1. Allow camera access
A one-time macOS permission prompt. Frames are processed in memory and discarded.
BlinkWise
A tiny menu-bar coach that reminds you to blink. Healthier eyes while you work.
100% on-device
No account required
macOS 14+
Heads up - BlinkWise is currently in beta. Things may still change between builds, and your feedback directly shapes the v1.0 release. Thanks for trying it early.
Join the TestFlight beta
Free during beta. macOS 14 or later.
What is BlinkWise?
You blink less than half as often when you stare at a screen. That's the real reason your eyes feel dry, gritty, and tired by the afternoon.
BlinkWise watches your blink rate using on-device computer vision and gently nudges you when you forget. It also has the optometrist-recommended 20-20-20 rule built in. Camera frames are analyzed in memory and discarded — they never leave your Mac.
How it works
2. Calibrate for 30 seconds
BlinkWise learns your personal blink baseline and adapts to your setup.
3. Get gentle nudges
A floating widget shows your blink rate. If you stop blinking, a soft reminder appears. Blink three times to dismiss it.
What's inside
- Real blink detection, not a fixed timer.
- Adaptive baseline for lighting and posture changes.
- Built-in 20-20-20 rule timer (configurable and optional).
- Four nudge styles: screen dim, color flash, sound, combination.
- Multi-camera support for built-in and USB webcams.
- Dashboard with per-session history and per-minute trends.
- 100% on-device, with no accounts or analytics.
- Pause anytime from the menu bar; uninstall removes all data.
Frequently asked
Does BlinkWise upload my camera feed?
No. Frames are processed entirely on-device using Apple's Vision framework and discarded immediately. The app makes zero network requests — you can verify this yourself in System Settings → Network or with Little Snitch / LuLu.
Why does BlinkWise need camera access?
It's the only way to detect actual blinks. Without the camera the app would just be a fixed timer — which is the very thing BlinkWise was built to replace.
Does it work with external webcams?
Yes. Open Settings → Camera and pick any built-in or USB camera connected to your Mac.
The nudges feel too aggressive / too subtle.
Open Settings and pick a different style — Screen Dim, Color Flash, Sound, or Combination. You can also adjust the blink-detection sensitivity. If it triggers too often or too rarely, run Recalibrate from Settings.
What is the 20-20-20 rule?
Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It relaxes the muscles that focus your eyes and is the most common recommendation from optometrists for screen workers. BlinkWise has this timer built in; you can turn it off or change the interval in Settings.
Will it run my battery down?
The detection pipeline uses Apple's optimized Vision framework on a low-resolution preview. On Apple silicon the impact is small — comparable to a video call at idle. You can pause detection any time from the menu bar.
Where is my data stored?
In a private SwiftData database inside the app's sandbox on your Mac. It's never synced or transmitted. Uninstalling the app removes it entirely.
Can I use BlinkWise with glasses or contact lenses?
Yes. After the 30-second calibration the app learns your personal baseline regardless of eyewear. If you change setup (different glasses, new lighting), just re-run calibration from Settings.
Get help
Found a bug, have a feature request, or need help with detection accuracy?
Email [email protected] and we'll get back to you.
Please include your macOS version, Mac model, and a short description of what you were doing when the issue happened.