Challenge
The challenge was to transform a very simple idea—eyes following a cursor—into a polished macOS product that felt expressive without becoming distracting. The experience needed to work within the limited menu-bar space, remain visible across light and dark appearances, support multiple displays, and respond naturally without consuming unnecessary system resources.
Privacy was equally important. The app needed to feel observant and reactive without using a camera, connecting to the internet, or collecting information about the user.
Solution
Peeky Eyes was developed as a lightweight native Swift application with custom Retina-quality eye designs and smooth spring-based cursor tracking. The eyes blink, become cross-eyed, react when the cursor moves nearby, look around independently, and fall asleep when the user is inactive.
Seven visual styles, multiple personalities, gesture-based interactions, a global shortcut, multi-display support, and light-and-dark-mode adaptation allow users to personalise the experience. Processing remains entirely local, and the animation loop pauses during inactivity to minimise resource usage.
Result
The result is a compact, privacy-first Mac application that turns an ordinary menu-bar icon into an expressive desktop companion. Peeky Eyes launched on the Mac App Store, reached the store’s Top 50, and established a distinctive product identity through playful interaction, native performance, and a clear commitment to user privacy.
