diff --git a/bec_widgets/utils/widget_highlighter.py b/bec_widgets/utils/widget_highlighter.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c45544f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bec_widgets/utils/widget_highlighter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import shiboken6
+from qtpy.QtCore import QPropertyAnimation, QRect, QSequentialAnimationGroup, Qt
+from qtpy.QtWidgets import QFrame, QWidget
+
+
+class WidgetHighlighter:
+    """
+    Utility that highlights widgets by drawing a temporary frame around them.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        *,
+        frame_parent: QWidget | None = None,
+        window_flags: Qt.WindowType | Qt.WindowFlags = Qt.WindowType.Tool
+        | Qt.WindowType.FramelessWindowHint
+        | Qt.WindowType.WindowStaysOnTopHint,
+        style_sheet: str = "border: 2px solid #FF00FF; border-radius: 6px; background: transparent;",
+    ) -> None:
+        self._frame_parent = frame_parent
+        self._window_flags = window_flags
+        self._style_sheet = style_sheet
+        self._frame: QFrame | None = None
+        self._animation_group: QSequentialAnimationGroup | None = None
+
+    def highlight(self, widget: QWidget | None) -> None:
+        """
+        Highlight the given widget with a pulsing frame.
+        """
+        if widget is None or not shiboken6.isValid(widget):
+            return
+
+        frame = self._ensure_frame()
+        frame.hide()
+
+        geom = widget.frameGeometry()
+        top_left = widget.mapToGlobal(widget.rect().topLeft())
+        frame.setGeometry(top_left.x(), top_left.y(), geom.width(), geom.height())
+        frame.setWindowOpacity(1.0)
+        frame.show()
+
+        start_rect = QRect(
+            top_left.x() - 5, top_left.y() - 5, geom.width() + 10, geom.height() + 10
+        )
+
+        pulse = QPropertyAnimation(frame, b"geometry", frame)
+        pulse.setDuration(300)
+        pulse.setStartValue(start_rect)
+        pulse.setEndValue(QRect(top_left.x(), top_left.y(), geom.width(), geom.height()))
+
+        fade = QPropertyAnimation(frame, b"windowOpacity", frame)
+        fade.setDuration(2000)
+        fade.setStartValue(1.0)
+        fade.setEndValue(0.0)
+        fade.finished.connect(frame.hide)
+
+        if self._animation_group is not None:
+            old_group = self._animation_group
+            self._animation_group = None
+            old_group.stop()
+            old_group.deleteLater()
+
+        animation = QSequentialAnimationGroup(frame)
+        animation.addAnimation(pulse)
+        animation.addAnimation(fade)
+        animation.start()
+
+        self._animation_group = animation
+
+    def cleanup(self) -> None:
+        """
+        Delete the highlight frame and cancel pending animations.
+        """
+        if self._animation_group is not None:
+            self._animation_group.stop()
+            self._animation_group.deleteLater()
+            self._animation_group = None
+        if self._frame is not None:
+            self._frame.hide()
+            self._frame.deleteLater()
+            self._frame = None
+
+    @property
+    def frame(self) -> QFrame | None:
+        """Return the currently allocated highlight frame (if any)."""
+        return self._frame
+
+    def _ensure_frame(self) -> QFrame:
+        if self._frame is None:
+            self._frame = QFrame(self._frame_parent, self._window_flags)
+            self._frame.setAttribute(Qt.WidgetAttribute.WA_TransparentForMouseEvents)
+            self._frame.setStyleSheet(self._style_sheet)
+        return self._frame
diff --git a/bec_widgets/widgets/utility/widget_finder/widget_finder.py b/bec_widgets/widgets/utility/widget_finder/widget_finder.py
index b13a5edb..bee2b1f0 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/widgets/utility/widget_finder/widget_finder.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/widgets/utility/widget_finder/widget_finder.py
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from bec_qthemes import material_icon
-from qtpy.QtCore import QPropertyAnimation, QRect, QSequentialAnimationGroup, Qt, QTimer
+from qtpy.QtCore import Qt, QTimer
 from qtpy.QtWidgets import (
     QApplication,
     QComboBox,
-    QFrame,
     QGridLayout,
     QGroupBox,
     QPushButton,
@@ -16,6 +15,7 @@ from qtpy.QtWidgets import (
 )
 
 from bec_widgets import SafeProperty
+from bec_widgets.utils.widget_highlighter import WidgetHighlighter
 from bec_widgets.utils.widget_io import WidgetIO
 from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.main_window.main_window import BECMainWindowNoRPC
 from bec_widgets.widgets.plots.image.image import Image
@@ -49,22 +49,11 @@ class WidgetFinderComboBox(QComboBox):
         self.refresh_button.setStyleSheet("QToolButton { border: none; padding: 0px; }")
         self.refresh_button.clicked.connect(self.refresh_list)
 
-        # Purple Highlighter
-        self.highlighter = None
+        self.highlighter = WidgetHighlighter()
 
