What is Hidden Bar?
Hidden Bar is a free, open-source macOS utility from Dwarves Foundation that hides menu bar icons behind a collapsible arrow. Icons are Command-dragged to one side of a separator, then hidden or shown with a click or a global shortcut, and can be set to hide again automatically after a delay. It is available on the Mac App Store, through Homebrew and as a direct download.
Hidden Bar is free to use. See every plan
Good for
- Mac users who only want to tuck away rarely used menu bar icons
- People who want a free, open-source menu bar hider
- Those who prefer one arrow to click over a larger menu bar manager
Worth knowing
- macOS only. Current GitHub releases need macOS 13 or later, while the Mac App Store listing shows version 1.8 from June 2021.
- The manual says always-hidden icons can still appear after expanding unless the separators are hidden too, a known limitation.
- A newly installed app's icon can start out in the hidden zone and has to be Command-dragged out once.
- On macOS 27 the direct-download build needs Accessibility permission, and the manual lists a hiding failure on a macOS 27 beta as a known issue.
Key features
- Collapsible hidden section
- Command-drag icons to the left of the separator, then click the arrow to collapse or expand that part of the menu bar.
- Auto collapse
- Hidden icons are tucked away again after a chosen delay. The countdown pauses while the pointer is in the menu bar.
- Global shortcut
- A system-wide hotkey set in Preferences expands or collapses the hidden section from any app.
- Always-hidden section
- An optional second zone holds icons that stay hidden even when the bar is expanded. Option-clicking the arrow reveals it.
- Full menu bar on expanding
- A preference lets the expanded icons use the whole menu bar for a moment, which the manual says helps when the menu bar is tight on space.
- Terminal-only options
- Settings with no interface, changed with the defaults command, include expanding on hover and a custom auto-collapse delay.
Hidden Bar pricing
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- The whole app is free on the Mac App Store, through Homebrew or as a direct download, and is open source under the MIT license.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Hidden Bar | $0 | Collapsible hidden section, auto collapse, global shortcut, always-hidden section and launch at login. Listed as Free on the US Mac App Store. |
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Hidden Bar before you buy.
Hidden Bar alternatives
- Hidden Bar vs Bartender
Free trial · from $19.99/yr
Common questions
Is Hidden Bar free?
Yes. Hidden Bar is free to use. The whole app is free on the Mac App Store, through Homebrew or as a direct download, and is open source under the MIT license.
How much does Hidden Bar cost?
Hidden Bar lists one plan. Hidden Bar: $0. Prices were read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does Hidden Bar work on?
Hidden Bar is available on macOS.
Does Hidden Bar have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Hidden Bar is listed for macOS.
Does Hidden Bar have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Hidden Bar is listed for macOS.
Is Hidden Bar open source?
Yes. Hidden Bar is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes Hidden Bar?
Hidden Bar is made by Dwarves Foundation.
What are the alternatives to Hidden Bar?
The closest alternatives to Hidden Bar in our directory are Bartender, Thaw, SwiftBar and boring.notch. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Hidden Bar.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.