How to hide the notch on a MacBook, and keep apps below it

Why are menu bar icons hidden behind the notch?

The menu bar has less room on a notched MacBook. When an app's menus and the icons on the right meet the notch, macOS hides icons rather than drawing them behind the camera. The longer the front app's menus, the fewer icons fit.

How do I get hidden icons back?

• Remove icons you do not need. System Settings, Menu Bar, lists every app under Allow in the Menu Bar. See customise the menu bar.
• Hold ⌘ and drag icons you need most to the right end, so they are the last to be hidden.
• Switch to an app with shorter menus, such as Finder, and the hidden icons reappear.

Can I fit more icons by spacing them closer?

Yes, with a hidden setting that is still present in macOS 27. This narrows the gap between menu bar icons; log out and back in for it to apply everywhere:

defaults -currentHost write -globalDomain NSStatusItemSpacing -int 8

To undo it, run defaults -currentHost delete -globalDomain NSStatusItemSpacing and log out again.

How do I keep an app's menus clear of the notch?

Select the app in Applications, press ⌘ I for Get Info, and tick Scale to fit below built-in camera. The app then uses the area below the notch only. The option appears only on MacBooks with a notch, and only for apps that need it.

How do I make the notch less visible?

Use a dark or black wallpaper, and turn on Show menu bar background in Menu Bar settings. The menu bar around the notch turns dark, and the notch blends into it. In full screen, apps sit below the notch and the strip beside it is black.

More room on a laptop screen: more screen space on a MacBook. ClutterFreeMac's drop panel uses the notch area: carry a window up to it to drop it into a layout.