Best Notch & Menu Bar Apps for Mac in 2026

Every MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with a notch has the same two problems. First, the notch is a black cut-out in the middle of your screen that does nothing. Second, once you install a few utilities, your menu bar icons disappear behind that notch, and macOS won't tell you they're there.

A new category of apps fixes both. Notch apps turn the notch into an iPhone-style "Dynamic Island" for music, files and calendar. Menu bar managers hide, organize and rescue the icons you can't see.

This guide covers the best options for both, including free and open-source picks, and an important update on NotchNook you should read before buying.

Quick Picks

  • Best free notch app: Boring Notch. It's open source, with music controls, a file shelf, calendar and HUD replacements.

  • Best-known notch app: NotchNook. Read our status note below before buying.

  • Best menu bar manager: Bartender. It's the most complete option, with triggers, profiles and a Command Bar.

  • Best free menu bar manager: Ice. It's open source and hides and rearranges menu bar icons.

  • Best for menu bar readability: Boring Old Menu Bar, which gives you a solid, opaque menu bar.

  • Best for pinning websites to the menu bar: MenubarX.

  • Bonus Dock alternative: Tab Launcher, with edge tabs for apps and folders.

Why You Need a Notch or Menu Bar App

The Notch Problem

On MacBooks with a notch, macOS places menu bar icons from right to left. When there are too many, icons that would fall behind the notch are simply hidden. The app is still running, but you can't click its icon. This is the number-one complaint notch owners have.

The Crowded Menu Bar Problem

Cloud apps, VPNs, clipboard managers, battery monitors, chat apps: each one adds an icon. Even on an iMac or external display, the menu bar quickly becomes cluttered and hard to scan.

Best Notch Apps for Mac

1. NotchNook: The Most Popular Notch App (Read Before Buying)

NotchNook by locafe popularized the idea of a MacBook "Dynamic Island". Move your pointer to the notch and it expands into a panel with widgets and live activities.

Key features

  • Nook panel with media controls, a calendar, Shortcuts and a camera "Mirror"

  • File shelf (Tray) where you drop files to move or AirDrop them later

  • Live activities, widgets and many customization options

  • Scroll and swipe gestures to open and control the notch

  • Works on Macs without a notch. The developer says it appears as a small handle at the top of the screen with the same functions.

  • Multiple monitor support

Requirements: NotchNook 1.4.3 requires macOS 14.4 or later, according to the developer's page.

Licensing: NotchNook has been sold as a subscription (activates on 2 devices) or a one-time purchase (activates on 5 devices), with a 15-day refund window. Reviews from 2024–2025 listed about $25 one-time or $3/month.

Pros: Polished animations, works on non-notch Macs, multi-monitor support
Cons: Uncertain licensing and support situation as of September 2026, relatively expensive for a single-purpose utility

2. Boring Notch: Best Free, Open-Source Notch App

Boring Notch by TheBoredTeam is a free, open-source (GPL-3.0) notch app with more than 10,000 GitHub stars. It covers most of what people want from a notch app, at no cost.

Key features

  • Music live activity with a visualizer and playback controls

  • Calendar and Reminders integration

  • File shelf with AirDrop

  • Mirror (camera preview)

  • Battery and charging indicator

  • System HUD replacements for volume, brightness and keyboard backlight

  • Customizable gestures and notch sizing for different displays

Requirements: macOS 14 Sonoma or later, on Apple Silicon or Intel.

Installation note: The team says it doesn't have an Apple Developer account yet, so macOS warns you on first launch that the app is from an unidentified developer.

Pros: Free, open source, actively developed, rich feature set
Cons: Not notarized by Apple, so installation needs an extra step. Some features, like weather and lock-screen widgets, are still on the roadmap.

Best for: Anyone who wants a notch "Dynamic Island" without paying, especially while NotchNook's status is unclear.

3. Bartender: Most Complete Menu Bar Manager

Bartender, now published by Applause Group, has been the best-known menu bar manager for more than a decade. It hides icons you don't need and shows them only when you do.

Latest versions:

  • Bartender 7 is built for macOS 27 Golden Gate.

  • Bartender 6 is for macOS 26 Tahoe. Bartender 7 license keys also activate Bartender 6.

Key features

  • Hide and organize menu bar items, with a separate Bartender Bar

  • Beat the notch: automatically hides items that would disappear behind the notch, and brings them back with a click or hotkey

  • Triggers: show items automatically, such as battery when unplugged, VPN on public Wi-Fi, or your mic in meetings

  • Command Bar (new in Bartender 7): search and trigger any menu bar item from the keyboard, plus clipboard history

  • Profiles: switch between whole menu bar layouts for work, focus or gaming

  • Styling: glass, colour, gradients and rounded menu bars

  • Custom menu bar items built from scripts and data sources

  • Automation through Shortcuts, AppleScript and hotkeys

  • Can work without Screen Recording permission, showing app icons instead of item images

Pricing: Bartender offers a one-time Bartender 7 license, a yearly Bartender Pro plan (with a 14-day free trial), and a lifetime Mega Supporter option. There's also a 4-week unlimited trial. Check macbartender.com for current prices.

Pros: Most features, strong notch handling, active development for the latest macOS
Cons: Paid, with more options than casual users need, and Pro is a subscription

4. Ice: Best Free Menu Bar Manager

Ice by Jordan Baird is a free, open-source (GPL-3.0) menu bar manager with nearly 30,000 GitHub stars. It's the most popular free Bartender alternative.

