Bartender overview
Bartender lets you organize your menu-bar apps by hiding them, rearranging them, or moving them to Bartender's Bar. You can display the full menu bar, set options to have menu-bar items show in the menu bar when they have updated, or have them always visible in Bartender's Bar.
Features:
- Lets you tidy your menu-bar apps how you want.
- See your menu-bar apps when you want.
- Hide the apps you need to run, but do not need to see.
- Have the clean looking menu bar you want.
- Rearrange your menu-bar items as you wish.
What’s new in version 5.0.52
Updated on Apr 23 2024
Note: 5.0.52 is a BETA version
New Features
- Image comparison improvementsю. Due to changes in the menu bar icon image data supplied by macOS, I had to revisit the image comparison algorithm, I have taken this opportunity improve the algorithms ability to spot useful differences, and ignore non important changes. Basically its better at ignoring light/dark mode, resolution or menu bar size differences, and better at spotting intentional color changes (such as part of an icon turning red), or shape changes.
- Re-added the ability to only use the Bartender Bar on screens with a notchю. Now you can once again set Bartender to only use the Bartender Bar on screens with a notch.
Bug Fixes
- CPU usage creeping up over daysю. With a menu bar style applied it was possible for the CPU usage to start increasing over days, this has been fixed.
- Small improvement to menu bar style when switching spacesю. It could take a second for the menu bar style to be applied when changing spaces, this has been fixed.
- Small improvements to image comparisonsю. Making small incremental improvements to image comparisons.
- Fix for highlight showing when Bartenders menu bar item set to be hiddenю. This has been fixed.
- Bartender Advanced settings window resizing causing window to move offscreenю. I still have not tracked down what in AppKit is causing this, but I have disabled resizing in Advanced settings to prevent this, until I can find the issue.
- Bugs in the new image comparison trigger conditionю. There were a number of small bugs reported for the new image comparison trigger conditions. These have been fixed.
Information
App requirements
- Intel 64
- Apple Silicon
- macOS 14.0 or later
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User Ratings
May 23 2024
Version: 5.0.52
CONCLUSION (of my rant fest): I had a good email conversation with Surtees Studio's tech support. They apologize for the [extraordinary] process required for the upgrade. They are going to look into finding a streamlined automation process. There are a few elements involved. (1) The new version uses a new security certificate, requiring users to set up security settings all over again. (2) Changes in macOS Sonoma in particular have made look like the old settings remain, when they don't. That's Apple's fault. Apple also has failed to provide an automated method of working around that nonsense. Therefore, a forced RESET is typically required using the CLI (Character Line Interface). Shameful Apple. (3) Amidst this mess, Surtee's Studio put out a sloppy workaround process, and GUI, and added CLI reset instruction page. - - FUTURE: Expect the Dev to clean up the process. I would also hope Apple sorts out their own, sadly perennial macOS blundering. 🙄😤
May 19 2024
Version: 5.0.52
v5.0.52 now attempts to contact Amplitude.com. They are a user metadata collection company. Data is collected, the referrer is paid, the data goes on the market to be sold or to be handed over to the government. DO NOT APPROVE of Bartender connecting to Amplitude.com, suggest I. - - Something has, to be subtle, CHANGED over at Surtees Studios. Typically in these situations, at the very least their management has changed. Selling user data and blundering coding is common when marketing assumes the roll of management, which is a phenomenon of aging companies. Sometimes the company is sold and the buyers pursue money rather than respect and quality. I could lecture all day about this stuff. JUST BE WARY of Bartender at this point in time, say I. (0_o)
May 18 2024
Version: 5.0.52
NIGHTMARE = Finished version 5.0.52. DO NOT INSTALL, unless you enjoy bugs. This is NOT ready for prime time. It's actually a shameful update. HERE is a short version of the problems: (1) You install the update and have a non-removable floating window shoved at you. It tells you to do thing's you've already done for previous versions. But the stupid window won't go away. So you "Kick-The-Machine" by turning OFF the requested settings and you Quit then reboot Bartender. And the stupid window returns and won't go away. Meanwhile, Bartender is 100% inert in its purpose. So now what? There's a link on the offending window to: https://www.macbartender.com/Bartender5/PermissionIssues/ - - That page tells you to run a couple CLI (Character Line Interface) commands. UNACCEPTABLE EVER for average users. But you bother with it anyway and find the CLI tells you it can't find what you're looking for. Nonetheless, the RESET has worked. So you go back to the stupid window and follow along re-making the original settings. NOW, hopefully, they work and take hold. So you reboot macOS and find that Bartender isn't automatically loading! So you try to get into the Bartender settings by holding down Option as you click it's icon. Oops, wrong CLI comes up. Do exactly the same and NOW you get to settings and find that Bartender is turned OFF for booting when your computer starts. Turn it ON again. Then go have a stiff drink, of water at least. SHAMEFUL! But the nastiness is hopefully over. BLAME THE DEVS for this NIGHTMARE. And I don't get ticked off easily about software. SHAMEFUL.
Apr 23 2024
Version: 5.0.52
v5.0.52 is a BETA version. You can turn on beta testing in Advanced Settings "Update to test builds". v5.0.49 is the current public version, available at the dev site.
