GhostCursor is a free macOS menu bar utility that displays a personal cursor highlight ring visible only on the user’s screen, hidden from all screen recordings and screen-sharing applications. (Free)
The standard macOS pointer is fully visible to screen recorders such as QuickTime, Zoom, and Teams. GhostCursor introduces an alternative cursor indicator that uses a non-shareable window layer—a macOS rendering feature that excludes specific windows from capture pipelines. The result is that viewers of a recording or live share see no cursor, while the local user still has a visible highlight ring for navigation.
The app operates from a single keyboard shortcut, ⌃⌥⌘C, which toggles the ghost cursor on and off. During active screen recordings, GhostCursor continuously re-hides the cursor to handle cases where the recording software attempts to re-capture it. The menu bar icon provides access to preferences and status.
GhostCursor requires no account and introduces minimal resource overhead. The developer is Ben Dansby; the app is distributed directly from the developer’s website.
System requirements: macOS 13 Ventura or later. Compatible with Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
Pricing: (Free)
Limitations: The cursor ring appearance is not user-customizable (no size, color, or shape options). When GhostCursor is active, remote participants have no cursor reference for following along, which may reduce clarity in instructional or collaborative sessions. The app does not provide a visible cursor highlight for presenters who want to draw viewer attention to specific areas.
Alternatives: Cursor Pro overlays a visible ring or spotlight on the cursor for screen recordings—the opposite use case. Keystroke Pro adds keystroke visualization. ScreenBrush and Presentify are annotation tools that complement cursor visibility for presenters.
Suitable for users who conduct screen recordings or live streams and prefer to keep cursor position private from viewers, or who want to prevent cursor tracking from appearing in recorded walkthroughs.
