In the Mac world, the menu bar is a horizontal bar located at the top of the screen. On the left, it features the Apple menu, the current application menu, and the currently active application’s menu options (such as File, Edit, Insert, Format, View, Window, Help). On the right, you’ll find menu extras like the system clock, volume control, battery indicator, and third-party applications – and that’s when the magic and beauty of it truly shows itself.
My favorite menu bar application by far is Tuneful—a playback control app for Spotify and Apple Music. It provides a convenient way to control music from the menu bar, or with the optional mini player. This app is one of the main pillars of my love for macOS. While it’s not the only reason, it’s certainly among my core thoughts.
I’m not sure what touches me more: the typeface, the menu bar itself, the subtle beauty of scrolling text (when the song title is too long), drop-down menus within the Aqua user interface, Unix, OLED screens, Cupertino’s tech terroir—the whole package.
When I first switched to macOS via Hackintosh, I didn’t immediately grasp the concept of the menu bar. I kept searching in vain for in-application menus, as I wasn’t yet used to the idea of a universal menu bar. After abandoning my Hackintosh due to suboptimal performance, needing a Wi-Fi adapter for instance, and my ignorance towards gestures (despite loving them on every phone I use), I found myself really missing the menu bar — even before I discovered menu bar applications.
At first, I assumed it was just a space for applications to show their icons, similar to what I was used to in Windows or KDE. We really don’t know anything, do we? Eventually, I stumbled upon a website called “macmenubar.com,” which claims to be “a curated directory of 950+ Mac menu bar apps.” I didn’t understand its significance at first, but kept reading: “small apps to help you become more productive and maximize your workflow with macOS.” I have to agree with their words:
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 from macOS. Yes, menu bar apps are small, but they play a big part in your workflow. Just dig around in this handpicked directory!
They couldn’t have put it better: “By adding a few extra applications, you get an awful lot more from macOS.” There’s even a “surprise me” button! 🥹
Of course, it takes some time to browse through all those apps. So, I want to share the ones I like the most, excluding Tuneful since I’ve already covered it, and excluding things like volume, battery, Siri, Control Center, and the native clock, which can’t be hidden.
- Bartender and HiddenBar serve to hide certain apps on your menu bar. For instance, I always hide AlDente, Zoom, AltTab, Rectangle and such.
- Reminders Menu Bar allows quick access to a drop-down window from your Apple Reminders. It’s customizable and free.
- DatWeatherDoe: a free and simple menu bar weather app with some customization.
- BetterDisplay: among other things, it allows for the creation of picture-in-picture!
- AlDente: limits battery charging to an arbitrarily chosen percentage.
The menu bar in macOS is more than just a system feature—it’s a gateway to enhancing the personalization your workspace. It could just be that the beauty of macOS lies in its adaptability, and the menu bar exemplifies how small additions can significantly impact your workflow. Your Mac can become not just a computer, but a companion for your digital life.
Leave a Reply