A storm in characters – rolling clouds, and every few seconds a forked bolt that flashes and flickers out.
A storm in characters – rolling clouds, and every few seconds a forked bolt that flashes and flickers out.
In the app you can adjust the columns and colours. It runs natively on your Mac, drawn live in real time – no video, never quite the same twice.
Use it on your Mac
- Get SCRNSVRS free from the Mac App Store.
- Select ASCII Lightning in the library.
- Click Set as Screensaver or Set as Wallpaper – or both.
Preview free · macOS Tahoe 26 or laterNeed a hand? Read the setup guide.
ASCII Lightning FAQ
How do I set ASCII Lightning as my screensaver on a Mac?
Install SCRNSVRS free from the Mac App Store, select ASCII Lightning in the library and click Set as Screensaver. macOS starts it whenever your Mac is idle, exactly like a built-in screensaver.
Can I use ASCII Lightning as a live wallpaper?
Yes. Click Set as Wallpaper in SCRNSVRS and ASCII Lightning plays on your desktop behind your windows and icons. You can use it as screensaver and wallpaper at the same time.
Is ASCII Lightning free?
ASCII Lightning is included in SCRNSVRS Unlimited. It's free for your first 7 days; after that Unlimited is $1.99/month or $9.99/year (€1.99/month or €9.99/year) for every screensaver, including new ones. It can also come up in Free this month, when 25 premium screensavers are free for everyone.
Is ASCII Lightning a video loop?
No. ASCII Lightning is rendered live on your Mac with Metal, so it never repeats and stays sharp on any display size. The clip on this page is a screen recording of the real thing.
Will ASCII Lightning slow down my Mac or drain the battery?
No. SCRNSVRS drops to 30 fps on battery and stops rendering when the wallpaper is covered by a full-screen app, so ASCII Lightning costs next to nothing in everyday use.
Which Macs does ASCII Lightning run on?
ASCII Lightning needs macOS Tahoe 26 or later.
