Lightweight AutoHotkey v2 utility that fades Windows desktop icons in and out based on window focus or mouse position.
- 🕶️ Auto-fade — desktop icons fade out when windows are focused and fade back in when the desktop is visible
- 🖱️ Hover mode — optionally trigger fade based on mouse position (desktop, taskbar, show-desktop button)
- ⚙️ Settings GUI — configure hover mode, fade speed, and delay from the tray menu
- 🔄 Persistent settings — saved to
%APPDATA%\ghostdesktop\ghostdesktop.ini - 🧾 Tray menu — Settings, Pause, Suspend Hotkeys, Reload, About, Donate, and Exit
- Windows 10/11
- AutoHotkey v2 (if running the
.ahkscript)
- Install AutoHotkey v2.
- Double-click
ghostdesktop.ahkto run.
- Download
ghostdesktop.exefrom Releases. - Double-click
ghostdesktop.exe— no AutoHotkey installation required.
Run ghostdesktop.ahk or ghostdesktop.exe. The script minimizes to the system tray.
Right-click the tray icon for options:
| Menu Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Settings | Open the settings GUI (default double-click action) |
| Pause GhostDesktop | Pause/resume the fade effect |
| Suspend Hotkeys | Suspend all hotkeys |
| Reload GhostDesktop | Restart the script or EXE |
| About | Version info and links |
| Exit | Quit GhostDesktop |
Settings are configured via the tray menu → Settings GUI:
- Hover trigger — enable mouse-position-based fading (off by default)
- Fade speed — how quickly icons fade in/out (1–50, default 15)
- Fade delay — milliseconds between fade steps (1–100, default 20)
Settings persist across restarts in %APPDATA%\ghostdesktop\ghostdesktop.ini.
- If desktop icons don't reappear after exiting, right-click the desktop → View → Show desktop icons.
- Run as Administrator if the script doesn't respond to desktop events.
Improvements welcome. Please open an issue or submit a pull request.