Overlay Mode
A terminal that floats above everything else. Persistent, accessible, out of the way.
Questions this answers
- Keep terminal window always on top macOS
- Floating terminal overlay while coding
- Terminal stays above other windows hotkey toggle
- Picture-in-picture style terminal window
How it works
Overlay mode pins the Chau7 window above all other applications at the system level. Activate it with a global hotkey or from the Window menu, and the terminal stays visible regardless of which application has focus. This is ideal for keeping a log tail, server output, or command reference visible while working in an editor or browser.
The overlay window remains interactive. Click into it to type commands, then click back to your other application, and the terminal stays visible in front. A second press of the global hotkey dismisses the overlay, returning to normal window layering. Window size and position are remembered independently for overlay mode, so toggling in and out restores your preferred layout.
Overlay mode combines naturally with transparency and blur. A semi-transparent overlay floating above your editor gives you terminal visibility without fully obscuring the content underneath, creating an efficient layered workspace on a single monitor.
Why it matters
Developers constantly switch between terminal and editor. Overlay mode eliminates that context switch by keeping the terminal visible as a floating window above other applications. You can reference terminal output while writing code, or monitor a running process while working in another app.
Frequently asked questions
Can I toggle overlay mode with a keyboard shortcut?
Yes. A configurable global hotkey toggles overlay mode from any application, whether or not Chau7 has focus.
Does overlay mode work with multiple monitors?
Yes. The overlay window appears on whichever monitor it was last positioned on and remembers its size and location independently from the normal window.
Can I combine overlay mode with transparency?
Yes. A semi-transparent overlay with blur creates a frosted glass terminal that floats above your other applications without fully obscuring them.