In some aspects, a method for using a transparent window to augment an application includes establishing a transparent window to be displayed in synchronization over a first window of an application on a client device. The content of the application in the first window is viewable through the transparent window. The method further includes detecting, by the transparent window, one or more encoded portions of content of the application being displayed in the first window, and displaying, by and in the transparent window, a decoded form of the one or more encoded portions of the content of the application displayed in the first window.