Precision opacity
Dial the intensity from 15% to 30% — enough to change the screen surface without blurring your work. No color shifting, no loss of clarity.
Windows & macOS utility
Make your screen feel like paper.
A digital matte finish for your monitor. Reduce eye strain through contrast attenuation and natural texture, without shifting your colors. Works with any display mode or color filter.
Try the Paperman effect Paperman is active
See how paper texture softens this page. This is how your eyes were meant to read.
Download for Windows & macOS Launch special: $8.99 $14.99 · Lifetime license
The Paperman difference
Not a blue light filter.
Night Shift and f.lux focus on color temperature. They turn your screen orange to reduce blue light.
Paperman focuses on screen texture. It doesn't shift your colors or tint your display. It adds a subtle, high-quality paper overlay that diffuses highlights and attenuates contrast — exactly like a physical matte screen protector, but in software.
Blue light filters
Change colors to warmer tones.
Paperman
Changes texture to soften contrast.
How it works.
Three moving parts. No background services.
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The invisible paper plane.
Paperman creates a fullscreen transparent window that floats above every app on your system. It never steals focus, never interrupts your workflow, and stays pinned across all virtual desktops and Spaces.
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Fractal noise for natural texture.
Using custom SVG fractal noise (feTurbulence), the app generates a mathematically unique paper-grain overlay. You pick a texture and dial the opacity between 15% and 30% to find your perfect matte finish.
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Full transparency, no friction.
With Click-Through enabled, the overlay is invisible to your mouse and keyboard. You interact with your apps exactly as you normally would — just through a softened, more comfortable surface.
Biological mechanisms
Better by design.
Paperman is built on established ergonomic principles of contrast reduction and surface quality perception. No medical claims — just sensible physics for your physiology.
Contrast attenuation
Modern screens display at 1000:1 contrast ratios. Natural paper sits at 15:1. Paperman bridges this gap, bringing the screen toward the levels your eyes evolved to process.
Reduced micro-saccades
Glossy displays create tiny specular highlights that trigger involuntary eye flickering (micro-saccades). Natural texture scatters this light, lowering overall ocular effort.
Blink rate normalization
Staring at high-intensity emissive light suppresses your natural blink rate, causing "computer eye." Softening the intensity helps maintain healthy, frequent blinking.
Founder's note
Built for the neurodivergent brain.
Paperman was created by a founder with ADHD who found that high-contrast, "emissive" screens were a constant source of sensory friction. Many users with ADHD and sensory sensitivities report that the paper overlay helps dampen visual noise and aids in sustained focus.
Four textures.
Each one changes the character of the overlay. Try them against different content — grain suits long reading; lines work well for coding.
Grain
Fine fractal noise, similar to film grain or the surface of uncoated paper.
Lines
Horizontal ruled lines. Gives text a ledger-paper quality.
Dots
A regular dot grid. Softer than lines; closer to engineering dot paper.
Vintage
Heavier grain with a warm amber cast. For screens that should feel like aged paper.
The details.
Small things that matter after the first hour.
SVG fractal noise
Generated using feTurbulence for organic, natural-looking grain. A subtle matte finish that mimics high-quality paper stocks.
App exclusion list
Automagically disable the overlay for specific apps (Photoshop, video players) with autocomplete from your running processes.
Circadian schedule
Automatically toggle based on your local sunrise and sunset or a custom schedule. Set it, forget it, and let your eyes rest.
System integration
Built with Tauri for native performance on Win32 and Objective-C runtimes. Tiny footprints: <30MB memory and 0% CPU impact.
Click-through tech
The overlay window is invisible to your input devices. Mouse and keyboard interactions pass straight through to whatever is underneath.
Frequently asked.
Everything you need to know about the digital grain.
How is this different from f.lux or Night Shift?
Every other eye protection tool changes your colors. Paperman changes your screen's texture. It works alongside color filters, addressing the visual strain that temperature shifts alone can't touch — like contrast reduction and highlight diffusion.
Does it change my colors or turn my screen orange?
No. Paperman uses SVG fractal noise to create a texture overlay, not a color filter. Your colors stay exactly as they are — they just appear to be on a matte physical surface rather than an emissive light source.
Why pay when Night Light is free?
Night Light is a free color shifter. Paperman is specialized relief software that changes surface texture. If color shifts alone haven't fixed your digital eye strain, it's likely because you're sensitive to screen contrast and specular glare — which is exactly what Paperman addresses.
Is it good for ADHD and light sensitivity?
Many users with ADHD report that the 'matte' effect reduces sensory overstimulation and visual noise, making it easier to maintain focus during long screen sessions. It's built by a founder who lives with ADHD.
Does it work with full-screen apps and multiple monitors?
Yes. Paperman is designed to cover your entire display area, including full-screen apps and across all virtual desktops. It supports multi-monitor setups natively.
Will it slow down my computer?
Not even a little. Paperman uses less than 30MB of memory and zero animation loops. Once the static SVG texture is rendered, it has zero impact on your system's performance.
How much does Paperman cost?
Paperman is currently $8.99 as part of our 40% launch special (regularly $14.99). It’s a one-time purchase for a lifetime license, providing relief for your eyes without recurring subscription fees.