Hide menu-bar icons on Mac

Updated 2026 · 3 min read

Every app you install wants a spot in the menu bar. After a while the bar gets crowded, items vanish under the notch, or the clock disappears entirely. macOS gives you a few ways to claw back that space — here's each one.

Method 1 — Command-drag an icon off the bar

This works for most of Apple's built-in status icons (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, battery, sound, and more):

Hold ⌘ Command.
Click and drag the icon downward, off the menu bar.
When a small × appears, release the mouse. The icon vanishes.

To restore it: go to System Settings → Control Center and switch the module back to Show in Menu Bar.

Method 2 — Control Center settings

For a full list of Apple's menu-bar modules and precise control over each one:

Open System Settings → Control Center.
Find the module you want to hide (e.g. Spotlight, Now Playing, Siri).
Set the dropdown to Don't Show in Menu Bar — or to Show in Control Center if you still want easy access via the › chevron.

Method 3 — Third-party app preferences

Third-party apps generally ignore Command-drag. Instead, look inside the app itself:

Right-click or click the app's menu-bar icon and look for a Preferences or Settings option.
Search for a Show in menu bar or Launch at login toggle.
If you never use the app, the cleanest approach is to quit it at login (System Settings → General → Login Items → remove it from "Open at Login").

What if icons are hidden but still running?

Hiding an icon does not quit the app. The app stays running in the background. If you want to stop an app entirely, use Activity Monitor or quit it from its own menu. For apps that only live in the menu bar, hiding the icon and removing them from login items effectively keeps them out of your way.

More room without removing icons

If you'd rather keep all your icons but just fit more of them in, Mainspring's Tighten menu-bar spacing toggle reduces the padding between every icon. It's the fastest way to recover a few extra slots — one click, fully reversible.

Try Mainspring free →

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Automatically hide the entire menu bar

If you want maximum screen space, you can hide the whole menu bar until you hover over the top edge. Go to System Settings → Desktop & Dock and turn on Automatically hide and show the menu bar. Choose Always, In Full Screen Only, or On Desktop Only depending on your preference.