A curated directory of 450+ Mac menu bar apps. Small apps to help you become more productive and maximize your workflow with MacOS (last updated: July 7, 2020). To the collections. Main Content. The Mac menu bar is prime real estate! Your Mac menu bar is a highly customizable space. By adding a few extra applications you get an awful lot more. To toggle the display of the status bar, choose View from the Finder menu and then choose Show/Hide Status Bar, or press Command+/. The path bar is a close relative of the status bar. Nov 15, 2017 Go to System Preferences - General and uncheck 'Automatically hide and show the menu bar.' Also, if you're using any application (like Safari) in full screen mode, the menu bar will be hidden until you mouse over the top of your screen. To stop this, press ESC to exit full screen mode. The menu bar should return permanently.
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Without a doubt, the menu bar is one of Mac’s great features. It’s condensed, easy to tap into on the fly, and displays much-needed information in real time.
But, with every new icon app added, things become a little more cluttered and usability takes another hit. Fortunately, it’s possible to edit the menu bar to rearrange and remove icons so that it’s able to suit your needs at any given moment. Read on for the best ways to make the menu bar on Mac truly yours.
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Rethink the menu bar with this app. Bartender customizes one of the main parts of Mac's interface, efficiently.
How to rearrange items in menu bar
How much freedom you have to rearrange items in menu bar depends on which version of macOS you’re running. The users of macOS Sierra and later definitely have more creative license here than others. And if you are not there yet, it’s time to upgrade to the newest macOS anyway.
Rearranging menu items in macOS
To move an icon in the menu bar, hold Command (cmd), then click and hold the icon to drag it across the bar. Simple.
There are no restrictions here — feel free to move icons anywhere you see fit. Don’t like the clock all the way over there on the right-hand side? Drag it to somewhere more suitable. Want to place the Setapp icon over to the area of the bar once reserved for first-party apps? Do it!
The only icon that cannot be tampered with is the Notification Center. Apple has decided this must remain in the far right corner of the menu, which is fair enough — it looks good there.
Rearranging menu items in OS X versions (El Capitan and older)
Movement of icons in old versions of macOS is reserved for selected apps only: Bluetooth, audio, Time Machine, WiFi, battery, clock, and user switching. Spotlight and Notification Center must stay put, as must all third-party apps.
To move icons around within the designated area, once again hold Command, then click and hold the icon to drag it.
How to remove icons from the top bar on Mac
If there are items in the menu bar that you feel don’t belong there, hold Command, click on the icon, and drag it outside of the menu bar.
Note: this only works for first-party icons.
It is possible to remove third-party icons from the top bar on Mac by clicking on them and selecting “Quit” or “Close,” but this will stop the app from working until you reopen it.
Some apps give the option to remove icons from the top bar on Mac in their settings: [chosen app] > Preferences. However, a lot of apps won’t. To fully customize which icons appear in the menu bar, you should use a third-party app like Bartender.
If you’ve removed the first-party app and you’d like it back on the menu, it can be re-enabled in System Preferences. Small business management software mac.
How to add icons to the top bar on Mac
If you’re missing a specific system icon in the Mac’s menu bar, you can add it through System Preferences. For instance, to enable the Language icon, select Language & Region in the preference pane, click Input Sources, and check the box next to “Show Input menu in menu bar.”
Add menu bar extras
Because the menu options like Clock and Ink can’t be found in System Preferences, you might need to use the System folder as well:
You can easily remove any of the icons by holding Command and dragging it outside of the menu bar as described above.
How to customize and tidy Mac menu bar
It’s possible to change the look of the default menu bar items in System Preferences and third-party apps’ ones in their respective preferences. Most of the time, you’ll be able to at least switch the color to black and white.
Change how the date and time are displayed in the menu bar
In the right corner of your menu bar, click on date and time to Open Date & Time Preferences. Go to the Clock tab and unlock the preferences by entering your administrator password, so that you can make changes. To customize the look of the clock, choose between two different time display options: Digital or Analog. You can also tick the boxes for “Show date” and “Show the day of the week.”
