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Bartender 6 on macOS 27: Bartender 7, Screen Recording and free alternatives

By Teekam Suthar · · 3 min read

Bartender 6 is made for macOS 26 Tahoe and macOS 15 Sequoia, so on macOS 27 you need Bartender 7. It's built for macOS 27, Screen Recording is optional, and Bartender 6 owners get a discounted upgrade.

If you'd rather not pay again, Thaw 3 and the GitHub version of Hidden Bar are free alternatives that work on macOS 27. And if only a few icons don't fit, you may not need a menu bar manager at all.

Bartender 6 or Bartender 7?

Bartender 6Bartender 7
Made formacOS 26 Tahoe and 15 SequoiamacOS 27, and macOS 26 Tahoe since version 7.1.0
Screen RecordingAsked for, to capture images of your menu bar itemsOptional: without it, you see app icons instead of images
Buying itDiscounted upgrade to Bartender 7 for ownersOne-time purchase, with a 4-week free trial

Bartender's support page says Bartender 6 is for Tahoe and Sequoia and that Bartender 7 is built for macOS 27, so on macOS 27 Bartender 7 is the one to install. A Bartender 7 license also works with Bartender 6, so you can keep using 6 on an older Mac. On first launch, Bartender 7.1.0 offers to bring over your Bartender 6 presets and layout.

If Screen Recording is the problem

Plenty of people search for Bartender and Screen Recording, because Bartender 6 asks for it and some people would rather not grant it.

  • Bartender 7 works without it, and shows each app's icon instead of a picture of its menu bar item. If the menu bar doesn't refresh on its own, Bartender 7.0.4 added a "Refresh menu bar" button.
  • Thaw doesn't need Screen Recording to hide, show or rearrange icons either.
  • If permissions won't stick, Bartender's support page suggests removing Bartender from Screen & System Audio Recording and Accessibility in System Settings › Privacy & Security, then relaunching it and granting access again.

Free Bartender alternatives for macOS 27

AppOn macOS 27Good to know
ThawThaw 3, in beta, is made for macOS 27Free and open source. Organizes icons into groups and profiles, like Bartender
Hidden BarVersion 1.11.1 from GitHub hides iconsFree and open source. The Mac App Store version can't hide icons on macOS 27
IceNo macOS 27 release yetFree and open source. Its last release was a beta for macOS 26

What works on macOS 27 has the details on each, with links to their release notes.

You may not need Bartender at all

Bartender is worth it when you have lots of icons you want to keep but rarely click. If you were using it mostly because a few icons didn't fit beside the notch:

  1. Turn off the icons you never use in System Settings › Menu Bar.
  2. Hold Command and drag the ones you use most next to the clock.
  3. Combine the icons you check all day. DuoBar shows battery, Wi-Fi and memory in one icon, so you can turn off Apple's separate Battery and Wi-Fi icons.

DuoBar doesn't hide other apps' icons, so it isn't a Bartender replacement for a menu bar full of apps. It does free up space without hiding anything, and it never asks for Screen Recording or Accessibility access.

FAQ

Does Bartender 6 work on macOS 27?

Bartender's support page says Bartender 6 is for macOS 26 Tahoe and 15 Sequoia, and that Bartender 7 is built for macOS 27. On macOS 27, install Bartender 7. Bartender 6 owners get a discounted upgrade.

Does Bartender 7 need Screen Recording?

No. Screen Recording is optional in Bartender 7. Without it, Bartender shows each app's icon instead of an image of its menu bar item.

Is there a free alternative to Bartender on macOS 27?

Yes. Thaw 3 is free and open source and made for macOS 27, though it's still in beta. Hidden Bar's version 1.11.1 from GitHub also hides icons on macOS 27.

Can I use my Bartender 6 license with Bartender 7?

Not directly: Bartender 6 owners get a discounted upgrade to Bartender 7. It works the other way round, though: a Bartender 7 license also unlocks Bartender 6.

Sources

Checked on 11 November 2026:

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