Alternatives
A Hidden Bar alternative for notched MacBooks
Hidden Bar is a free, simple way to hide menu bar icons behind an arrow. On a MacBook with a notch, the icons it reveals can land behind the notch too. Coat Check takes a different approach.
Updated October 19, 2026
The short version
Hidden Bar adds an arrow to your menu bar. ⌘-drag icons to its left and click the arrow to hide or show them. It’s free and MIT licensed, and simple to set up.
The catch on a notched MacBook: when Hidden Bar reveals icons, they still have to fit to the right of the notch. If there isn’t room, they stay out of sight. Coat Check lists every icon in a menu under its hanger instead, so the notch can’t cover them, and opens any of them from there.
Coat Check vs Hidden Bar
| Coat Check | Hidden Bar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Source code | Open source (MIT) | Open source (MIT) |
| Reach icons the notch hides | A list of every icon under the hanger, hidden ones first, each with its own menu | Click its arrow to show hidden icons in place, which the notch can still cover |
| Hide icons you choose | Optional divider (macOS 14 to 26) | Yes, ⌘-drag icons past its arrow |
| Rearrange icons | No; your layout stays as you set it | With ⌘-drag, like macOS |
| Search | No; the coatcheck command opens icons by name | No |
| Automation | Command line | No |
| Screen Recording permission | Not needed | Not documented |
| macOS 27 (October 2026) | Being tested | Version 1.11.1 from GitHub works; the App Store version can’t hide icons |
On macOS 27
macOS 27 stopped allowing menu bar items to stretch very wide, which is how Hidden Bar used to push icons away. Version 1.11.1 from GitHub works around it, but the Mac App Store version can’t hide icons on macOS 27. If you use Hidden Bar on 27, install it from GitHub.
What works differently
- Hidden Bar hides; Coat Check reaches. One clears space in your menu bar, the other gets you to icons that are already out of sight.
- Coat Check shows each app’s menu. Choose an item right from the list.
- Both are free and MIT licensed.