To instantly toggle between different display options, click on date and time in the menu bar and choose “View as Analog” or “View as Digital.”
How to use your battery status on Mac
Keeping track of your battery life from the menu bar takes a few simple actions and yet is vital to Mac’s performance.
Click on the battery icon and tick Show percentage to see how much battery power you have left. In the same drop-down menu, you can check the programs that are using significant power in case your battery is draining too fast. To optimize battery usage, select “Open Energy Saver Preferences” and adjust sleep settings.
Toggle between fast user switching icons
There are three different options on how the Fast User Switching menu can be displayed in your Mac’s top bar – as a full name, account name or icon. Here’s how you do the customization:
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Show Wi-Fi status in the menu bar
To enable the Wi-Fi icon in your Mac’s top bar, go to System Preferences and select Network. Tick the box next to “Show Wi-Fi status in menu bar.”
How to replace menu bar app icons
If you want to have custom icons in your Mac’s menu bar, there’s a way to replace the default ones. To change the icon of a third-party app, find it in Applications, right-click to open a context menu, and choose “Show Package Contents.” Go to Resources folder to find the defaults – these can be used as templates for the new icons. Once you have a custom icon ready, simply copy it into the same Resources folder.
The same works for system icons, except you won’t find all of them in Applications. Here’s the path for you to take: Hard Disk > System > Library > CoreServices > Menu Extras. Once you’ve found the item you need, click on “Show Package Contents” and navigate to the icon via [MENUITEM.menu] > Contents > Resources.
In both cases, it’s a good idea to create backups of the default icons before replacing them – just in case you’ll need them later.
Hide menu bar items
One low-key feature on Mac is the ability to auto-hide menu bar. To do this, open System Preferences > General. Check the option to “Automatically hide and show the menu bar” and the menu bar will immediately disappear.
To get the menu bar to show up again, simply move the cursor to the top of the screen and hold it there for a second. Now you can access the menu whenever you need it and enjoy an extra bit of screen real estate when you don’t.
Customizing the menu bar with Bartender
If you want more control over how the menu bar looks and what it does, you should consider using the Bartender app.
Bartender lets you hide icons without quitting and rearrange icons in a way that better suits how you use the menu bar — something particularly useful if you’re running an older version of macOS.
App icons can be displayed when updating, shown in the Bartender Bar only, or hidden completely and accessed easily using a built-in search function. It’s even possible to toggle through and activate items using keyboard navigation.
Mac Status Bar App Removal Shows Cursor Location 2017
If you’re someone that prefers a minimalist look, the app gives you the option to remove the Bartender menu item, leaving you with a crisp, clean menu bar.
Overall, the Mac menu bar is there to help you improve your productivity by giving you quick access to the apps and tools you need. Using the tips above, you can customize the menu bar in a way that works for you. Best of all, you can get full access to Bartender and over 150 more high-quality macOS apps on Setapp, with a 7-day free trial to get you started. So why not get your menu bar organized now?
Mouse pointer disappeared or became invisible on a Mac computer, how to fix?
Most computer users rely on a mouse cursor and only a small percentage use keyboard shortcuts to replace mouse functions. Despite the popularity of the device, users might occasionally experience problems when their mouse pointers disappear, seemingly without reason. On initial inspection, the cursor appears to have gone and the mouse is inoperable, however, moving the mouse by dragging or clicking the left or right buttons repeatedly, reveals that buttons and functions are actually working and the cursor is simply invisible. Although the mouse is still working, it is obviously very difficult to work without a pointer.
Many people report that this issue occurred for no particular reason, however, research indicates that it might be related to a lack of available memory. For example, when using multiple monitors. Also running apps such as Photoshop, Chrome, or Safari with a number of open browser tabs, especially if combined with additional display devices. Although you might have encountered a disappearing pointer for no particular or logical reason, there are several ways to enable you to complete your work and return the cursor. Explore the tips below for more details.
