Hidden Bar
A free, lightweight macOS app that hides menu bar icons behind a toggle to keep the bar tidy.dwarvesf/hidden
- Stars
- 15.3k
- Forks
- 533
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Swift
- Last update
- 6 days ago
- Type
- App
What it is
Hidden Bar is a small macOS app that lets you tuck away menu bar icons so they don't clutter the top of your screen. You click an arrow icon to show or hide the items you choose. It is open source under the MIT license and is also listed on the Mac App Store.
- Hide menu bar icons you rarely need and reveal them with one click
- Reorder hidden icons by holding Cmd and dragging them in the menu bar
- Keep a cleaner menu bar for screen sharing or presentations
Great for
- Mac users with a crowded menu bar who want a cleaner look
- People who want a simple, single-purpose utility
- Users on macOS 13 Ventura or later
- Users who prefer installing via Homebrew or a direct download
Not ideal for
- People on macOS 12 or older, since current versions require macOS 13; the README points them to v1.10 instead
- Users who need a full menu bar manager with many advanced layout options, since the README describes only basic hide and show behavior
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later
Install with Homebrew
brew install --cask hiddenbar - 2
Run it
- Install the app with Homebrew or download it from the latest release and drag it to Applications.
- Launch Hidden and hold Cmd while dragging its icon in the menu bar so it sits between other icons.
- Click the Arrow icon to hide menu bar items.
- Hold Cmd and drag icons to move them into or out of the hidden area.
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Read the Manual in docs/MANUAL.md for every setting and the Terminal-only options
- Check docs/ARCHITECTURE.md to understand how the hiding works and its known limits
- Use the App Store version if you prefer automatic updates through the store
Downloads
Strengths
- Simple, focused purpose with a small footprint according to its description
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Available through the App Store, Homebrew, or a notarized manual download
Trade-offs
- Requires macOS 13 Ventura or later for current versions
- The README mentions Terminal-only options and known limits, which are documented separately and not summarized here
- Scope is narrow compared with broader menu bar managers
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hidden (this) | 15.3k | App | beginner | 6 days ago | Mac users with a crowded menu bar who want a cleaner look |
| ice | 18.6k | Framework | intermediate | 7 months ago | Developers who already know React and want a ready-made project structure |
| MonitorControl | 34.6k | App | beginner | 23 days ago | Mac users with an external monitor who want keyboard brightness keys to work on it |
| AeroSpace | 23.7k | App | intermediate | 5 days ago | Keyboard-centric users who want to manage windows without the mouse |
| CodeEdit | 23.1k | App | beginner | 20 days ago | Developers on a Mac who work on non-Apple projects and want a native macOS editor |
| cua | 31.6k | Dev tool | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers building agents that operate desktop apps or browsers |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.