This page provides Bartender for Mac v5.2.3 – Hide and Manage Menu Bar Icons (Activated Version Download) | LoveMac, tested and working. If you encounter a broken link or cannot install after downloading, please leave a comment to contact us.
Bartender 5 is a menu bar management tool designed specifically for macOS. With features like smart hiding, grouping, styling, and preset triggers, it helps users create a clean, efficient, and personalized menu bar workspace. This guide will detail its core features and complete workflow.
System Requirements: Bartender 5 only supports macOS 14 Sonoma and macOS 15 Sequoia or later. For earlier macOS versions, please use Bartender 4.
1. Core Interface and Workspace Overview
After launching Bartender, its configuration is mainly done through two core interfaces: the menu bar icon and the main settings window. These two interfaces work together to give you absolute control over your menu bar.
1. Menu Bar Icon
- Bartender Bar: By default, Bartender displays an icon with three dots on the right side of the menu bar (near Control Center). This is the “Bartender Bar.” All application icons set to “Hidden” or “Always Hidden” are collected here.
- Interaction: You can click to expand the Bartender Bar and view all hidden items, or use mouse hover (configurable delay) or swipe/scroll on the trackpad to quickly and temporarily reveal its contents.
2. Main Settings Window
Click the Bartender icon in the menu bar (the bartender hat icon) or open Bartender from the Applications folder to access the main settings window. The window is divided into four main areas:
- Menu Bar Items List: The main body of the window, listing all current items in the menu bar. Each item has a dropdown menu on the right to set its display status.
- Status Control Dropdown: Provides four states for each item:
- Show: Always visible in the menu bar.
- Hide: Hidden by default in the Bartender Bar, can be shown via swipe/hover, etc.
- Always Hide: Always exists only in the Bartender Bar, never occupies main menu bar space.
- Show Only in Bartender Bar: The item itself does not appear in the main menu bar, but its function menu can be accessed through the Bartender Bar.
- Sidebar: Contains entries for core feature modules such as “Presets,” “Triggers,” “Styles,” “Groups,” “Search,” and “General.”
- Bottom Toolbar: Contains global settings buttons such as “Reorder” and “Update Interval.”
2. Complete Workflow: From Configuration to Daily Use
Step 1: Initial Configuration and Item Sorting
- Open Bartender; the main settings window will pop up automatically.
- Browse the Menu Bar Items List and, according to your preference, use the dropdown menu on the right of each item to set its status to “Show,” “Hide,” or “Always Hide.”
- Manual Sorting: On the menu bar, hold the
Command (⌘) key and drag any icon with the mouse to rearrange the order. This works for all icons, including the Bartender Bar.
- Sort Within the List: In the Bartender settings window, click the “Reorder” button in the bottom toolbar, then drag items directly in the list to sort them.
Step 2: Create Groups
Combine multiple related icons to save space. For example, you can group all system monitoring icons together.
- In the sidebar of the Bartender settings window, click “Groups.”
- Click the “+” button in the bottom left corner to create a new group and give it a name (e.g., “System Monitoring”).
- Return to the “Menu Bar” list and set the status of the items you want to include in this group (e.g., CPU usage, network speed) to “Show Only in Bartender Bar.”
- Go back to the “Groups” settings and drag these items from the left list into the group you just created.
- The group will appear as a single icon in the Bartender Bar or your specified location. Click it to expand and view all sub-items.
Step 3: Apply Styles
Personalize the menu bar appearance. You can apply different styles for different desktop spaces or different presets.
- Click “Styles” in the sidebar.
- Click “+” to create a new style, where you can set background color, border, corner radius, etc.
- You can apply different styles to different “desktop spaces” for quick differentiation.
Step 4: Set Up Presets and Triggers (Automation)
Automatically switch menu bar configurations for different scenarios. This is one of Bartender 5’s most powerful features.
- Create a Preset: In the sidebar, click “Presets” -> “+.” First, configure the display status of each menu bar item according to your needs (e.g., “Work Mode,” “Presentation Mode”), then click the “Update from Current Menu Bar” button under “Presets” to save the current layout.
- Create a Trigger: In the sidebar, click “Triggers” -> “+.”
