In the modern macOS interface, Apple streamlined the Menu Bar by moving several dedicated icons—including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Volume—into a unified Control Center panel. While this certainly cleans up the top-right corner of your screen, it adds unnecessary friction if you frequently connect and disconnect wireless headphones, keyboards, or mice.
Instead of clicking the Control Center icon, clicking Bluetooth, and then managing your devices, you can pull the dedicated Bluetooth icon back out and pin it permanently to your Menu Bar for instant, one-click access to all your paired peripherals.
This guide explains how to restore the Bluetooth icon to the Menu Bar in macOS.
How to Pin the Bluetooth Icon to the Menu Bar
You can easily pull the Bluetooth settings out of the Control Center via System Settings.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your Mac’s screen.
- Select System Settings from the drop-down menu. (If you are on an older version of macOS, select System Preferences).
- Scroll down the left-hand sidebar and click on Control Center.
- In the main window on the right, locate the “Bluetooth” section near the top.
- Next to the Bluetooth label, you will see a drop-down menu that likely says “Don’t Show in Menu Bar.” Click this menu.
- Select Show in Menu Bar.
The familiar Bluetooth ‘B’ icon will immediately appear in the top right corner of your screen.
Using the Menu Bar Bluetooth Icon
Now that the icon is pinned, managing your wireless devices is significantly faster.
- Toggle Power: Click the icon to instantly see a toggle switch to turn your Mac’s Bluetooth antenna completely on or off.
- Connect Devices: Below the power toggle, you will see a list of all your paired devices. If your AirPods or Magic Mouse disconnect, you can click their name in this drop-down list to force an immediate reconnection without opening the full System Settings.
- Check Battery Life: If a supported device (like an Apple Magic Keyboard) is connected, its current battery percentage will be displayed directly next to its name in the drop-down menu.
How to Rearrange the Icon
If you don’t like where the Bluetooth icon was placed relative to your Wi-Fi or Battery icons, you can move it.
Simply press and hold the Command (Cmd) key on your keyboard, click the Bluetooth icon in the Menu Bar, and drag it to the left or right. Release the mouse button when it is exactly where you want it.