How Punaise works
macOS 14+ · Works on your Mac · Offline after install
What is Punaise?
Punaise pins part of a window as a small floating thumbnail. You draw a box around a region — a number you keep checking, a design spec, a log that scrolls — and it stays visible above your work instead of forcing you to alt-tab back and forth.
After you buy and activate a license ($19, one-time), the app runs on your Mac. Capture happens locally and pin content never leaves your device.
How do I create a pin?
Press the global shortcut and drag a rectangle over any window. A pin appears where you release, and you can move or resize it like any window. Resizing keeps the original aspect ratio so the region never distorts.
Each pin has its own controls, revealed on hover:
- Refresh rate —
STILLfor a static reference,LIVEfor normal use,30FPSfor something that moves fast. Lower is kinder to your battery. - Opacity — dim a pin so it sits quietly over your work.
- Click-through — let clicks pass to whatever is underneath.
- Freeze — stop the stream and keep the last frame. A frozen pin looks visibly different, so a stale reference is never mistaken for a live one.
What does “live” actually mean?
A pin is not a screenshot. It keeps streaming the region it came from, so what you see is what is on screen right now.
It keeps working when the source window is behind other windows, on another Space, or entirely off screen. Pins also float above full-screen apps — the point is that you stop rearranging windows just to keep one thing in sight.
What happens when I move the source window?
A pin is attached to the window you pinned, not to a fixed spot on your screen. Move or resize that window and the pin keeps showing the same region of it.
When the source is gone for good — the app quit, the document closed — the pin does not silently show you the wrong thing. It dims, shows a SOURCE LOST badge, and offers to re-pin. Pins are never deleted behind your back.
Privacy
Everything is captured and rendered on your Mac. No frame, no image and no region of your screen is ever uploaded.
Pins are excluded from screen recordings and screen sharing, so what you keep an eye on stays yours even while you present. Punaise needs the macOS Screen Recording permission to capture at all — that is the only permission it asks for.
Licence and install
- Open Account for your license key and the Mac download.
- Install the app, then paste the key in Settings → License. Each license binds to one device.
Requirements: macOS 14+. Screen Recording permission is requested on first launch, with an explanation before the system dialog appears.
Frequently asked questions
What is Punaise?
Punaise is a native macOS app that pins part of a window as a small floating thumbnail. You draw a box around a region — a value you keep checking, a design spec, a log — and it stays visible above your work, updating live.
How is a pin different from a screenshot?
A screenshot freezes. A pin keeps streaming the region it came from, so what you see is what is on screen right now. You can freeze a pin on purpose, and a frozen pin looks visibly different so you never mistake a stale reference for a live one.
Does the pin keep working when the source window is hidden?
Yes. A pin keeps updating when the window it came from is behind other windows, on another Space, or off screen. That is the point — you stop rearranging windows just to keep one number in sight.
Do pins show up when I share my screen?
No. Pins are excluded from screen recordings and screen sharing. What you keep an eye on stays yours, even while you present.
How much does Punaise cost?
Punaise is a one-time purchase at $19 (launch price; regular $29). Each license binds to one device on macOS 14+.
Does Punaise send anything to a server?
No. Capture happens locally and pin content never leaves your Mac. The punaise.app account exists only for purchase, license delivery, and download.
Need more?
Product overview on the home page. Legal details: Privacy · Legal notice.