Looking for recommended alternative to Bartender menubar manager.
I’m currently on version 6.1.1 and it is really unstable on Tahoe 26.1.
Even though it’s free with my Setapp subscription - Its gotten so bad that I’ve disabled it on the desktop, and only tolerate it on the MacBook Air due to the notch.
Have you tried the built in settings in Tahoe at System Settings.app > Menu Bar > Allow in the Menu Bar?
It’s not as full featured, but it reduces a dependency.
Not aware, but looking into it.
Thanks!
Ice has been solid for me, but I miss the actions or whatever it’s called that allows a hidden app to surface for a few seconds while it’s active then disappear.
I also “switched” to the solution by Apple. Not perfect and I still miss a “second” (and hidden) row. But not a problem.
Barbee has been a great replacement for me, I’ve found it to be better than Ice.
Tahoe’s improved ability to determine what appears in the menubar led me to abandon menubar management apps entirely.
Katie
Barbee has ben a great replacement for me as well. $13 for a lifetime license is also a nice option in a world of subscriptions
Yes, I bought the lifetime license after using Barbee for only a couple of days. It’s not glitch-free, but it works well and it’s incredibly flexible. In fact, I’m just beginning to explore its support of widgets as a possible replacement for the old GeekTool and NerdTool.
No web site, but here’s the App Store link:
After struggling with all the Bartender betas with Tahoe betas, I decided that the built-in menu bar management in Tahoe was good enough. This is on a 13" MBA. Sad to see Bartender go though – it was a real must-have for years.
Hmmm. I must be missing something. I’m not a real heavy user of the menu bar, but I haven’t noticed any problem. I’ll have to look closer.
The general problem with the menu bar is that menu bar items are added from the right and application menu items are added from the left and you are in a certain amount of trouble/agony if the twain meets. The larger the display and the fewer the menu bar items, the less the issue. Bartender (and others) provided a second or alternate row to hold menu bar items which relieved the pressure. Tahoe makes it easy to remove menu bar items you don’t need, and at least for me eliminated the need for Bartender.
I’ve now tried all solutions recommended here and Barbee is what I’ve settled on for now.
Thank you all.
Are you using it in Tahoe?
Yes, Tahoe 26.1. Appears solid thus far.
Yup. And the Bartender beta is a mess, should have never been released.
Just updated to Tahoe. I don’t think I need a menu bar manager anymore. So I finally uninstalled Bartender.
Now that I think about it, I probably never needed one, since most apps lets you remove them from the menu bar. I guess I was too lazy to remove them manually. Tahoe simply makes it more convenient.
I’m pretty sure built in settings (within apps themselves) to hide the menubar icon are a more recent innovation.
ICE has been working pretty well for me. All I wanted was a way to easily hide menu bar items, and it does it just fine.