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.
a Desktop Screen Utility for Windows and Mac
Make your screen feel
like paper.
A screen texture engine that applies a subtle digital matte surface enhancing visual ergonomics through contrast attenuation and natural grain.
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Trusted by Teachers
I am a former Software Engineer and now a Technology Teacher,
While trying Paperman, I've found its natural, paper-like quality to be incredibly pleasant and easy on the eyes. It's a fantastic way to rediscover that 'human-to-paper' connection. Highly recommended!
Happy users from 100+ countries
★★★★★
Utterly delightful
Holy smokes, I didn't expect to get much from this app, but after two days I can't imagine living without it. Somehow it softens/diffuses the light coming off the screen, and makes it feel cozier and more welcoming. When I turn it off, the screen feels pretty harsh and sterile by comparison. Honestly a wild difference.
★★★★★
Instant relief
It's a great little app and offers some immediate relief. You feel less sucked into the screen and blinking much more naturally.
★★★★★
Saving my eyes
This app creates a comfort that I didn't realize I was missing from flat, lifeless pages that left my eyes wanting for more. I'm a dark mode fanatic, and the paper texture really does make things easier to look at for long periods of time, especially reading text. Very quick and easy to disable for my photo editing apps as well, which was a nice surprise. Hard to describe, but once you use it for a day, you'll get it.
★★★★★
Genius!
That one app you didn't expect to like that much. How come Apple never thought of this? Genius! May you live forever to keep this app alive! 😌
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 applies a subtle, high-quality digital matte surface 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.
Lightweight, and designed to stay out of your way.
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The invisible paper plane.
Paperman runs above your other apps, across every monitor you have. Your cursor and keystrokes pass straight through, so it never takes focus or interrupts you.
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Pick your paper.
Two paper textures, Classic Matte and Whisper Weave. Both are generated, so the grain stays crisp on any display. Set the intensity until the screen looks the way you want.
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It steps aside on its own.
Tell Paperman which apps to sit out for, and it clears off whenever one of them is in front. It can pause itself on battery, and you can snooze it for a few minutes whenever you want a clean screen.
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. [1][3]
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 digital matte surface helps dampen visual noise and aids in sustained focus.
Sources
- Lin, Y.-T. et al. (2009). Investigation of legibility and visual fatigue for simulated flexible electronic paper under various surface treatments. Applied Ergonomics, 40(5), 922–928. PubMed
- Miyake-Kashima, M. et al. (2005). The effect of antireflection film use on blink rate and asthenopic symptoms during visual display terminal work. Cornea, 24(5), 567–570. PubMed
- Agarwal, S. et al. (2013). Evaluation of the factors which contribute to the ocular complaints in computer users. J Clinical & Diagnostic Research, 7(2), 331–335. PubMed
- Schenkman, B. et al. (1999). Glare from monitors measured with subjective scales and eye movements. Displays, 20(1), 11–21. ScienceDirect
- Sindt, C. W. (2015). Computer vision syndrome. University of Iowa Health Care. UIHC
For the full literature review, see our Research & Sources page.
Six textures.
Every texture brings a distinct tactile feel to your workspace.
Match the material to your current task: Classic Matte for focused reading, Whisper Weave to soften bright apps, Sunbaked Parchment for cozy late-night writing, and more on the way.
Classic Matte
A smooth, diffused finish that gently softens harsh pixels and contrast, giving your screen the clean, restful feel of premium matte paper.
Whisper Weave Available Now
A delicate, tactile fabric texture that cuts through screen glare, bringing a soft, organic warmth to your daily reading and writing.
Sunbaked Parchment Available Now
A rich, heavy grain bathed in a comforting amber glow, perfect for late-night sessions or whenever you want the cozy familiarity of an aged manuscript.
Saddle Linen Coming soon
A coarse, natural linen weave with warm earthy tones. Rugged and grounding, like working on a well-worn wooden desk.
Painter's Press Coming soon
A textured cold-press surface with subtle tooth and depth, inspired by the slightly rough grain of watercolor paper fresh off the press.
Vellum Mist Coming soon
A soft, semi-translucent haze that diffuses light like frosted vellum. Calm and minimal, perfect for long reading sessions.
The details.
Small things that matter after the first hour.
Procedural fractals
Generated using feTurbulence for organic, natural-looking grain. A subtle matte finish that mimics high-quality paper stocks.
App exclusion list
Automagically disable the texture layer for specific apps (Photoshop, video players, etc).
Circadian schedule
Automatically toggle based on your local sunrise and sunset or a custom schedule. Set it, forget it, and let your eyes rest.
Native performance
Built with Rust for high performance on Win32 and macOS runtimes. Tiny footprint: typically <25 MB of dedicated memory at rest and 0% CPU impact.
Multi-monitor support
Paperman scales seamlessly across all connected displays. One setting controls every screen, ensuring a consistent matte surface across your entire workstation.
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 adds a fine paper grain to your display, not a color filter, so it won't shift your whites orange. Any texture that affects luminance has some effect on pixel values, but Paperman is designed to keep hue shifts minimal.
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 multiple monitors?
Yes. Paperman covers every monitor you have, and you can choose exactly which displays it runs on. Add or drop a display whenever you like from the built-in monitor picker.
Will it slow down my computer?
Not at all. For most users, Paperman sits at less than 25 MB of dedicated memory at rest with zero animation loops. You might notice a brief spike when the texture engine first initializes, or slightly higher usage if you are driving multiple monitors, but it quickly settles down.
How much does Paperman cost?
On Windows, Paperman is free to download. The free tier gives you 1 hour of the paper effect per day, with no ads or usage tracking. Upgrade to Paperman Unlimited for $5.99 for a lifetime of unlimited paper effect.
On macOS, Paperman is a one-time purchase, available only from the Mac App Store.
Follow along.
Updates, ideas, and conversations with our team.
Get Paperman.
Free to download on Windows. Upgrade to Paperman Unlimited for $5.99. A one-time payment for a lifetime license. No subscriptions.
Version 2.8.0 · <25 MB memory