The macOS Menu Bar at the top of the screen provides essential access to application controls, system status icons, and the Apple menu. However, if you are working on a smaller MacBook Air or MacBook Pro display, that permanent strip of pixels can feel like wasted real estate, especially when running applications in windowed mode rather than full-screen mode. Fortunately, macOS allows you to automatically hide the Menu Bar, only revealing it when you actively move your cursor to the top edge of the screen.
Configuring the Menu Bar Settings
Apple has relocated the Menu Bar preferences in recent macOS updates following the introduction of the System Settings app (which replaced System Preferences in macOS Ventura).
- Click the Apple Logo () in the top-left corner of your screen.
- Select System Settings… from the dropdown menu.
- In the left-hand sidebar, scroll down and click on Control Centre.
- Scroll down the right-hand pane until you find the section titled Menu Bar Only (you may need to scroll quite a bit depending on how many third-party apps are listed).
- Locate the setting labeled Automatically hide and show the menu bar.
Choosing Your Hiding Preference
macOS gives you granular control over exactly when the Menu Bar should be hidden. Click the dropdown menu next to the setting to view your options:
- Always: The Menu Bar will immediately disappear, giving you maximum screen space at all times. It will only slide down when you push your mouse cursor against the very top edge of the display.
- On Desktop Only: The Menu Bar will hide when you are looking at your standard desktop and floating windows, but it will remain permanently visible if you enter Full Screen mode in any application.
- In Full Screen Only: (This is the default setting on modern Macs). The Menu Bar remains visible during normal desktop use but automatically hides to provide an immersive experience when you maximize an app into its own dedicated desktop space.
- Never: The Menu Bar is permanently affixed to the top of the screen, regardless of what you are doing.
Select Always to reclaim the maximum amount of vertical screen space. The change takes effect immediately; you will see the Menu Bar slide upward and out of sight. To access your file menus or check your battery life, simply flick your cursor to the top of the screen, and the bar will slide back down instantly.