Let's be honest: most notifications are garbage. Somebody reacted to a message. A newsletter you forgot to unsubscribe from. A calendar reminder for a meeting that got canceled an hour ago.
Proximate puts useful information near your cursor so you don't have to scan across a massive display to stay informed. But even useful information can feel like too much if it's always demanding your attention at full blast. That's the idea behind transparency modes — they let you dial in exactly how present or how subtle Proximate's elements feel while you work.
Some people want everything visible all the time. Others want the lightest possible touch — a whisper of a clock and a faint notification badge that only asserts itself when the moment is right. Transparency modes let you land wherever feels natural.
Let's walk through each one.
Always Visible
Your cursor additions — clock, notification icons, timer — stay at full opacity all the time, no matter what the cursor is doing. No fading, no surprises.
This is the simplest mode and a solid choice if you like having everything at a glance and the constant presence doesn't bother you.
Fade on Move (recommended)
This is the one we recommend for most people. Your additions are fully visible when the cursor is still — which is when you're reading, thinking, or pausing between tasks and might actually glance at the time or notice a notification badge.
The moment you start moving the mouse, the additions fade to near-invisible (20% opacity by default). When you stop, they smoothly fade back in.
The thinking: if you're moving the cursor, you're in the middle of doing something. You don't need the clock right now. But the second you pause, everything quietly reappears — present without being pushy.
Watch how the additions fade out during movement and reappear when the cursor pauses. It feels natural — like they're stepping aside when you're busy and coming back when there's a quiet moment.
Only When Moving
This one flips the logic. Your cursor additions are invisible when the cursor is still and only appear while you're actively moving the mouse.
If you mostly use Proximate to find your cursor on a big display, this mode makes a lot of sense. The additions light up as a visual anchor while you're scanning, then disappear once you've landed where you need to be — keeping the screen clean when you're focused on something else.
Custom
If none of the presets feel quite right, Custom mode hands you full control. You can set the exact opacity for the "still" and "moving" states independently, adjust how quickly fades happen, how long the app waits before transitioning, and tweak the movement sensitivity threshold.
This is the mode for people who want to fine-tune the feel — like running additions at 50% when still and 30% when moving for something subtler than the presets offer, or stretching the fade duration for a slower, more gradual transition.
Fine-tuning the details
Whichever preset you start with, the Transparency panel in Preferences gives you a few additional controls:
Fade duration sets how quickly opacity transitions happen. The default half-second feels smooth without being sluggish. Shorter values (0.1–0.2s) make it snappier; longer values (1–2s) create a more relaxed, gradual shift.
Idle delay is how long the cursor needs to be still before the "still" opacity kicks in. The default of 1 second means quick repositioning adjustments won't trigger constant fading — you have to actually stop for the transition to happen.
Movement sensitivity controls how many pixels of cursor movement count as "moving." The default of 1 pixel means even tiny nudges register. Bumping this to 3–5 pixels can help if your mouse is a bit jittery or you simply want a calmer experience.
A note on accessibility
Transparency modes aren't just a preference — for some users, they're an accessibility tool.
Visual sensitivity and photophobia. People with light sensitivity, migraines, or photophobia can find high-contrast on-screen elements uncomfortable, especially bright ones appearing and disappearing near their point of focus. Being able to lower the default opacity of Proximate's additions — or fade them out entirely when the cursor is still — can make the difference between a tool that's comfortable to use all day and one that gets turned off after an hour.
Cognitive load and sensory overload. For users with ADHD, autism, or other conditions that involve sensory processing differences, extra visual elements on screen contribute to cognitive load. Even small additions near the cursor can become distracting if they're always at full opacity. Transparency modes let these users keep Proximate's functionality without the sensory cost — dialing the presence down to a level that informs without overwhelming.
Motion sensitivity. Some users experience discomfort from visual changes tied to their own cursor movement. The idle delay and fade duration controls are particularly helpful here: a longer fade duration (1–2 seconds) creates a gentler transition that's less likely to trigger discomfort, while a longer idle delay prevents rapid-fire opacity changes during normal mouse use.
If you find the default settings too visually active, try starting with Fade on Move, setting the motion opacity to something low like 10–15%, and increasing the fade duration to 1 second or more. From there, you can adjust until it feels right for you.
Which mode should I use?
- Always Visible if you like having everything at a glance and the additions don't bother you.
- Fade on Move if you want information when you need it and quiet when you don't. This is what most people settle on.
- Only When Moving if you primarily use Proximate to locate your cursor on large displays.
- Custom if you've tried the presets and want to dial things in exactly to your liking.
You can switch between modes anytime in Preferences → Transparency. Try a few — you'll know you've found the right one when Proximate feels like a natural part of how you work rather than something extra on screen.
Have questions or a transparency setup you love? Drop us a line at [email protected].