Install SimplyBar
SimplyBar runs on macOS 14 and later. It is free, with no in-app purchase and no subscription.
Download it on the Mac App Store. Its source code is also on GitHub, under the MIT license.
First launch
- Open SimplyBar. Its settings open, and the modules appear at the top right of the screen, in the menu bar.
- Click a module: its detail window opens, with the history of its measurements.
- In that window, the gear opens the settings, and the “Quit” button closes the app.
SimplyBar has no Dock icon: it lives in the menu bar. To stop seeing the settings at every launch, turn off “Open Settings at launch” in the General tab.
Show or hide a module
The settings have one tab per module: CPU, RAM, GPU, Network, SSD and Bluetooth.
- Open the settings (the gear of a detail window, or open the app again).
- Choose the module's tab.
- Turn “Show in menu bar” on or off. In the same place: “Show icon”, “Show label”, the measurement and its style.
On first launch, every module is shown except Bluetooth.
All modules hidden? Open SimplyBar again from the Finder, Spotlight or Launchpad: its settings open.
Launch at login
- Open the settings, General tab.
- Turn on “Launch at login”. It is off by default.
If macOS asks for your approval, the app shows “Requires approval in System Settings > General > Login Items.” The “Open Login Items Settings” button takes you there: allow SimplyBar, then come back.
Add a widget
SimplyBar offers ten widgets. In small size: CPU, RAM, GPU, Network, SSD and Keep Awake. In small and medium sizes: Bluetooth (your devices' battery), Mac Health (heat, and battery on a laptop) and Diagnostic (latest verdict, with an “Analyze” button). And Storage in small, medium and large sizes, which shows all your disks, external ones included.
The buttons of the Diagnostic and Keep Awake widgets ask the open app to act.
- Right-click the desktop, then choose “Edit Widgets…”.
- Look for SimplyBar in the list.
- Drag the widget you want onto the desktop.
In large size, Storage lists up to five disks, and two in medium size. In small size, it follows a single disk: right-click the widget, choose to edit it, then pick the disk.
Widgets need the app. SimplyBar does the measuring and hands the numbers to them: keep it open, for example with “Launch at login”.
- A widget you just added can take up to 5 minutes to show its first numbers.
- After that, its numbers are updated every 30 minutes. Each widget shows the time of its measurement.
- With no new measurement for 45 minutes, the widget shows “Open SimplyBar to start measuring.”
Frequently asked questions
Does SimplyBar show temperatures or fans?
No. On the Mac, temperature sensors and fans are not open to Mac App Store apps, which run inside the macOS sandbox. SimplyBar sticks to what macOS allows it to read.
Why doesn't my headphones' battery show up?
Some headphones and earbuds do not report their battery level to macOS. SimplyBar then cannot show it: in the Bluetooth window, the device reads “Battery not reported”.
If a device is missing from the list, disconnect it and connect it again while the list refreshes.
I just added a widget and it stays empty.
That is expected: a widget you just added can take up to 5 minutes to show its first numbers. Also check that SimplyBar is open, since it does the measuring.
I can't see SimplyBar in the menu bar.
Check in the settings that the modules you want have “Show in menu bar” turned on. On a Mac with a notch, macOS hides the menu bar items that do not fit: hide a module or its label to make room.
Does SimplyBar slow down my Mac?
It is built to stay light: about 1.6% of one core at rest. A module that is neither shown nor open is not measured, and one that only feeds a widget is measured once a minute.
What does SimplyBar do with my data?
Nothing leaves your Mac: the app has no network access, collects no data and contains no tracker. The details are in the privacy policy.
Is SimplyBar really free?
Yes: no in-app purchase, no subscription, no ads. Its code is public under the MIT license.
Another question?
Write to [email protected], or open an issue on GitHub. For a problem, mention your macOS version and the module involved.