How to hide menu bar icons on Mac – for free!

2 May 2017, 09:30

Feature head image

For many Mac power-users the Bartender app has been a solid inclusion in their must-have list of apps. It’s asking price isn’t high at $15 but there’s now a way to get the most vital feature it provides – hiding any menu bar icons you select – entirely for free.

All you need do is install the Vanilla app, which was created by Mac developer Matthew Palmer. There is a “Pro” upgrade available for $3.99 that’s well worth it but the core functionality is entirely free – and there are no nags aside from a prompt that appears within the Preferences dialog box.

Here’s a GIF showing how Vanilla works when you hide and unhide menu bar icons:

Main feature illustration

Once the app is up and running you can expand the Vanilla enclosure, then hold down the Cmd key to grab an existing menu bar icon and put it inside – just ensure the icon is placed to the left of the little dot, which will shift to the right to make space. Again, here’s a GIF showing me adding a few menu bar icons:

Main feature illustration

To open the app’s preferences, just unfold Vanilla so the hidden menu bar icons are visible, and then click the dot, before selecting the menu option.


Leave a comment...

I really hate apps that come along, steal someone else idea, and just charge less for it.

— Michael Quinn · May 2, 01:59 PM · #

Michael, you should stop using Microsoft Office, or Windows, or Linux, or indeed most apps because all are not the first implementation of that idea.

— Keir Thomas · May 4, 12:43 AM · #

 
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