PaintTheDesktop is a bitmap drawing program whose canvas is your Mac's screen. Everything you draw will sit on top of anything else, exception made for PaintTheDesktop's own UI. Each drawing is associated to a specific screen, so even if you switch spaces the drawing will persist.
PaintTheDesktop was made during the COVID-19 pandemic as a tool for use during remote teaching. In that context, it was used to draw notes and graphs while writing code with a graphics tablet. Of course PaintTheDesktop can be used however you want.
PaintTheDesktop works on macOS 10.13 High Sierra up to macOS 14 Sonoma -- and potentially other future macOS releases.
Drawing mode is toggled using a button in the menu bar. Once in drawing mode, the menu bar and the dock are the only system UI elements that are still enabled. Even though other windows may appear as active, when in drawing mode all mouse action is captured by PaintTheDesktop.
Option-Click or Right-Click anywhere on the screen to enter the ring menu where you can change:
- The size of the tool (for some tools)
- The paint color of the tool (for some tools)
- The tool itself
The tools available are:
Pencil
Eraser
Rectangle
Oval
Rounded Rectangle
Reset (erase the entire screen where you click)
You can also quit from the ring menu.
Alt-Click on the menu bar button to save or reload a drawing.