The Mac’s yellow dot (or orange, depending on perception) is one of the best privacy and security features on your Mac. This simple indicator alerts you when an app is using your Mac’s microphone, appearing in the menu bar next to the Control Center icon whenever it’s active.
While I appreciate this feature, it can sometimes be distracting. Fortunately, a free app called Yellow Dot provides a solution to balance aesthetics and security. It allows you to change the yellow privacy indicator to black (or other colors) and dim other system icons in the menu bar as well.
How To Change The Color of The Mac’s Yellow Dot?
When I’m writing, I use my word processor in full-screen mode to stay focused. But when I take notes during online meetings, a yellow dot shows up in the upper-right corner of the screen. This disrupts my distraction-free writing experience, as my eyes often drift toward the dot.
I also experience migraines, and one of my symptoms is sensitivity to bright lights. To manage this, I use dark mode on all my devices and prefer neutral or dim colors while working on screens for extended periods. This led me to discover Yellow Dot, which has been incredibly helpful.
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What Yellow Dot Does and How To Use It
Once you download and install Yellow Dot, you’ll need to grant it access to Screen and System Audio Recording permissions. These permissions enable the app to modify the appearance of items in your menu bar. Once the setup is complete, Yellow Dot takes over and handles the rest.
The privacy indicator will instantly change to a new color within the app. However, you can customize it by clicking the app’s menu bar icon and selecting Dot color. From there, you can choose from a variety of available colors.
- Black
- Default (yellow)
- Adaptive
- Dim
- White
The default choice for the privacy indicator is Adaptive, which dynamically adjusts its color based on your activity. I switched it to Black because I find it more aesthetically pleasing, and it doesn’t distract me.
Additionally, Yellow Dot dims a few other menu bar icons that can’t typically be dimmed, such as the location and screen recording indicators. This feature is particularly useful when presenting something on your Mac, as it minimizes distractions from bright icons in the menu bar.
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Yellow Dot osx Cursor
A macOS feature called Yellow Dot makes it easier to find the pointer on the screen by highlighting it. It helps users rapidly track the cursor by encircling it with a bright yellow circle. This is very helpful for presentations or when using a large display.
The feature may be changed to your preference. You may alter the dot’s size and visibility. It ensures that the cursor is prominent without becoming distracting.