- Select a trigger condition (e.g., “Power” -> “On Battery,” “Wi-Fi” -> “Connected to Specific Network,” “Time,” etc.).
- Under “Action,” select “Apply Preset” and link it to the preset you created in the previous step.
- For example, you can create a trigger: when the computer connects to the company Wi-Fi, automatically apply the “Work Mode” preset, hiding all entertainment icons.
Step 5: Use Quick Search
Quickly locate and activate menu items. This feature is especially efficient when you have many menu bar items.
- Press the default shortcut
Control (⌃) + Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + B to bring up the search box.
- Type the name of the application or menu item, use the arrow keys to select, and press
Return (↩) to directly activate that menu item or show its associated icon.
Step 6: Daily Interaction and Export
- Daily Access: Access the Bartender Bar via swipe/hover, or use the search shortcut to quickly invoke functions.
- “Export” Configuration: Bartender’s configuration is saved automatically. To back up or migrate, copy the configuration files from the following paths:
~/Library/Application Support/Bartender/ and ~/Library/Preferences/com.surteesstudios.Bartender.plist.
3. Detailed Installation Guide: Bartender 5 in Three Steps
Many users report not knowing how to install after downloading. Here is a step-by-step installation guide. Please follow the steps strictly to avoid permission issues.
Step 1: Download and Prepare
- Download the Bartender 5 .dmg installer from the link provided on this page.
- Double-click the .dmg file; the system will mount a virtual disk.
- If your Mac has “Gatekeeper” security enabled, you may need to right-click the app and select “Open” for the first run.
Step 2: Drag and Drop Installation
- In the installation window that appears, you will see the Bartender 5 icon and a shortcut pointing to the “Applications” folder.
- Use the mouse to drag the Bartender 5 icon onto the “Applications” folder on the right.
- The system will prompt you to enter your administrator password to complete the copy process.
Step 3: First Launch and Authorization
- Go to Launchpad or the Applications folder, find and double-click the Bartender 5 icon.
- On first launch, macOS will display a security prompt asking whether to allow Bartender 5 to control your computer. Click “Allow.”
- Next, Bartender 5 will request “Accessibility” permission. You need to go to “System Settings” -> “Privacy & Security” -> “Accessibility” and check the box next to Bartender 5.
- After completing the above steps, Bartender 5 is ready to use, and the menu bar will adjust automatically.
4. Tips and Real-World Use Cases
Knowing how to install is not enough. Mastering these practical tips will help you maximize the value of Bartender 5.
Use Case 1: Create a “Minimalist Workflow”
- Goal: During work, only show the time, input method, and notification icons of core work apps (e.g., WeChat, Slack).
- Action: Create a preset named “Work.” Set all system status items (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Volume) to “Hide.” Set entertainment apps (e.g., Spotify, Steam) to “Always Hide.” Set WeChat, Slack, etc. to “Show.”
- Result: Your menu bar instantly becomes clean, retaining only the most essential information and greatly reducing visual clutter.
Use Case 2: One-Click Switch to Presentation Mode
- Goal: Hide all personal notifications and sensitive icons during screen sharing or presentations.
- Action: Create a preset named “Presentation.” Set all icons except time and battery to “Always Hide.” Then, create a trigger with the condition “Connect External Display” to automatically apply the “Presentation” preset.
- Result: When you connect a projector or external display, the menu bar automatically becomes minimal—no manual action needed, protecting privacy and looking professional.
Use Case 3: Organize System Monitoring Tools with “Groups”
- Goal: You have installed system monitoring software like iStat Menus or Stats, which generate multiple menu bar icons.
- Action: Create a group named “System Info.” Put all CPU, memory, network, temperature, and other monitoring icons into this group.
- Result: Only one “System Info” group icon appears in the menu bar. Click it to see all detailed data, retaining monitoring functionality while keeping the interface clean.
- Precise Control of the Notch Area: For MacBooks with a notch…
Download info
This resource requires login to download
Log in
Note: This resource is for informational purposes. By using this resource, you agree that you accept full responsibility to the copyright holder. For questions, please
contact us.
Ratings & reviews
No rating
Let’s rate it.