Bartender

Bartender is an application for macOS that manages and organizes menu bar icons. It allows you to hide, rearrange, or move applications to a secondary bar. Users configure which icons are always visible, which appear only during updates, and which remain in the Bartender menu. This management reclaims space on the main menu bar and reduces visual clutter.

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• Selective hiding of icons. Menu bar icons can be completely hidden from the main view. This function applies to third-party applications and system elements. Configuration is done per individual application in the preferences panel. The hiding state persists between system restarts.
• Bartender Bar. A secondary menu bar contains the icons that the user decides not to show on the main bar. This bar is activated by a scroll gesture or a keyboard shortcut. Icons in this bar maintain their full functionality. The bar can be positioned relative to the main menu bar.
• Automatic visibility rules. Conditions are set for icons to temporarily appear on the main bar. A common example is showing an icon when its application is performing an update or active process. Visibility reverts to the configured state once the triggering event is finished.
• Full reorganization. The position of all icons on the menu bar, both visible and hidden in the Bartender bar, is user-configurable. The order is modified by dragging in the preferences panel list. This custom order is maintained even when adding new applications.
• Menu bar search. An integrated search field allows you to quickly locate specific icons or menus within the Bartender bar. This function filters results in real-time as you type. It facilitates access to applications with many hidden icons.
• Customizable keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts are assigned for key actions. Actions include showing/hiding the Bartender bar, temporarily showing the full menu bar, or activating search. Shortcuts avoid reliance on pointer interactions.
• Separators and grouping. Visual separators are inserted between icons in the Bartender bar to create logical groups. Separators help categorize applications by function, such as network tools, media controls, or system monitors. The appearance of the separator is configurable.
• Space for system icons. Native macOS icons, like the clock, volume control, or battery status, are also managed with Bartender. Their visibility and position are controlled the same as third-party applications. This unifies the management of the entire menu bar.
• Change notifications. The application alerts the user when an application with a hidden icon tries to display a message or notification on the menu bar. The Bartender notification can be visual or audible. The user then decides whether to temporarily show that icon.
• Import and export of configurations. All Bartender settings are saved in a preferences file. This file can be exported to make backups or transfer the configuration to another Mac. Importing restores all visibility and order settings.
• Simple and advanced mode. The configuration interface offers two levels of control. Simple mode provides basic hiding controls for casual users. Advanced mode exposes all options, including complex visibility rules and per-application keyboard shortcuts.
• Multi-display support. The application correctly manages the menu bar in configurations with one or more monitors. Icons can be configured to appear only on the main screen's menu bar or on all screens. The Bartender bar is accessible from any screen.

Bartender was created by Ben Surtees and his company, Surtees Labs. Initial development of the application began in 2012. The first public version was released in 2013. The program is primarily written in Objective-C, using macOS's native Cocoa frameworks. Subsequent updates have incorporated Swift in parts of the code.

Alternatives to Bartender:

Desktop Fences+

Desktop Fences+ is an application that creates delimited areas on the Windows desktop to group and organize icons.

Price: Free   Size: 7.4 MB   Version: 2.5.2.111   OS: Windows