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Odin Docs

Cursor Overlay

The cursor overlay is a small blue triangle that floats over your screen and flies to elements Odin wants to point at. When Odin says “click the File menu” or “that button in the top right”, the triangle moves there so you see exactly what it means.

How pointing works

After generating a response, Odin determines whether there’s a specific UI element worth highlighting. If there is, the overlay animates from its current position to that element and hovers over it while Odin speaks.

Odin chooses what to point at based on:

  1. The accessibility element list — a numbered list of real UI controls (buttons, menus, text fields) extracted from the active app. Pointing at an element from this list is precise because it uses the actual control bounds.
  2. Pixel coordinates — a fallback for content inside web pages or other areas not covered by the accessibility list. Odin estimates the position from the screenshot dimensions.

When Odin points

Odin points whenever visual guidance adds value:

  • You ask how to do something in an app (“how do I create a new branch?”)
  • You ask where a setting or button is
  • You ask Odin to explain a specific part of the screen
  • You ask Odin to navigate you through a workflow

Odin does not point when the answer has nothing to do with the screen, or the relevant element is obvious.

Multiple monitors

The overlay appears on the correct display — Odin tracks which screen contains the relevant element and positions the triangle there.

Dismissing the overlay

The overlay fades out automatically after Odin finishes speaking. You can also click anywhere to dismiss it immediately.

Overlay visibility

If the overlay doesn’t appear, check:

  • Screen Recording permission is granted on macOS (required for the overlay window to appear above other apps).
  • Odin is not hidden behind a full-screen app. The overlay is a system-level floating window, but some full-screen applications block it.