Oct 5 2023
Version: 5.0.36
Excellent Customer Service. Replied immediately and helped me find solutions for some menubar items that would not play nice.
Sep 29 2023
Version: 5.0.27
Not upgrading to Sonoma until 14.1 in December. So half-price break will be long expired.
Sep 28 2023
Version: 5.0.27
I have not yet taken the plunge to Sonoma yet (honestly, it's only been available for two days!), but once I do, Bartender 5 will be one of the first apps I update. I give the developers a lot of credit: They inform us that 5 will only run under Sonoma, and make 4 still available for those who are running Ventura or earlier. The 5 license will also be usable for earlier releases, and if you aren't running Sonoma, you will be informed of this if you try 5. Half-price (or free if you purchased 4 after July 2022) upgrades and a very reasonable price for one of what I consider to be a must-have utility program (I'm a menu bar junkie)! Kudos!
Sep 22 2023
Version: 5.0.10
Where to download the latest VERSION 4.x of Bartender: https://www.macbartender.com/B2/updates/B4Latest/Bartender%204.dmg
Sep 22 2023
Version: 5.0.10
Bartender 4.2.25 is now out. Note that v4.x is *NOT* fully optimized for macOS 14 Sonoma. "With this update Bartender 4 will display a message on macOS Sonoma prompting the user to download Bartender 5." - - RELEASE NOTES: "Bug Fixes -
• macOS Sonoma compatibility improvements.
I have made Bartender 4 as compatible with macOS Sonoma as possible. Including re-introducing Show for Updates, NOTE: the macOS purple "Bartender is capturing your screen" menu bar item will show for any image comparison Show for Updates.
Also there are some deeper macOS changes Bartender 4 cannot take into account, which could cause odd behaviour sometimes.
• Show for update image comparison trigger false positive - When changing between light and dark menu bar some menu bar items icons/emoji would have their opacity changed, this could be enough for the image comparison to trigger a change, this is now taken into account.
• Mouse cursor not changing after changing spaces over a text field. -
When changing spaces with the mouse cursor sitting over a text field, the cursor would not change from the default pointer to the caret cursor. This has been fixed."
Sep 21 2023
Version: 5.0.9
NOTE: Bartender 5.x is ONLY (only) for macOS 14 Sonoma. It is NOT (not) for any earlier versions of macOS. To quote: "Q: Can I use Bartender 5 on macOS Ventura or earlier?
A: Bartender 5 is only compatible with macOS Sonoma. Because of internal changes in macOS, Bartender 5 could only be designed to work with the newest version of macOS. A Bartender 5 license will work with Bartender 4 if you need."
Sep 21 2023
Version: 4.2.24
v4.2.21 remains the current version of paid users, according to the developer's Support. v4.2.24 is intended for both new users and for those testing macOS 14 Sonoma. This is why it doesn't show up as an update within v4.2.21.
Jan 1 2023
Version: 4.2.21
One time purchase for $16, and covers all my computers.
Never crashes, just works, and works well!
Like all software, I'm tired of being screwed, and trials never work out, so I get it somewhere else first to really try it. I had way too much money wasted on crap in the past.
It is great, and I registered. Unlike other greedy companies, and all of this new scam-ware with monthly fees, this software works as advertised, and they are not greedy.
Please register if you like it to keep honest companies like this one alive!
Dec 10 2022
Version: 4.2.21
v4.2.21 public release is now out! - - [I wish I could take down previous posts! But we can't.]
Dec 6 2022
Version: 4.2.21
v4.2.21 is a TEST BUILD, aka BETA version. Don't install it unless that's what you want. Today the current version of publicly released Bartender is *4.2.16* (Sixteen, not twenty-one). Beta versions of apps seriously should NOT be available via MacUpdate, IMHO. They can lead to serious trouble and frustration, having been a beta-tester for decades.
Nov 10 2022
Version: 4.2.14
Oddly, v4.2.12 thinks it's the current version when it's not. v4.2.14 is indeed what downloads direct from the developer. Clunky update systems is tending to be the norm these days. :-P
Oct 20 2022
Version: 4.2.12
(In case the new review feature, still in beta, doesn't work): I've been a Bartender customer for a number of years, and it's one of my Mac "essentials." Whenever I buy a new Mac (I have six at present), one of the first things I do is add Bartender to the startup items. I like menu bar utilities for their convenience, but they can consume so much menu real estate that Bartender lets me manage them TO MY LIKING. There are other utilities that can hide menu items, but none matches the features, performance and management like Bartender.
Jun 10 2022
Version: 4.2.0
v4.2.0 doesn't show up as an update inside Bartender because it's just: "Initial macOS Ventura Support". Only beta-testers of macOS 13 need update.
May 16 2022
Version: 4.1.49
v4.1.50 is out. There is a long list of patches, which I won't post here. - - [Sorry about the previous post "4.1.20". Tough day, and we can't delete posts. :-(
May 16 2022
Version: 4.1.49
v4.1.20 is out. There is a long list of patches, which I won't post here.
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