Hands-On Apple 207: Ultimate Menu Bar Control

Host: Micah Sargent
Air Date: November 6, 2025
Podcast: All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio)

Episode Overview

This episode of Hands-On Apple explores the new, advanced menu bar and Control Center customization features in macOS Tahoe. Host Micah Sargent delivers a hands-on walkthrough of the expanded controls, highlights significant quality-of-life improvements for Mac users, and demonstrates how users can now declutter, customize, and control their menu bar natively—no third-party apps required.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Need for Better Menu Bar Management (01:49–03:10)

• Historical Frustration: Micah notes that Mac users have long required third-party apps (Bartender, Ice) for real menu bar management, which was "kind of annoying."

  • “For the longest time people have had to turn to third-party apps to do any level of true management of their menu bar on macOS… That’s kind of annoying.” (01:49)

• macOS Tahoe’s New Powers: With Tahoe, users finally get extensive built-in controls for customizing what appears in the menu bar.

2. The Transparent Menu Bar in macOS Tahoe (03:11–05:10)

• Subtle Visual Change: By default, the menu bar is now fully transparent (not opaque or translucent). This surprises many users, evoking a “something’s off, but I'm not quite sure what it is” feeling.
• How to Restore the Background:
  • Go to System Settings → Menu Bar.
  • Toggle “Show menu bar background” to restore the blurred color effect at the top.
  • Micah suggests trying both settings to see which you prefer:
    • “It kind of gives a visual sense of the screen, the display, being a little bit bigger… Toggle on and off to get your brain used to it.” (05:02)

3. Menu Bar Visibility Options (05:11–06:05)

• Hide/Show Settings: The menu bar can now automatically hide and show in multiple ways:
  • Full Screen Only (Default) – Hidden in full screen apps.
  • Always Hidden – Only appears when the cursor is nudged to the screen’s edge.
  • On Desktop Only / Never – Menu bar can be set to always show or always hide on the desktop.
• Micah’s Preference:
  • “Right now the menu bar is completely hidden. And the way to beckon to it is to kind of push your cursor up towards the edge…” (05:20)

4. Recent Documents, Applications, and Servers (06:06–07:10)

• Quick Access:
  • Control how many recent documents, apps, or servers appear in their respective lists.
  • Finder shortcut: Command + K to connect to recent servers.
• Use Case: Handy for accessing network-attached storage and frequently used files.

5. Menu Bar Controls & Control Center Integration (07:11–08:15)

• “Add Controls” Interface:
  • New section in System Settings allows users to add/remove controls in the Control Center or menu bar.
  • Mirrors iOS’s Control Center customizability.
• Placement Flexibility:
  • Controls for music, screensaver, Home, and others can be positioned in either location.
  • Visual demonstration:
    • “I am able to then select some features that I can add to Control center up at the top. Excuse me, to the menu bar up at the top as well.” (07:50)

6. Granular Default Controls (10:16–13:00)

• Checkbox System: If a control (e.g., Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Battery) is checked, it shows in the menu bar. Uncheck to hide.
• Bluetooth and Battery: Recommended to leave these visible for quick device status checks.
  • “Wi-Fi I always recommend having that left in there. Bluetooth, if you have Bluetooth devices, it's good to have that there. Battery… you can choose whether it shows a percentage of the charge…” (10:40)
• Focus & Screen Mirroring:
  • Can be set to appear always or only when active.
• Display & Sound Controls:
  • “Always show” or “show when active” settings; display and sound icons help when using Sidecar or external devices.

7. App-by-App Menu Bar Management (13:01–14:10)

• "Allow in Menu Bar" Setting: Users can show or hide third-party app icons in the menu bar without disabling the app itself.
  • “What I can do is say... I only need to use [an app] when I have the app itself open. Turning that off means that it will not show in the menu bar. It will still be able to be accessed. It still runs exactly as you expect, but it's not in the menu bar taking up space.” (13:25)
• Space-Saving Examples:
  • Hide apps like Backblaze, Malwarebytes, or script monitors if not needed constantly.

8. Rearranging Menu Bar Icons (14:11–14:20)

• Simple Drag & Drop:
  • “Hold down the command key and click and drag on these icons in the menu bar to rearrange them.”

9. Resetting & Fine-Tuning

• Reset Controls: Users can reset their Control Center back to defaults anytime.
• Clock Display Options: (14:30–15:30)
  • Show/hide date and day of week (“when space allows” for icons).
  • Digital vs. analog clock.
  • Option to show AM/PM, blink the separator, or show seconds.
  • Fun aside: “On my Mac Studio, the one that I use for doing all of my shows, I have the seconds displayed. I need that stress here. I don't need that stress.”
  • “Announce the time” option for a bit of mischief in the office.

10. Closing Thoughts (15:40–16:40)

• Quality-of-Life Boost:
  • Micah applauds Apple: “This is exactly the way that I would want it to appear... this really well designed and updated feature set that I think is just kind of a quality of life improvements to macOS.”
• Audience Engagement:
  • Invites listeners to reach out with questions or topic suggestions: “If you have questions or other topics you want me to cover, be sure to reach out... and I’ll see you next time for another episode of Hands on Apple.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On finally getting native menu bar control:
  • “For the longest time people have had to turn to third-party apps… That’s kind of annoying.” (01:49, Micah Sargent)
• On the transparent menu bar effect:
  • “It’s like when someone changes a very subtle feature about themselves. You know something’s off, but you’re not quite sure what it is.” (02:20, Micah Sargent)
• On blending Control Center with the menu bar:
  • “This is akin to Control Center on iOS and gives you the ability to control different apps… and access certain features like starting a screensaver, for example.” (07:30, Micah Sargent)
• On granular app control:
  • “Turning that off means that it will not show in the menu bar. It will still be able to be accessed… but it’s not in the menu bar taking up space.” (13:30, Micah Sargent)
• On clock options:
  • “I like a digital clock. Whether or not AM and PM are displayed, whether the time separator, the colon in this case, flashes…and if it has the seconds. If you really like to know… you can also set it up to announce the time, which is a great way to annoy anyone around you.” (15:00, Micah Sargent)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 01:49–03:10| Overview of historic menu bar customization problems | | 03:11–05:10| Menu bar background & transparency in macOS Tahoe | | 05:11–06:05| Menu bar visibility options (full screen, always, etc) | | 06:06–07:10| Recent documents/apps/servers settings | | 07:11–08:15| Adding controls to menu bar or Control Center | | 10:16–13:00| Managing default controls (Wi-Fi, Battery, more) | | 13:01–14:10| App-by-app menu bar management | | 14:11–14:20| Dragging to rearrange menu bar items | | 14:30–15:30| Clock customization options | | 15:40–16:40| Feature recap & call for listener engagement |

Conclusion

This episode is a must-listen/watch for macOS users considering the upgrade to Tahoe or anyone wanting a tidier, more useful menu bar. By finally bringing highly-requested customization tools in-house, Apple has given users the power to curate a more personal—and less cluttered—Mac experience. Micah’s walkthrough provides both technical steps and practical advice, making it easy for listeners to get started with the new features right away.