A system and method for controlling a user interface display that de-emphasizes a background image of a physical display. The system and method draws a pattern, preferably a checkered pattern, of black and transparent pixels over the background image. The system and method mitigates any jarring effect of the prior art of driving all of the display to black. Although in the preferred embodiment, the checkered pattern alternates pixels between black and transparent, any pattern that drives less than substantially all of the pixels to black is suitable.