App comparisonsComparison
Menu bar managers on macOS 27: which work, which broke, and the built-in option
Short answer
On macOS 27, Bartender 7, Hidden Bar 1.11.1 (from GitHub, not the App Store) and the Thaw 3.0 alpha work. Ice hadn't released a macOS 27 version in early November 2026. Before installing any of them, try the built-in options: macOS 27 adds an arrow that reveals icons hidden by the notch, and System Settings › Menu Bar lets you switch off icons you don't need.
On this page
Why they broke
Until macOS 26, each menu bar icon was its own small window, and menu bar managers hid icons by moving those windows. macOS 27 draws the whole menu bar as one window, so that method stopped working and each app needed a rewrite.
What macOS 27 does itself
- An arrow appears next to the notch when icons don't fit. Click it to show the hidden ones.
- System Settings › Menu Bar lets you turn off Apple items and choose which apps may show icons.
- Command-drag reorders or removes icons.
What it doesn't do: let you choose which icons hide, show a separate bar for hidden icons, or switch layouts automatically. Steps are in how to hide menu bar icons.
Which to pick
- You only need fewer icons: the built-in settings are enough.
- Free and simple: Hidden Bar from GitHub.
- Lots of icons, rules and groups: Bartender 7.
- Staying on Tahoe: Ice, Thaw 2.x and Bartender 6 all still work there.
Before you update to macOS 27
If you depend on a menu bar manager, check its release notes or GitHub issues for macOS 27 support first. Other things to check are in macOS 27 known issues.
Menu bar managers compared
Status as of early November 2026. Check each app's release notes before you update, because this is changing quickly.
| App | What it does | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Bartender 7 | Works on macOS 27 (built for it). Some known issues with groups and the native overflow. Use Bartender 6 on Tahoe. | Paid |
| Hidden Bar | Works from 1.11.1 downloaded from GitHub; the App Store build can't hide items on macOS 27 | Free, open source |
| Thaw | Works in the 3.0 alpha; the stable 2.x release targets Tahoe | Free, open source |
| Ice | No macOS 27 release yet; works on Tahoe | Free, open source |
| BetterTouchTool | Can load a saved menu bar layout (version 6.569 and later); not a full hider | Paid |
Sources and further reading
- macOS 27 broke Bartender, Ice and Hidden Bar: what works now · macos-tahoe.com
- macOS 27 Golden Gate menu bar changes · Badgeify
- Bartender and macOS Golden Gate · Bartender
- Golden Gate and the notch · Michael Tsai