Getting Started with Tap Zap

Tap Zap takes about a minute to set up. There's one thing most people miss, so don't skip Step 2.

Step 1: Install it

1. Download the Tap Zap DMG.
2. Open the DMG.
3. Drag TapZap2.app into your Applications folder.
4. Double-click to launch it.

Step 2: Turn your Mac's brightness up to 100%

This is the step nobody expects. Turn your Mac's own brightness all the way up. Tap Zap will dim the screen for you in a way that doesn't flicker — but only if your screen's actual backlight is at full.

1. Open System Settings.
2. Go to Displays.
3. Drag the Brightness slider all the way to the right.

           WHY 100% BRIGHTNESS?
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════

  At 100% brightness:
  ████████████████████████████████████████████████
  • The backlight stays on, steady
  • No flashing
  • Nothing for your eyes to fight

  Tap Zap then dims the picture itself:
  • Same comfortable, dim look
  • But the backlight never flickers

Step 3: Open it and look around

Click the little bolt icon in your menu bar (top-right of your screen). A small panel opens. Here's what's in it:

            TAP ZAP INTERFACE
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════

  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
  │  TAP ZAP                        ⚙️        │
  │  ● ON                                       │
  ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  │                                             │
  │   COLOR          │    BRIGHTNESS            │
  │   TEMPERATURE    │    (PWM FLICKER)         │
  │                  │                          │
  │      ──┬──       │       ──┬──              │
  │        │         │         │                │
  │        ▼         │         ▼                │
  │      [===]       │       [===]              │
  │        │         │         │                │
  │      ──┴──       │       ──┴──              │
  │                  │                          │
  │    3500K         │        75%               │
  │                  │                          │
  ├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
  │  SET MAC BRIGHTNESS TO 100%              │
  │                                             │
  │   [ DAY ]  [ EVENING ]  [ NIGHT ]           │
  │                                             │
  │            [  ZAP  ]                      │
  └─────────────────────────────────────────────┘

The two sliders

• Warmth: drag up for a warmer, more orange-red screen. Drag down for cooler and bluer. Most people go warmer as the day goes on.
• Brightness: drag up for brighter, drag down for dimmer. This is the dim that doesn't flicker — your screen will look softer without the backlight ever flashing.

Step 4: Try the presets

If you don't want to think about it, just pick a preset that matches your day. Three buttons, three moods.

Step 5: Make it start with your Mac

1. Click the ⚙️ gear icon inside Tap Zap.
2. Turn on Launch at Login.
3. That's it — it'll be there every time you boot up.

Little things worth knowing

The big ZAP button is your on/off

Click the menu bar icon to open the panel. The big ZAP button flips the filter on or off instantly.

Right-click to quit

If you ever want to fully close it, right-click the menu bar icon.

Multiple monitors? No setup.

It works on every screen you have connected. Plug in a new one and it'll be there too.

It remembers your settings, but starts off

Your sliders stay where you put them between sessions. The filter itself, though, always starts OFF when you launch — tap ZAP to turn it on.

A normal day with Tap Zap

You don't need a "routine." But if you want one, this is what most people land on after a week:

            A DAY WITH TAP ZAP
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════

  MORNING
  └─ Mac brightness: 100%
  └─ Tap Zap: DAY (or just leave it off)
  └─ Things look normal, just steady

  EVENING
  └─ Tap Zap: EVENING
  └─ A bit warmer, a bit softer
  └─ Less blue, easier on the eyes

  LATE NIGHT
  └─ Tap Zap: NIGHT
  └─ Pure red, gentle dim
  └─ Your body actually winds down

  BED
  └─ Put the phone down
  └─ Good night.

If something's off

My screen didn't change.

Check that the filter is actually on — the panel should say ON and the menu bar icon should be red.

There's a yellow warning at the bottom.

That means your Mac's own brightness isn't at 100%. Pop into System Settings → Displays and drag it all the way up. The warning will disappear.

Colors look weird after a crash or restart.

Tap Zap normally puts the colors back when you quit. If it didn't get the chance, just open Tap Zap and toggle the filter on and off once — that resets everything.

Something's broken — how do I tell you?

Click the ⚙️ gear and pick Copy Debug Log. Paste that into an email when you write in. Saves us both a back-and-forth.