BetterDisplay
BetterDisplay is a macOS display utility that gives you deeper control over brightness, scaling, virtual screens, and external monitor behavior.
What is BetterDisplay?
BetterDisplay is a macOS utility for managing built-in and external displays with controls that go beyond the standard system settings. It helps Mac users adjust brightness and dimming, create custom resolutions and scaling options, and manage display modes more precisely from the menu bar. The app also supports virtual screens, Picture in Picture windows, display synchronization, and configuration protection for multi-monitor setups. Power users, remote-work users, and creators often use it to improve monitor usability, tune HDR or XDR behavior, and work around limitations in macOS display controls. BetterDisplay also includes automation options such as keyboard shortcuts, Shortcuts support, and command-line integration for custom workflows. It is developed for macOS and is centered on display management rather than general desktop customization.
Key features
- Adjust display brightness, dimming, and color controls beyond standard macOS options
- Create custom resolutions and flexible HiDPI scaling for compatible displays
- Make and manage virtual screens for remote access, layouts, or extra workspace
- Open Picture in Picture windows from real or virtual displays
- Sync brightness and other image settings across multiple displays
- Change refresh rates, rotation, color modes, and other display settings more quickly
- Automate display actions with keyboard shortcuts, Shortcuts support, and command-line tools
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Safety overview
Status: Mostly safe
BetterDisplay is a legitimate display-management app for macOS, but some of its advanced features require deeper access to display settings and may change monitor behavior, resolutions, or brightness handling in ways that affect your setup. Those permissions and controls are consistent with its purpose. Review any login item or background launch setting if you do not want it running continuously, and use care with advanced display overrides or automation if your monitor configuration is sensitive.
Recommendation: Keep BetterDisplay if you use its monitor controls, custom scaling, virtual displays, or automation features. If you no longer need those functions, you can remove it, but any custom display behavior you relied on may revert to standard macOS controls.
Common paths
/Applications/BetterDisplay.app
Cache paths
~/Library/Caches/pro.betterdisplay.BetterDisplay~/Library/Caches/SentryCrash/BetterDisplay
Support paths
~/Library/Application Support/BetterDisplay~/Library/Application Support/BetterDummy~/Library/HTTPStorages/pro.betterdisplay.BetterDisplay~/Library/HTTPStorages/pro.betterdisplay.BetterDisplay.binarycookies
Preference paths
~/Library/Preferences/pro.betterdisplay.BetterDisplay.plist
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