diff --git a/SpotMenu/CustomVisualEffect.swift b/SpotMenu/CustomVisualEffect.swift
index 8f71559..832b056 100644
--- a/SpotMenu/CustomVisualEffect.swift
+++ b/SpotMenu/CustomVisualEffect.swift
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ class CustomVisualEffect: NSVisualEffectView {
         trackingArea = NSTrackingArea(rect: bounds, options: opts, owner: self, userInfo: nil)
         self.addTrackingArea(trackingArea)
         
+        var fadeAnim = CABasicAnimation(keyPath: "opacity")
+        fadeAnim.fromValue = 1.0
+        fadeAnim.toValue = 0
+        fadeAnim.duration = 0.1
+        self.layer?.add(fadeAnim, forKey: "opacity")
         self.alphaValue = 0
     }
     
@@ -31,6 +36,11 @@ class CustomVisualEffect: NSVisualEffectView {
         trackingArea = NSTrackingArea(rect: bounds, options: opts, owner: self, userInfo: nil)
         self.addTrackingArea(trackingArea)
         
+        var fadeAnim = CABasicAnimation(keyPath: "opacity")
+        fadeAnim.fromValue = 1.0
+        fadeAnim.toValue = 0
+        fadeAnim.duration = 0.1
+        self.layer?.add(fadeAnim, forKey: "opacity")
         self.alphaValue = 0
     }
     
@@ -40,10 +50,21 @@ class CustomVisualEffect: NSVisualEffectView {
     
     // MARK: mouse events
     override func mouseEntered(with theEvent: NSEvent) {
+        var fadeAnim = CABasicAnimation(keyPath: "opacity")
+        fadeAnim.fromValue = 0.0
+        fadeAnim.toValue = 1
+        fadeAnim.duration = 0.1
+        self.layer?.add(fadeAnim, forKey: "opacity")
+        //self.alphaValue = 0
         self.alphaValue = 1
     }
     
     override func mouseExited(with theEvent: NSEvent) {
+        var fadeAnim = CABasicAnimation(keyPath: "opacity")
+        fadeAnim.fromValue = 1.0
+        fadeAnim.toValue = 0
+        fadeAnim.duration = 0.1
+        self.layer?.add(fadeAnim, forKey: "opacity")
         self.alphaValue = 0
     }