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Tagbert

macrumors 603
Jun 22, 2011
6,234
7,270
Seattle
I can see a use case for this. I usually fill the vacant space in the menu bar with iStat Menus and the notch tends to break it due to there being far less vacant space available.
That’s a reason for Bartender it moves those extra menubar icons to a separate overlay that can be shown when you want them. I have used Bartender for years as it helped cleanup all of those icons even before the notch came around.
 

Sterkenburg

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2016
555
551
Japan
That’s a reason for Bartender it moves those extra menubar icons to a separate overlay that can be shown when you want them. I have used Bartender for years as it helped cleanup all of those icons even before the notch came around.
Yep exactly, +1 for Bartender to deal with that. Never sacrifice precious extra vertical screen estate on purpose.
 
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elgato2024

macrumors member
Dec 4, 2019
66
3
I noticed the notch on my 14" while setting it up, up until I switched to Dark mode. Since then, I've only noticed it when I have enough menu bar items to cause them to jump to the right side of the notch.
but they don't do that, do they?
menuitems do not jump to the right side of the notch, but just get covered up by it, no?
 

Tagbert

macrumors 603
Jun 22, 2011
6,234
7,270
Seattle
but they don't do that, do they?
menuitems do not jump to the right side of the notch, but just get covered up by it, no?
Not at all. If the menu items don’t fit on the left, the extras are drawn in the right. Most often that is just the “window” and “help” menus.

Things get a little more complicated for app icon on the right side. If you have a lot they can get hidden but that happens even without a notch. I’ve used Bartender to manage them even before the arrival of the notch.
 
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rocketbuc

macrumors 6502
Oct 18, 2017
348
323
Not at all. If the menu items don’t fit on the left, some are drawn in the right. Most often that I’d just the “window” and “help” menus.

Things get a little more complicated for app icon on the right side. If you have a lot they can get hidden but that happens even without a notch. I’ve used Bartender to manage them even before the arrival of the notch.
I just received my M2 Air yesterday and still adjusting to the notch. A free alternative to Bartender (if you only need the future of hiding some app icons) is Hidden Bar. It is super simple, free, and available from the App Store.
 
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SwiftRain9056

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 2, 2022
6
2
I want to make some updates before Apple's Scary Fast event, which might be the end of notched MacBooks, if Dynamic Island or hole-punch display is coming to the Mac.

In macOS Ventura and above (including Sonoma), you can choose resolutions without the notch in System Settings without third-party software. You just need to open System Settings, go to Displays, choose the Built-in Display, hold Option key and click any of the resolutions. You can see a list of resolutions. Then turn on "Show all resolutions", and choose one of these 16:10 resolutions.
Screenshot no notch.png

I'm glad that Apple finally realized some people don't like the notch and gave us these options. If you want more screen resolution options, you can still use BetterDisplay. (Disclaimer: I am not the developer nor related or paid by BetterDisplay. I just found the app useful for this purpose.)
 
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PaulD-UK

macrumors 6502a
Oct 23, 2009
862
460
Analysis of the Event leaked laptop image (on YT) showed a narrower notch, like on iPhone 13 compared to iPhone 12.
 
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darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
18,355
10,106
Atlanta, GA
Hmmm, how about just putting a popup on the backside of the case so people who don't need the camera and what not can just ignore it altogether. If you need it, pop it up. Then the notch would not exist at all and would not require a makeshift solution.
The notch doesn’t just contain a camera, there’s the ambient light sensor, truetone sensor, and camera recording LED. I prefer the tiny bezels, the old style top bezel looks huge to me now, but the notch is easy to hide if you cant ignore it.

IMG_0555.jpeg
 
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SwiftRain9056

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 2, 2022
6
2
I can see a use case for this. I usually fill the vacant space in the menu bar with iStat Menus and the notch tends to break it due to there being far less vacant space available.
Yes, that's why I find this solution the best. The notch takes up some precious menu bar space. Bartender only takes care of status bar icons, but not overlong menu bar items. Those free alternatives are not as good as Bartender. I remember they'll mess up the icons after reboots or something.

Analysis of the Event leaked laptop image (on YT) showed a narrower notch, like on iPhone 13 compared to iPhone 12.
It turns out Apple didn't make any change to the notch. They're all the same old design. People may still need this solution.
 

IDMah

macrumors 6502
May 13, 2011
317
11
I "upgraded" to Sonoma now the grey menu bar is back. Top Notch doesn't do the job it's still dark grey - not black and no love with the wallpaper trick. if go to setting and use accessibility and up the contrast Notch goes away but then my screen colours are effected of course.

Has anyone programmed just the menu bar screen contrast app?
I'd go back to Catalina but I need Xcode.
 

Tzvia.ls

macrumors newbie
Dec 28, 2023
7
5
I don't have a problem with it. I see that area as 'extra' screen real estate for settings and 'apps'. Wanna see 'annoying'?... take a look at the Windows 11 default desktop, with the start menu in the friggen middle... Now that's a waste of 1/2 the task bar. Don't forget to notice the junk piled on the taskbar to the right of the START button while you are at it, along with the worthless start menu. They finally had a useful start menu in Windows 10 (pinned apps and all apps listed at the same time) and turned it into the worst start menu... I bought this M2MBA (first MAC ever) out of my dislike of Windows 11 AND how the small light Windows laptops just felt so junky.
 

dmccloud

macrumors 68040
Sep 7, 2009
3,122
1,884
Anchorage, AK
I don't have a problem with it. I see that area as 'extra' screen real estate for settings and 'apps'. Wanna see 'annoying'?... take a look at the Windows 11 default desktop, with the start menu in the friggen middle... Now that's a waste of 1/2 the task bar. Don't forget to notice the junk piled on the taskbar to the right of the START button while you are at it, along with the worthless start menu. They finally had a useful start menu in Windows 10 (pinned apps and all apps listed at the same time) and turned it into the worst start menu... I bought this M2MBA (first MAC ever) out of my dislike of Windows 11 AND how the small light Windows laptops just felt so junky.

The Windows start menu has been such a pile of junk since Windows 8 that I use Stardock's Object Desktop and specifically Start 11 to have the old-school Windows 7 style Start menu. That gives me the items I want in the Start Menu without endless ads masquerading as app icons, a bunch of options I will never use, and the asinine layout Microsoft thinks is good. I also used the app to move the taskbar icons back to the left side (where they belong).
 
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