Softset

Menu bar

Menu bar icons missing on a Mac? Here's where they went

Updated · Applies to macOS 26 Tahoe and macOS 27 Golden Gate

Short answer

On a MacBook with a notch, icons that don't fit to the right of it are hidden. On macOS 27, click the » arrow at the left of the icons to see them. Also check System Settings → Menu Bar, where an app may be switched off under Allow in the Menu Bar.

1. Hidden by the notch

The menu bar on a MacBook with a notch has less room on the right than it looks. Icons are placed from the right, and when there are more than fit between the notch and the clock, the ones on the left don’t show. The app is still running; there’s just nowhere to draw its icon. This is the most common cause, and it gets worse when an app with long menus is in front, because its menus take space too.

On macOS 27 Golden Gate, a small » arrow appears next to the icons when some are hidden. Click it to see the rest.

2. Switched off in Menu Bar settings

  1. Open System Settings → Menu Bar.
  2. Under Allow in the Menu Bar, make sure the app’s switch is on.
  3. For Apple’s own items, like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, look under Menu Bar Controls. Items set to Show When Active only appear while in use.

3. The app isn’t running

Menu bar apps only show an icon while they’re open. If one used to start with your Mac, check System Settings → General → Login Items & Extensions and add it back under Open at Login.

4. An app’s menus are behind the notch

If it’s the app’s own menus on the left that disappear behind the notch, Apple offers a per-app fix:

  1. Quit the app.
  2. In Finder, open Applications, select the app, and press ⌘I.
  3. Select Scale to fit below built-in camera.

While that app is open, the whole screen is shown below the camera, so everything, including the menu bar, is visible.

Making room for good