Pelmet
Pelmet is a free macOS utility for managing menu bar icons.
What Pelmet is
Pelmet is a free macOS utility for managing menu bar icons. It lets you arrange items into Visible, Hidden and Always Hidden sections through a layout editor or Command-drag. Hidden items can be revealed by hovering, clicking empty menu bar space, double-clicking for Always Hidden items, or using the chevron; reveal styles include Instant, Smooth and Fade. Pelmet also provides replacement menu bar items for media controls, AirDrop, camera and microphone indicators, a timer, Focus, fast user switching and Shortcuts. You can add app icons that launch their apps when clicked and hide them like other items. Pelmet requires macOS 27; macOS 26 and earlier are unsupported. Accessibility access is required, while Screen Recording is optional for animation stills that the maker says are not retained. The maker says the app has no account, analytics or telemetry, but connects to retrieve updates and fetches a GitHub star count for its Thanks pane. Its icon-hiding mechanism relies on a private Apple framework that a macOS update could change or remove.
Good
- Arrange items in three visibility sections.
- Several ways to reveal hidden items.
- Includes replacement menu bar controls.
- Add and hide app launchers.
- Free and open source.
Watch out
- Requires macOS 27; earlier versions are unsupported.
- Accessibility access is required.
- Uses a private framework that macOS updates may change.
- One-person project with no vulnerability-reporting SLA.
Who it suits
Pelmet suits Mac users on macOS 27 who want to arrange, hide and restore menu bar items, including app launchers. It also offers keyboard shortcuts and support for multiple displays.
Verdict
Pelmet provides several ways to organize and reveal menu bar items, along with replacement controls and app launchers. Check the macOS 27 requirement and private-framework dependency before relying on it.
Plans and prices
From Pelmet's own pricing page, checked 4 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Free and open source · Requires macOS 27 |
The facts
Each one read from Pelmet's own pages, with the date it was checked.
Where it runs
- App launchers
- Users can add Pelmet icons for apps, which open the app when clicked and can be hidden like other items.checked 4 Oct 2026
What it does
- Audience
- Pelmet is built for Mac users who want to manage and hide menu bar icons on macOS 27.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Built-in items
- Pelmet offers replacement menu bar items including media controls, AirDrop, camera and microphone indicator, timer, Focus, fast user switching and Shortcuts.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Compatibility limit
- Pelmet relies on a private Apple framework for hiding icons, and the maker says a macOS update could change or remove that mechanism.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Data and network
- The maker says Pelmet has no account, analytics or telemetry; it connects to retrieve updates and fetches GitHub star count in its Thanks pane.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Layout
- Icons can be arranged in Visible, Hidden and Always Hidden sections using a layout editor or Command-drag in the menu bar.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Permissions
- Accessibility access is required; Screen Recording is optional and used for animation stills that Pelmet says are not recorded or kept.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Pelmet hides menu bar icons and brings them back on hover, click or keyboard shortcut.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Reveal options
- Reveal can be triggered by hover, clicking empty menu bar space, double-clicking for Always Hidden, or using the chevron, with Instant, Smooth and Fade styles.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Security
- The maker says each DMG is Developer ID signed and Apple notarized, the app uses hardened runtime, and updates use EdDSA signatures.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maker describes Pelmet as a one-person project with no vulnerability-reporting SLA and says acknowledgements generally arrive within a few days.checked 4 Oct 2026
- System requirement
- Pelmet requires macOS 27 and does not support macOS 26 or earlier.checked 4 Oct 2026