Table of Contents:
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Keyboard shortcuts
Start with keyboard shortcuts - these might help you to finish or save your work, until you find a way to return the mouse cursor. Many experienced Mac users employ keyboard shortcuts, since it is a faster and more efficient way to work.
Basic keyboard shortcuts
The most useful shortcuts
List of quick tips to bring your cursor back
Basic steps to solve your disappeared cursor problem
Restarting is a common solution to many problems encountered when working with Mac computers. If clicking around the screen did not recover the cursor and you are unable to restart the Mac, follow the steps below.
Ensure there are no connection or interactive issues
If you are using a wireless mouse, check the battery status and that it is turned on. If using a mousepad, try a solid color, rather than multicolored or patterned, which can confuse the mouse. If you have configured interactive corners on the screen, try to move the mouse into one of them - this simple step often returns the cursor. Some people report that even without enabled interactive corners, opening Mission Control restores pointer visibility.
Adjust System Preferences
Increasing the size of the pointer often makes it visible. To change the size of the cursor, go to System Preferences and choose Accessibility. Select Display from the left side of the window and adjust Cursor size. Also, enable the Shake mouse pointer to the locate option - this will automatically increase the size of pointer temporarily and sometimes returns the cursor.
Switch active apps using the shortcut
If moving the mouse does not return the cursor, attempt to switch between active windows by clicking the Command and Tab keys. This step often solves the problem, especially if it is related to a bug in the application. Switch several times and check if the mouse cursor returns.
Visit the Dock or Menu bar
When the cursor becomes invisible, moving it to the Dock (usually located at the bottom of the screen) is probably the simplest method to return it. This is sometimes enough to cure the problem. Alternatively, move the mouse to the Menu bar (located at the top of the screen) and click anywhere to restore visibility.
Use the Trackpad or TouchpadMac Status Bar App Removal Shows Cursor Location Free
If you have a trackpad or touchpad, try to use a three finger swipe to the right to open the Widgets menu. Wait from ten to twenty seconds and then swipe left to return to the Finder window. The cursor should return. Alternatively, try using a four finger swipe up and down function or double click with two fingers on Trackpads or Touchpads to return the pointer.
Reset NVRAM
NVRAM (non-volatile random-access memory) is a small section of Mac memory that stores certain settings in a location accessible to the macOS. NVRAM stores information such as speaker volume, screen resolution, start-up disk selection, and any recent kernel panic reports. To reset the NVRAM, shutdown the Mac. Turn it on, and after you hear a loading chime, simultaneously hold the Option, Command, P and R buttons. Keep holding this combination for at least 20 seconds. The computer should appear to be restarting. If you hear the start-up chime again, release the buttons.
Enter Force Quit menu
Entering the force quit applications menu is often enough to return the pointer. You do not need to close any running apps - simply press the combination of Command, Option, and Escape and the cursor will return. Alternatively, if this does not work, use a keyboard shortcut to force restart the Mac: Command, Control, and Power button.
Use third-party applications
If you an experienced Mac user, you will be aware that App Store offers many applications for virtually any situation (including invisible cursor). There are a number of mouse locating apps that claim to swiftly locate the cursor. Just type mouse locator via App Store and choose one to suit.
Ask Siri, to help you bring back the pointer
Apple released Siri on Mac computers together with macOS Sierra, so you can ask her to complete outstanding tasks while the cursor is invisible. If Siri is enabled on your computer (and you have not changed the shortcuts to access her), try the default shortcut of Command/Option/Function and Spacebar. When Siri launches, ask her to increase the size of the cursor (this might return the mouse pointer).
Create a new Hotkey Via Mission Control
Another quick and easy step is to assign a new hotkey to bring up the dashboard as an overlay. Clicking the new hotkey twice will often return the cursor. To set up a new key, open Mac's System Preferences and choose Mission Control. In the opened window, find the Show Dashboard option and click on the drop-down menu next to it. Then, choose your preferred key.
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