The Redundant Moon Icon
macOS includes a powerful feature called “Focus” (previously known as Do Not Disturb). Focus allows you to silence notifications, hide distracting apps, and customize your desktop based on what you are currently doing (e.g., Working, Sleeping, or Reading). By default, whenever a Focus mode is active, Apple places an icon (usually a small crescent moon) in your menu bar at the top of the screen. Clicking this icon allows you to quickly switch between different profiles or turn the feature off entirely.
However, since the introduction of macOS Big Sur, Focus controls are permanently built into the unified Control Center (the icon with two toggle switches). Furthermore, many users configure Focus modes to activate automatically based on time of day or location, meaning they rarely need to manually toggle them. If your menu bar is getting cluttered and you do not need a constant visual reminder that you are currently in “Work” mode, you can safely remove the dedicated Focus icon.
How to Hide the Focus Icon
You can remove the status icon via the Control Center 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, click on Control Center.
- In the right-hand pane, look under the “Control Center Modules” section.
- Locate the Focus module.
- Next to Focus, click the dropdown menu that currently says “Show when active” (or “Always Show in Menu Bar”).
- Select Don’t Show in Menu Bar.
The crescent moon icon will instantly disappear from the top of your screen, even when a Focus mode is actively silencing your notifications. You can still manage all your Focus settings at any time by simply clicking the main Control Center icon.