FAQ

Short answers to the questions people ask most, with a link to the full page on each.

Using Curtains

Does it work with my meeting app?

Yes, if the app can share a single window. Google Meet in your browser, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Slack huddles all see Curtains Presenter as an ordinary window. There are no plugins. See Sharing in your meeting app.

Which computers does it run on?

Macs running macOS 13 or later. Windows is coming. See Install and permissions.

Will viewers see my notifications?

No. Curtains captures only the windows you pick, one by one. System banners and other apps never reach the canvas.

Will viewers see menus I open?

Yes. Dropdowns, context menus and dialogs from a shared app are drawn on the canvas on top of it.

Will viewers see Curtains itself?

Not Studio, the floating remote, the outlines or the toolbars. By default Curtains hides them from screen sharing while a call is detected or while Curtains Presenter is open. See Screenshots and screen sharing.

Do I have to keep Studio open?

No. Closing Studio only hides it, and Curtains keeps running in the menu bar. Curtains Presenter can stay behind other windows. Just don’t minimize it.

Why does Curtains need Screen Recording permission?

macOS asks before any app can see other windows. Curtains captures only the windows you choose, and what it captures never leaves your Mac. See Install and permissions.

Do viewers see my window titles?

No, not unless you turn on Show window titles to viewers in Settings › Presenter. It is off by default. Even when it’s on, a window you’ve blurred or covered, in whole or in part, never shows its title.

Can I change what viewers see while I’m in the call?

Yes. That’s the point. Pick or unpick windows, switch layouts, draw, blur or pause from Studio. The meeting keeps sharing the same window. See the Quickstart.

How do I keep a private app out of the picture?

Hide the app. In Sources, use Hide from this list, or use Prepare so it joins blurred. See Apps in Sources and Blur and hide.

Privacy

Does Curtains record my calls?

No. It records no video or audio. Frames exist only in memory while you share and are never written to disk.

Does Curtains listen to my microphone?

No. To notice a call, Curtains only asks macOS whether the microphone or a camera is in use, and by which app. See Call detection.

Does Curtains collect any data?

Only anonymous usage stats: which features you use, never what’s on your screen, your window titles or the apps you share. In the EU, the UK and Switzerland they stay off unless you say yes. Everywhere else they’re on, and you can turn them off anytime in Settings › Privacy & updates. See Usage stats and privacy.

Does Curtains go online to check my plan?

No. You sign in on curtains.app in your browser and activate each device there. After that, Curtains checks your plan on your Mac. The app goes online only to check for updates and, if you leave them on, to send usage stats. If you turn on Renew my pass automatically, it also contacts curtains.app to renew. See Billing and renewals.

Plans and billing

Is Curtains free?

Yes. Free has every layout and presenter tool for up to 2 windows at a time, with the “Shared with Curtains” badge on, and Sources shows only work apps by default, with any other app one click away in Hidden. You can hide any app by hand. Pro shares up to 6 windows, lets you turn the badge off and adds custom backgrounds and overlays. See Plans.

How does the trial work?

Every new install gets Pro for 14 days, with no account and no card. The badge stays on during the trial. Then Curtains switches to Free.

Do I need an account?

Not for Free or the trial. You need one to buy Pro, Lifetime or Pro for teams, and to activate your devices. An account is just your email address, and you sign in with an emailed link, so there is no password.

How many devices can I use?

Pro and Lifetime cover one person on up to 3 devices. On Pro for teams, each seat is one person on up to 3 devices. Free works anywhere. See Devices.

What’s the difference between Pro and Lifetime?

The features are the same. Pro is billed once a year. Lifetime is paid once and includes every future update.

What happens if I cancel Pro?

Pro keeps working until the end of the period you paid for. Then Curtains switches to Free. Your settings, combos and themes stay. See Billing and renewals.

Can I get a refund?

Stripe sells Curtains as the merchant of record and handles refunds under its own policies. Beyond that, refunds are at our discretion. Try Pro free for 14 days first. See the Refund Policy and Billing and renewals.

Do I have to pay for updates?

No. Every plan gets every update.

Can I turn off the “Shared with Curtains” badge?

Yes, on Pro, Lifetime and Pro for teams. It is a setting in Settings › Presenter. On Free and during the trial the badge stays on.

How does Pro for teams work?

Buy a seat for each person who presents, with 3 seats minimum. Invite people by email, and each of them signs in with their own address. You can add seats any time. See Teams.

Related

• Troubleshooting: fixes for common problems.
• Quickstart: share your first windows.
• Settings: every option.