Myworkingmemory LLC

StageShield Support

Updated September 4, 2026 · Version 1.1 for macOS

StageShield covers desktop icons with a reversible visual layer. It does not change Finder settings or move, rename, delete, alter, or mark your files as hidden.

Start with the free version

1. Open StageShield.
2. Select Shield Desktop to place the Midnight shield over the desktop on every connected display.
3. Select Reveal Desktop to remove the shield, or press Option-Command-S to toggle it from anywhere.
4. Turn on Launch at Login if you want StageShield ready in the menu bar after you sign in to your Mac.

The free version does not require a Myworkingmemory account and has no session limit.

StageShield Pro

StageShield Pro is an optional one-time, non-consumable App Store purchase. It adds:

• automatic shielding when macOS reports that an external display has connected;
• automatic shielding when a supported presentation app you selected launches or becomes active;
• a desktop timer that reveals icons for 2 to 300 seconds and then restores the shield;
• cursor auto-hide after 1 to 60 seconds of pointer inactivity while the shield is active;
• Studio, Ocean, and Ember backdrops and adjustable backdrop coverage;
• detailed Stage Record totals and individual session history, with a clear-history control; and
• the complete Desktop menu and Pro settings.

The automatic app trigger supports the presentation apps listed in StageShield settings. It does not inspect a meeting or detect whether screen sharing has actually started. Always confirm the shield on every display before presenting.

Desktop and cursor timers

With Pro, choose Display Desktop when the shield is active to reveal your icons temporarily. If automatic icon hiding is enabled, StageShield shows a countdown and restores the shield after the delay in Settings > Timers. Select Reveal Desktop when you want to end the shield session instead of starting the countdown.

Cursor auto-hide works only while the shield is active. The pointer disappears after the selected period of inactivity and returns when you move it. Change its delay in Settings > Timers.

Connected displays

StageShield is designed to place a separate shield on every display that macOS reports as connected. Connecting, disconnecting, waking, mirroring, changing Spaces, or rearranging displays can create a brief transition while macOS updates the display list. Confirm each display before sharing or recording.

Stage Record

A completed shield session of at least 15 seconds is added to the Stage Record. The current version keeps up to 1,000 recent sessions locally on your Mac. Free shows the number of completed shields. Pro adds total shielded time, longest run, weekly comparison, and individual session history. Pro users can clear the stored Stage Record at any time. The record contains timestamps, not screen, window, meeting, audio, or file content.

Purchase and restore

Apple handles the StageShield Pro purchase, entitlement, and refund process. Pro is a one-time purchase and does not renew. If you already purchased Pro, select Restore Purchase while signed into the Apple Account used for the purchase. Customers with a verified original paid StageShield acquisition from before version 1.1 may receive Pro automatically.

If Apple confirms the purchase but Pro remains locked, quit and reopen StageShield, try Restore Purchase again, and then contact us with the app version and the exact message shown. Do not send a payment-card number. For a refund request, contact Apple Support.

Common questions

Does StageShield really hide Finder icons?

It hides them from view by drawing a layer above the desktop. Finder still manages the files normally underneath. StageShield does not change a file's hidden status or alter the file.

Why can I still see my open apps?

That is the intended design. The shield sits above the desktop and below ordinary app windows so you can keep working or presenting without desktop clutter behind the windows.

Why did the shield return after I displayed the desktop?

Pro's automatic icon-hiding timer is enabled. Open Settings > Timers to change the delay or turn off automatic re-hiding. Use Reveal Desktop to end the current shield session.

Why did the cursor return?

macOS restores it when you move the pointer. Cursor auto-hide starts its inactivity timer again while the shield remains active.

Why did automatic shielding not start?

Confirm that Pro is unlocked, the relevant automation switch is on, and the presentation app is selected. Automation responds to macOS app and display events; it does not inspect the meeting or sharing state. Use Shield Desktop or Option-Command-S whenever you need to cover the desktop immediately.

Contact support

Myworkingmemory LLC
1515 Demonbreun St. 1121
Nashville, TN 37203, United States

Email support@myworkingmemory.ai with "StageShield Support" in the subject line. Include:

• the StageShield version;
• the macOS version;
• the number of connected displays and whether they are mirrored;
• the presentation app involved, if any;
• what you expected; and
• what happened, including the exact error message.

A description is normally enough. Do not send confidential files or screen images unless they are necessary and you intend to share them.