big-arrow-on-the-screen Guide for Agent-Assisted Mac Support

Key takeaways#

big-arrow-on-the-screen, installed as bigarrow, is a macOS command-line tool and agent skill that draws arrows, boxes, and text above every window. It is designed for a very practical agent problem: an AI assistant may know what a human should click, but the human may not be looking at the terminal. bigarrow gives the agent a temporary visual pointer without stealing focus, blocking clicks, starting a daemon, requiring an account, or adding telemetry.

What it does#

The repository describes bigarrow as a Swift binary for Claude Code, Codex, and other agent workflows. An agent can call commands such as bigarrow point --element "Allow" --app "System Settings" --text "Click Allow" to draw a sign on top of the screen. Clicks pass through to the real app, keyboard focus stays where it was, and the overlay removes itself. The README emphasizes that drawing requires no macOS permission; the tool is just an overlay, not a screen-control system.

The project includes real examples for System Settings, Chrome tabs, Finder, Keynote, print dialogs, permission prompts, cookie banners, two-factor prompts, and other support moments where a human needs a visual cue. It also ships as a skill for Claude Code and Codex, so an agent can use the same CLI from a guided workflow.

When to use it#

Use bigarrow when an agent is helping a human complete a visual step on macOS. The best examples are permissions, settings panels, app dialogs, browser tabs, and support instructions where text alone is ambiguous. A coding agent can run migrations and write docs, but when it needs the user to click a particular button, a giant temporary arrow is often clearer than another sentence in the terminal.

It is also useful for accessibility-style guidance, remote support scripts, demos, and onboarding flows. Because the overlay is click-through and temporary, it can point at the target without becoming the target.

Installation and operation#

The README documents installation paths for the CLI and includes three core commands an agent needs. Before adding it to a workflow, confirm that the Mac can run the Swift binary and that your agent is allowed to invoke local commands. For team use, document exactly when an agent may draw overlays and what text style is appropriate. Even harmless visual prompts can confuse users if they appear unexpectedly.

What to verify#

Test the overlay on multiple displays, Spaces, and high-DPI setups before relying on it in support material. Confirm that the arrow disappears as expected and that clicks pass through to the target app. If an agent is describing sensitive settings, make sure the text does not expose secrets or encourage the user to approve a permission without context.

Best fit#

big-arrow-on-the-screen is a narrow, clever utility rather than a full support platform. That narrowness is its strength. It gives local agents a visual finger for moments when natural-language instructions are not enough, while keeping the implementation small, MIT licensed, and easy to inspect.