A menu bar on Mac is just like a Control Center on iPhone or iPad; you can quickly access so many things from your Mac menu bar. And you begin to realize that you cannot live without Mac menu bar. No matter which app you are using on Mac, a menu bar shows you all the settings and controls for the respective apps. This enables you to check those settings and controls instantly. Whether it is your native app or any third-party app, menu bar on the Mac is must for any user. But when your Mac menu bar begins to get cluttered, you need to rearrange and remove Mac’s menu bar icons. And in some cases, users prefer to hide menu bar icons on Mac.
Hiding Mac menu bar icons requires third-party apps like Vanilla and Bartender. So without much ado, let’s explore the two apps in some details and learn how they can help you hide or customize Mac menu bar.
Hide Menu Bar Icons in macOS with Third Party Apps
Mac doesn’t offer any default solution to hide menu bar icons, and therefore, users have to rely on third-party apps to hide Mac menu bar.
Hide Menu Bar Icons on Mac with Vanilla
Vanilla, as the name suggests, is a simple app that helps you hide menu bar icons on your Mac. Mathew Palmer, developer of Vanilla, has earlier launched Rocket app to organize Mac’s menu bar. But there were some limitations of Rocket app, and people wanted another app. So, the developer released another app for Mac users to hide menu bar icons. When you launch this app on your Mac, it shows an arrow that hides all the apps which are available on the left of app’s icon. However, there is one disadvantage of Vaniall; it can hide only the third-party app icons on your Mac menu bar and the default app icons will remain there. You can make a smart use of this app; simply hold the command button and drag the icon present on the right of Vanilla to the left of the app icon.
You can use this app free with its pre version, which boasts some more features. With its pro version, you can get rid of icons forever, automatic hiding of icons after a certain period of time has passed, and to launch Vanilla automatically when you log in to your Mac.
Hide Mac Menu Bar Icons with Bartender
With Bartender 2, you can organize, hide, rearrange or move your Mac menu bar icons. Among other notable features, Bartender 2 is macOS Sierra-ready; moreover, it also supports El Capitan and Yosemite. This app gels so well with your Mac that it looks like a part of macOS in dark and light mode.
Bartender 2 allows you to select which apps you want in menu bar and which should be hidden completely. This means, you can easily take control of your Mac menu bar. Use a hot key or the Bartender icon to quickly display and hide the Bartender Bar. The apps in Bartender Bar do not change their functionality as they work the same. And when the app updates, Bartender shows that particular app for a period of time when apps update.
One of the glaring features of Bartender 2 is that you can search menu bar items in Bartender Bar. This gives you quick access to a menu item without looking for it.
Also Check: How to Hide Desktop Icons on Mac
Thus, with Vanilla and Bartender 2, you can easily rearrange and remove Mac’s menu bar icons. Are there other apps to hide menu bar icons on Mac? Share your feedback with us on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.