓 | 🆓 | 💰 | |||
| Advanced Brightness syncing | ⌛💰 | 💰 | ||||
| Presets | ⌛💰 | 💰 | 💰 | 💰 | ||
| Schedule based settings | ⌛💰 | 💰 | ||||
| App specific settings | ⌛💰 | 💰 | 💰 | |||
| Price | $15/€15 | $0 | $23 | €14 | €20 | $17 |
| Trial days | 14 | - | 14 | 10 | - | - |
🆓 - Feature is completely free without limitation, even after trial
❗ - Feature is free with limitations imposed after trial (for Lunar: 100 adjustments per day)
💰 - Feature is a paid/pro feature and is not available after a trial (for apps with trial)
⌛ - Feature is planned
Please note that this comparison is only meant to give you a big picture, does not contain all secondary and derived functionalities (free or paid) for each software, may not be up-to-date and may not be a fair representation in every respect as I am not an expert on the alternative apps. I am pretty sure the devs of respective alternatives would feel the comparison is skewed in some way or I did miss an important aspect or unique advantage of the competing solution. For an educated decision you might want to try all apps that offer some sort of trial. If you feel the comparison is not fair, drop me a note at the BetterDisplay Discord channel!
You can support development and unlock all features of the app by purchasing a Pro license for $15 / €15 (+ Sales Tax or VAT may apply). You can also get Pro inside the app - just navigate to Settings (gear icon) > Pro and click on Buy BetterDisplay Pro.
More information on purchasing Pro & payment methods
Please note that even if you don't buy the app, you can still use many of the features for free (if you are a non-business user). A 14-day trial is also available to fully evaulate BetterDisplay Pro before purchase.
If you are using the free functionalities of the app, please don't forget to star the GitHub page and spread the word about the app! :)
For more information on licensing, trial, prices and refund, please read the License Terms & Conditions and Refund Policy!
- Download the latest version
- Open the DMG file and move the app to Applications folder on your Mac as instructed.
- Start the app.
- Use the app menu bar item to interact with the app.
A new User's Guide is under construction to explain all the features. Some useful guides are already available covering some of the more popular features of the app. More to come - please stay tuned!
Until the Wiki/Guide is complete, you can search for answers under Discussions and the BetterDisplay Discord channel (it has an extensive history, most questions have been asked and answered several times over).
- The app is compatible with all Apple Silicon and Intel Macs running macOS Big Sur, Monterey or Ventura.
- XDR/HDR upscaling requires an Apple XDR display (built-in or external) or a natively connected HDR display (VESA DisplayHDR 600 or higher recommended) and an Apple Silicon Mac.
- The display connect/disconnect feature requires an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS Ventura.
- Native smooth scaling requires macOS Ventura or Monterey 12.4 (or newer) and natively connected displays. Maximum native smooth scaling resolutions depend on the GPU capabilities and the display's resolution (horizontal width limit is 6144 pixels for M1/M2, 7680 pixels for M1/M2 Pro/Max/Ultra).
- External display hardware backlight control and volume control require DDC capable, natively connected display or an Apple display. Some docks and dongles may not support DDC. All built-in ports of all Macs that can run the app are supported for DDC communication.
- The app is compatible with headless Macs to create custom dummy resolutions for remote access.
For information about data handled by the app and privacy, please read the app's Privacy Policy!
You can join the discussion on the BetterDisplay Discord channel. If you have any issues or questions, don't hesitate to ask!
I am thankful for each of you who contributed to the project in its initial open source phase. I'd like to express my gratitude by providing you with a coupon code so you can get a Pro license for no additional cost. If you'd like to receive a code, please contact me at Discord by sending a private message with the screenshot of the confirmation you received from Open Collective. I'll respond with a coupon code to get the app for free!
Notabe contributors of the open-source project
Generous contributors, who donated $50 or more for the open-source project:
- David Brown - $500
- Patrick Mast - $222
- Riten Jaiswal - $200
- Wesley - $200
- Dean Herbert - $150
- Myles Dear - $100
- Jose Tejera - $100
- Bill Southworth - $100
- Will_from_CA - $100
- MFB Technologies - $100
- Brian Conway - $60
- Ron W - $61
- Michael Charo - $50
- Jens Kielhorn - $50
- Victor - $50
- Nicholas Eidler - $50
- Jeff Nash - $50
Additional notable contributors, who donated $20 or more:
|
Derek Johnson Jerry C Jung Yeop (Steve) Kim Jason Kaz Nikola wanyeki Felix Emilio P Egido Thomas Varghese Reactual Stephen Richardson Peter Szombati NP David Verdonck Knut Holm Jan Behrmann Danilo Andrew Braithwaite Splay Display Incognito Florian Gross David Richardson Jari Hanhela |
William Edney David W Chetan Kunte Martin Clayton Nikola Milojević Wolf1701 Arthur Müller Tom Dai Jeff Lopes Jormsen Yeo Chang Long Wayne G Udome Bart Krijnen jviide Keezy SenPng Jakub Koňas docljn Adam Lounds Pablo Sichert Ville Rinne Gheorghe Aurel Pacurar Peter F. |
Thomas Brian Jedrzej Gontarczyk Chris Brooks Wang Yang Arjen Peter Cole Simon Jarvis mgiiklel Eric Alasdair Friedemann Wachsmuth Pranav Raj S Eddy George Billios Alfred Visnevsky Martin Cohen HWM Oliver Eilhard Alastair Thomson Örn Arnarson Chris Spiegl Radim Balner yipru petertriho + guest supporters |