What is the matrix rain?
Matrix rain is a screensaver of falling green characters in columns, each with a bright leading glyph and a fading trail behind it.
Columns of characters fall at different speeds with a bright leading glyph and a fading tail, drawn on canvas so it stays smooth at full screen. It makes a good second-monitor screensaver and an even better background for a video call you would rather not be on camera for.
The DVD screensaver is the other one worth leaving running, and the hacker typer is the interactive version of the same look.
How do you use the matrix rain?
Press fullscreen and leave it running. The columns re-flow automatically whenever the window or screen size changes.
- Go fullscreen and leave it running.
- It works at any display size — the columns re-flow when the window changes.
- Press Escape to exit.
Does matrix rain use a lot of battery?
More than a static page, yes, because it redraws every frame. On battery, a still screen costs less processor time.
Two separate costs are involved. The animation keeps the processor and GPU busy, which a static page does not. Panel power is a different question and depends on the display: on an OLED, where measured power tracks what is actually lit, mostly-black matrix rain can draw less panel power than a solid white screen. On an LCD the backlight runs at the same level regardless. If you want something on screen overnight on battery, the black screen is the cheapest option on both counts.
What are the falling characters?
A mix of katakana and latin glyphs, chosen at random for each cell and re-rolled as the column falls down the screen.
Re-rolling as they fall is what produces the shimmering effect; a column of fixed characters scrolling downward looks noticeably wrong.
Can I use matrix rain as a video call background?
Yes. Share the browser tab rather than your camera, or screen-record it and use the file as a virtual background.
Fullscreen it first so no browser interface is captured.
Does this cost anything or need an account?
No. Every tool here is free, needs no sign-up, and runs in the browser with nothing to install and nothing stored.
There are no accounts, no paywalled sizes and no watermarks on downloads. See the full list of screen tools.
Will my screen stay awake while it runs?
Yes, with Keep awake switched on. It holds a browser wake lock so the display stays lit with no input until you leave.
Useful when a screensaver or clock is meant to run unattended. The lock is released as soon as you close the page.
Put this on your site
The embeddable version drops the page around it and runs the tool on its own.