Key features

  • Hide menu bar items, plus an "always-hidden" section

  • Show hidden items by hovering, clicking an empty area, or scrolling or swiping in the menu bar

  • Ice Bar: shows hidden items in a separate bar below the menu bar, which is ideal for notched MacBooks

  • Drag-and-drop arrangement of individual items

  • Search menu bar items

  • Menu bar appearance: tint (solid or gradient), shadow, border and rounded or split shapes

  • Hotkeys for sections, search and the Ice Bar

  • Item spacing (beta), automatic updates and launch at login

Requirements: macOS 14 or later.

Pros: Free, open source, great notch workaround (the Ice Bar), very popular
Cons: Still in active development. Profiles, triggers and groups are on the roadmap but not yet available.

5. Boring Old Menu Bar: Best for Readability

Since macOS Big Sur, the menu bar has been translucent, and it can be hard to read over busy wallpapers. Boring Old Menu Bar by publicspace.net replaces it with a solid, opaque bar.

Key features

  • Classic Catalina-style menu bar in light or dark mode

  • White, black, grey or fully custom colours

  • Separate settings for light and dark mode

  • Adjustable menu bar height, in 1-pixel steps

  • Divider style and colour options

  • Optional rounded screen corners

  • Works with multiple displays and Spaces

  • The app's own icon can be hidden

Pricing: Paid one-time purchase with a free trial. Check publicspace.net for current details.

Best for: Anyone who finds the translucent menu bar hard to read, or misses the classic Mac look.

6. MenubarX: Pin Websites to Your Menu Bar

MenubarX by ZiLi Huang is a menu bar browser. It turns websites, web apps and PWAs into mini-apps that open from the menu bar.

Key features

  • Pin websites and web apps as separate menu bar items, each with its own icon

  • Per-site settings for window size, user agent and auto-refresh

  • Device simulators for iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle

  • Ad blocking and custom JS/CSS scripts

  • Custom HTTP/SOCKS5 proxy (version 1.7.6)

  • Pop pinned sites out into floating windows

  • Designed to use less memory than keeping the same sites open in a full browser

Best for: Quick access to tools like ChatGPT, Google Translate, a to-do web app or a dashboard, without opening a browser tab. Check the developer's App Store listing for current pricing and requirements.

7. Tab Launcher: A Bonus Alternative to a Crowded Dock

Not a menu bar app, but useful if your Dock is as crowded as your menu bar. Tab Launcher by oktoid puts apps, files and folders into colourful tabs on any screen edge.

Key features

  • Edge tabs on any side of any display, organized by project or client

  • Shape Studio for custom tab shapes and gradients

  • Up to six rows of icons, with free-form placement

  • Special tabs for running apps, open windows, recent files or a specific folder

  • Per-edge layouts, which also account for the MacBook camera housing

  • AppleScript automation

Best for: Multi-monitor users and anyone who wants project-based launchers. For multiple Docks, see also extraDock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best notch app for Mac?
Boring Notch is the best free option, with music, a file shelf, calendar and HUD replacements. NotchNook is the best-known paid app, but check its current licensing status before buying (see our note above).

Is NotchNook still available?
As of September 2026, NotchNook's developer locafe is involved in an ownership dispute, and some users have reported access or license problems. The original creators say they're working to restore access and have announced a successor called NOOTCH. Check the official site for current status.

Does NotchNook work on Macs without a notch?
Yes. According to the developer, it appears as a small handle at the top of the screen with the same functions.

Is there a free alternative to NotchNook?
Yes. Boring Notch is free and open source, and requires macOS 14 or later.

How do I see menu bar icons hidden behind the notch?
Use a menu bar manager. Ice (free) shows hidden items in its Ice Bar, and Bartender has a "Beat the notch" feature and its own Bartender Bar.

Is there a free alternative to Bartender?
Yes. Ice is a free, open-source menu bar manager for macOS 14 and later.

Which Bartender version do I need?
Bartender 7 is built for macOS 27 Golden Gate, and Bartender 6 is for macOS 26 Tahoe. A Bartender 7 license also activates Bartender 6.

How do I make the Mac menu bar less transparent?
Boring Old Menu Bar replaces it with a solid, opaque bar in the colour of your choice. Ice and Bartender also offer menu bar tint options.

Why does macOS warn me when I open Boring Notch?
The app isn't signed with an Apple Developer account yet, so Gatekeeper shows a warning. The developers document how to allow it in System Settings, or you can install it with Homebrew.

Conclusion

A cleaner menu bar and a more useful notch make a surprisingly big difference every day:

  • Boring Notch is the easiest free way to turn your notch into a Dynamic Island.

  • NotchNook is polished, but check its current status before buying in 2026.

  • Bartender is the most complete menu bar manager, with versions for both Tahoe and Golden Gate.

  • Ice gives you most of Bartender's essentials for free.

  • Boring Old Menu Bar fixes menu bar readability, and MenubarX puts your favourite web apps one click away.

Explore more tools in our Mac utility apps to declutter your desktop, best Finder alternatives and Alfred vs Raycast guides.

Last updated: September 2026. Details verified from official developer pages and GitHub repositories.