         # refresh items - delay to fetch widgets after UI is ready in next event loop
         QTimer.singleShot(0, self.refresh_list)
 
-    def _init_highlighter(self):
-        """
-        Initialize the highlighter frame that will be used to highlight the inspected widget.
-        """
-        self.highlighter = QFrame(self, Qt.Tool | Qt.FramelessWindowHint | Qt.WindowStaysOnTopHint)
-        self.highlighter.setAttribute(Qt.WA_TransparentForMouseEvents)
-        self.highlighter.setStyleSheet(
-            "border: 2px solid #FF00FF; border-radius: 6px; background: transparent;"
-        )
-
     def resizeEvent(self, event):
         super().resizeEvent(event)
         btn_size = 16
@@ -110,33 +99,7 @@ class WidgetFinderComboBox(QComboBox):
         target = self.currentData()
         if not target:
             return
-        # ensure highlighter exists, avoid calling methods on deleted C++ object
-        if not getattr(self, "highlighter", None):
-            self._init_highlighter()
-        else:
-            self.highlighter.hide()
-        # draw new
-        geom = target.frameGeometry()
-        pos = target.mapToGlobal(target.rect().topLeft())
-        self.highlighter.setGeometry(pos.x(), pos.y(), geom.width(), geom.height())
-        self.highlighter.show()
-        # Pulse and fade animation to draw attention
-        start_rect = QRect(pos.x() - 5, pos.y() - 5, geom.width() + 10, geom.height() + 10)
-        pulse = QPropertyAnimation(self.highlighter, b"geometry")
-        pulse.setDuration(300)
-        pulse.setStartValue(start_rect)
-        pulse.setEndValue(QRect(pos.x(), pos.y(), geom.width(), geom.height()))
-
-        fade = QPropertyAnimation(self.highlighter, b"windowOpacity")
-        fade.setDuration(2000)
-        fade.setStartValue(1.0)
-        fade.setEndValue(0.0)
-        fade.finished.connect(self.highlighter.hide)
-
-        group = QSequentialAnimationGroup(self)
-        group.addAnimation(pulse)
-        group.addAnimation(fade)
-        group.start()
+        self.highlighter.highlight(target)
 
     @SafeProperty(str)
     def widget_class_name(self) -> str:
@@ -167,9 +130,7 @@ class WidgetFinderComboBox(QComboBox):
         Clean up the highlighter frame when the combobox is deleted.
         """
         if self.highlighter:
-            self.highlighter.close()
-            self.highlighter.deleteLater()
-            self.highlighter = None
+            self.highlighter.cleanup()
 
     def closeEvent(self, event):
         """
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_widget_finder.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_widget_finder.py
index 1dc6a1ba..c862011f 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_widget_finder.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_widget_finder.py
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 import pytest
-from qtpy.QtCore import QPoint, QSize, Qt
+from qtpy.QtCore import Qt
 from qtpy.QtWidgets import QLabel, QPushButton, QVBoxLayout, QWidget
 
 from bec_widgets.widgets.utility.widget_finder.widget_finder import WidgetFinderComboBox
-from tests.unit_tests.conftest import create_widget
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -31,7 +30,10 @@ def finder_fixture(qtbot):
     qtbot.addWidget(central_widget)
     qtbot.waitExposed(central_widget)
 
-    return finder, central_widget, btn1, btn2, lbl1
+    yield finder, central_widget, btn1, btn2, lbl1
+
+    finder.cleanup()
+    central_widget.close()
 
 
 def test_initial_list_contains_buttons_only(qtbot, finder_fixture):
@@ -89,12 +91,13 @@ def test_inspect_widget_highlights_button(qtbot, finder_fixture):
     finder.inspect_widget()
     qtbot.wait(100)  # allow highlighter to show
 
-    highlighter = finder.highlighter
-    assert highlighter.isVisible()
+    frame = finder.highlighter.frame
+    assert frame is not None
+    assert frame.isVisible()
     qtbot.wait(500)  # wait ≥ pulse duration
     # Highlighter should match the target widget size
     expected_size = btn1.frameGeometry().size()
-    assert highlighter.geometry().size() == expected_size
+    assert frame.geometry().size() == expected_size
 
 
 def test_inspect_widget_highlights_label(qtbot, finder_fixture):
@@ -108,10 +111,11 @@ def test_inspect_widget_highlights_label(qtbot, finder_fixture):
     finder.inspect_widget()
     qtbot.wait(100)  # allow highlighter to show
 
-    highlighter = finder.highlighter
-    assert highlighter.isVisible()
+    frame = finder.highlighter.frame
+    assert frame is not None
+    assert frame.isVisible()
 
     qtbot.wait(500)  # wait ≥ pulse duration
     # Highlighter should match the target widget size
     expected_size = lbl1.frameGeometry().size()
-    assert highlighter.geometry().size() == expected_size
+    assert frame.geometry().size() == expected_size