Based on the same circadian light standard used in clinical research (CIE S 026)

Screen light that works with your body clock, not against it.

CircadianShield walks your display through 11 solar phases, dims in software for PWM sensitive eyes, and scores tonight's light against the clinical guideline.

  • 14-day money-back guarantee
  • macOS and Windows
  • No subscription
CircadianShield dashboard showing afternoon coaching, morning light progress, circadian score, and supporting signals
Pay once, $47. No subscription.
14-day money-back guarantee
Use it on up to 3 computers
Filtering runs on your computer

Screens that flicker when they dim can be why your eyes hurt

Many displays dim their backlight with pulse-width modulation, rapid on and off flicker you cannot see but your nervous system can detect. For sensitive eyes that can mean headaches, strain and fatigue by evening.

CircadianShield dims with a software overlay instead, so you can bring brightness down at night without pushing your panel into heavy flicker.

Read the PWM sensitivity guide
Backlight dimming (PWM) The backlight switches off hundreds of times a second to fake a dimmer screen.
CircadianShield overlay dimming Hardware brightness stays high, where flicker is lowest, while a software overlay does the dimming.

Blue light at night can affect evening comfort

Your display emits peak blue light around 450 nm, so evening screen sessions can feel harsh without warmer color controls.

Evening Wind-Down

Warmer evening display settings reduce harsh blue-heavy light during late work sessions.

Next-Day Screen Habits

Consistent screen-light routines make it easier to keep late-night work from carrying into tomorrow.

Eye Strain & Headaches

PWM flicker from display dimming and harsh blue wavelengths can contribute to screen discomfort, especially at night.

Night Shift vs f.lux vs Circadian Shield

See why a simple color tint is not enough for precise evening screen-light control.

Feature Circadian Shield Night Shift f.lux
Color temperature shift 11 specialized modes Basic slider Automatic
Light-exposure standard (CIE S 026) Full implementation No Partial
Light dashboard Light score + trends No No
Evening light tracking Post-sunset logs No No
Soundscapes 6 solar-synced themes No No
Per-app control Per-app profiles No Limited
Deep enough warmth Down to 1800K No (common complaint) Partial
Active development Active (2026) Minimal Stagnant
Price $47 one-time Free Free
Circadian Shield vs f.lux Circadian Shield vs Night Shift

Read more: Why Night Shift Isn't Warm Enough (And What Actually Works)

Three steps to calmer screen light

CircadianShield runs quietly in your menu bar and adapts your display automatically.

1

Install

Download CircadianShield and drag it to your Applications folder. No account required.

2

Set Your Location

Choose from 130+ city presets or let CircadianShield auto-detect your coordinates for precise solar tracking.

3

It Just Works

Your display color temperature adjusts automatically as the sun moves. Warm at night, bright in the morning.

Everything your display routine needs

Built on documented light-exposure standards, not just a color tint slider.

Solar-Based Filtering

Tracks your sun's real elevation through 11 twilight phases with smooth sigmoid transitions between 1800K and 6500K.

Morning Boost

A 6500K morning boost synced to civil dawn gives your display a brighter, daytime feel when your day starts.

20-20-20 Break Timer

Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Smart pause during video calls and full-screen apps.

Light Exposure Score

An A, F grade based on your screen-light patterns and timing. Track evening-light exposure and routine changes over time.

Ambient Soundscapes

Six nature themes: ocean, rain, forest, creek, wind, night crickets, generated mathematically on-device and synced to solar phases.

Evening Light Tracking

Tracks post-sunset melanopic exposure and optional morning sunlight logs so you can review screen-light habits over time.

Light Dashboard

Daily scores, 7/30/90-day trend charts, screen-time history, and light-exposure logs stored locally.

11 Display Modes

Auto, Movie, Reading, Coding, Presentation, Gaming, Biohacker, Sunglasses, Dark, Custom, and Disabled. One click in the menu bar.

Per-App Profiles

Color-accurate mode for Photoshop, cinema mode for Netflix, coding mode for Xcode. Each app gets the right filter.

PWM Flicker Reduction

Software dimming overlay reduces reliance on hardware backlight dimming for a smoother low-brightness experience.

Smart Automation

Auto-disable in fullscreen, flow detection that defers breaks, inactivity pause, video call detection, and DST smoothing.

On-Device by Design

Solar calculations, settings, light logs, and soundscapes all run locally on your Mac, and no screen content or personal data ever leaves your machine. The app sends only optional anonymous usage statistics (simple event counts) that you can switch off in Settings.

Light-Exposure Standards

Built on melanopic EDI & CIE S 026

CircadianShield uses the CIE S 026:2018 standard to estimate melanopic equivalent daylight illuminance for screen-light tracking. Not just "blue light filtering."

Read the Science

Available on your devices

One price. Everything included.

$47one-time, forever
  • Every Pro feature, nothing held back
  • macOS and Windows, up to 3 computers
  • Free updates, no subscription ever
  • 14-day money-back guarantee
Buy CircadianShield

Not for you? Reply to your receipt within 14 days for a full refund.

Before you buy

Is there a free trial?

No. CircadianShield is a one-time $47 purchase that unlocks every Pro feature on up to 3 computers. It comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk free and get a full refund if it is not for you.

How is Circadian Shield different from f.lux or Night Shift?

f.lux and Night Shift apply a basic color temperature tint. Circadian Shield uses CIE S 026 melanopic EDI calculations for screen-light management, plus 11 display modes, a local dashboard with light-exposure scoring, light debt tracking, ambient soundscapes, and PWM flicker protection.

What is light debt?

Evening light estimates post-sunset melanopic light exposure from screens. Circadian Shield helps you track evening exposure patterns and compare them with optional morning light logs.

Does Circadian Shield work on Apple Silicon Macs?

Yes. Circadian Shield is fully optimized for Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) and compatible with macOS 14 Sonoma and macOS 15 Sequoia.

More questions? Read the full FAQ.

Tonight's screen light shapes tomorrow morning

Set it up in two minutes and let your display follow the sun from now on. One-time $47 purchase for every Pro feature, backed by a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Buy Now ($47 one-time)

macOS and Windows. No subscription.