How to use it
- Choose the characters: Japanese katakana with numbers (the classic look), letters, numbers, binary or a mix.
- Pick a color, then set the speed, density and character size.
- Optional: type a hidden message. Its letters appear in the middle of the screen, flare up as each stream of code passes through them, then fade back.
- Click the preview or press F for full screen. The up and down arrow keys change the speed. Click or press Esc to exit.
Use it as a screensaver
A web page cannot install itself as your system screensaver, but it can do the same job:
- On a computer: open this page, go full screen and leave it. While it is full screen the page asks the computer to keep the screen awake, so it runs until you press Esc. Your normal lock screen settings still apply once you leave.
- On a TV: open it in the TV's browser, cast the tab from Chrome, or connect a laptop with an HDMI cable. Large characters (30 px and up) read best from across a room.
- As a backdrop: a second monitor, a stream background, a party or an escape room. The hidden message is a fun way to show a name, a clue or a birthday greeting.
Tips for the best look
- Turn the room lights down: the effect is black and green, so it looks best in the dark and on OLED screens, where black pixels are fully off.
- Small characters and Heavy density give a dense wall of code; large characters and Light density read better on a phone.
- Glow adds a soft light around bright characters. Turn it off on an older computer if the animation stutters.
- Use Copy link to share the page with your message already filled in. The message sits after the # in the link, which browsers do not send to the website.
Questions
Is this the falling code from the famous film?
It is our own take on that well known falling-code look: streams of glowing characters with a bright leading character and fading trails. It is drawn live in your browser, not copied from a film.
What are the characters?
By default they are half width Japanese katakana mixed with numbers and a few symbols, which is the classic style. You can switch to Latin letters, numbers only, binary ones and zeros, or a mix.
Can I put my own text in the rain?
Yes. Type up to 60 characters in Hidden message. Long messages wrap onto several lines. The letters light up each time a stream of code falls through them.
Is it free, and does it work offline?
It is free and needs no download or sign up. Once the page has loaded it keeps running without an internet connection.
Does it flash?
No. Characters change constantly but the screen does not flash, and you can slow the speed right down.