The Keyboard Layout Icon
macOS allows you to easily switch between different keyboard layouts and input sources (for example, switching from an English QWERTY keyboard to a Japanese Romaji input method). To facilitate this, macOS often displays the “Input menu” icon in your menu bar, usually represented by a small flag corresponding to your current country’s layout, or a generic character symbol. Clicking this icon allows you to quickly change languages on the fly.
However, if you only ever type in one language and never need to switch your keyboard layout, this icon is completely useless. It takes up space in your menu bar and adds unnecessary visual noise. Even if you do occasionally switch layouts, most bilingual users prefer to use the built-in keyboard shortcut (usually Control + Space or the dedicated globe key) because it is significantly faster than using the mouse. If you want a cleaner, more minimalist menu bar, you should remove this redundant input indicator.
How to Hide the Input Menu Icon
You can remove this language status icon via your System Settings.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings… (or System Preferences).
- In the left-hand sidebar, scroll down and click on Keyboard.
- In the right-hand pane, look for the Text Input section.
- Click the Edit… button next to “Input Sources”.
- A new window will appear showing your active keyboards. Look at the bottom of the left-hand pane in this window.
- Look for a toggle switch or checkbox labelled Show Input menu in menu bar.
- Click the toggle switch to turn it Off (or uncheck the box).
- Click Done to save your changes.
The flag or input symbol will instantly disappear from your menu bar, freeing up space while leaving your actual keyboard layout functionality intact.