The Mac Observer

Skip navigational links

Choose text size: Select small text. Select medium text. Select large text.

DealsOnTheWeb Daily Deal: 80GB iPod Classic: $209 Delivered

TMO Quick Tip - Remove Unwanted Menu Bar Icons

by , 7:30 AM EST, February 29th, 2008

Your Mac's menu bar holds all kinds of useful tidbits, but that doesn't mean everything you see there is a welcome addition. Sometimes applications add their own menu bar items that take up space you would rather use for something else. Luckily, removing those extra icons is easy to do.


Find the item you don't want...

Just Command-click the item you want to remove and drag it out of the menu bar. When you release the item it will disappear in a puff of smoke.


...and Command-drag it out of your menu bar.

If you want to move were an item sits instead, you can Command-click it left or right. This is handy if you want your menu bar items organized in a specific order.

iSync's menu bar item automatically appears in my menu bar whenever there is a problem with synchronizing my iPhone. That's fine because it alerts me to the problem; unfortunately the icon doesn't go away once the issue is resolved. Since my menu bar is already loaded to the gills with other things I find more useful, I like to get rid of the iSync item right away.

Jeff Gamet is TMO's Morning Editor and Reviews Editor. He lectures, teaches and speaks on Mac OS X and design-related topics, and is the author of The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X from Peachpit Press.

if you have tips or tricks to share, or Mac-related questions you want answered.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:tcsdoc Posts: 1 Joined: 29 Feb 2008
Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:44 am Subject:

Nice tip but doesn't work on all icons. I couldn't remove the Pathfinder icon from the menu bar.


 Reply | Quote
View Name:Guest
Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:26 pm Subject: Changing the order
View Name:Guest
Fri Feb 29, 2008 1:03 pm Subject:
View Name:Guest
Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:36 pm Subject:
View Name:Guest
Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:49 pm Subject: Apple is still screwing this up
Close Name:Brutno Posts: 194 Joined: 28 Aug 2002
Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:50 pm Subject: Repeatability

Also understand that removing/moving a menu bar item may only be temporary: it may return to its normal position upon restarting.


 Reply | Quote
View Name:Guest
Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:11 pm Subject:
Close Name:jinkies -   Evil Girl of TMO Posts: 3846 Joined: 24 Sep 2001
Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:28 pm Subject:
View Name:Guest
Wed Apr 02, 2008 3:27 pm Subject: MENU bar reversal
Comment on this Article

Show:   comments per page.   Save Settings
Guest Posts Hidden. View Them.
Back to top  Page 1 of 1    

You cannot edit your comments.   You cannot delete your comments.
Log in | Register | Having Problems? Reset TMO Cookies & Try Again
Username:   Password:   Log me on automatically each visit   

You are not logged in, and this post will appear as "Guest." Log in with your username and password from the TMO forums. If you do not have a username, you can register here.
Please note that guests are limited to including a maximum of two URLs per post.

Post A Comment
  Subject


  Your Comments



Please enter the word exactly as you see it in the image above. Registered users aren't prompted for this. Having trouble reading the image get a new one.

Recent Headlines - Updated Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

Tue., 5:00 PM
iPodObserver - CW: AT&T's 3G Network Leaves Verizon, Sprint in the Dust
4:00 PM
Montage 1.5 Gets New Styles System, Scene Navigation Enhancements
3:45 PM
RIM's Empire Strikes Back at Apple
3:00 PM
C|Net: Remote Possibilities for Apple
2:55 PM
Mac Gaming News - World of Warcraft Patched to 2.4.2 - Class Changes, Mac Fixes
2:20 PM
Apple Publishes Details on WWDC Keynote
1:40 PM
Office 2008 for Mac Sales Soaring
11:50 AM
Apple Gives Retail Store Site a New Look
11:10 AM
Mac Gaming News - Friction Games Ships Penumbra: Black Plague
10:40 AM
Hot Forum Topic - The Mighty-dirty Mouse
10:05 AM
Adobe Updates DNG Specification with Camera Profiles
9:35 AM
iPodObserver - HBO Joins iTunes with Two-tier Pricing
8:35 AM
Apple Rolls Out "New Get a Mac" Ads
8:10 AM
PageSender 4.3 Enhances Menu Options, More
7:40 AM
Podcast - Apple Weekly Report #125: iPhone Expansion, NBC and Zune, Apple's Eco-stance
3:10 AM
MS Office 2008 SP1 Improves Stability, Security, More
3:05 AM
Microsoft Says Visual Basic Returning to Office
 

The Mac Observer Reader Specials

Apple Stock Quote

  • AAPL: $189.96. Change Today: +1.80.
  • (Prices delayed up to 20 minutes.)
  • Discuss in our Apple Finance Board

Hot Topics

What's the buzz? These articles have TMO readers talking.

Top Deals From DealsOnTheWeb