ChocolateBar adds a second row directly beneath the macOS menu bar, making all notch-hidden menu bar icons and open application windows permanently visible and accessible with a single click. ($15, one-time)
MacBook Pro models with a notch silently push menu bar icons out of view when there are more icons than the space beside the notch allows. ChocolateBar surfaces those hidden icons in a second horizontal strip below the menu bar, so every running app’s status icon remains accessible without hiding or dismissing them. The strip updates in real time as icons appear and disappear.
The same second row also lists every open application window alongside the menu bar icons. Clicking a window entry in the strip brings that window to the front immediately, providing a lightweight window-switching alternative that does not require Cmd-Tab cycling or clicking in the Dock. The app reads and interacts with other applications through the macOS Accessibility API, the only public mechanism Apple provides for this purpose; granting the Accessibility permission through System Settings is a one-time action.
ChocolateBar uses approximately 30 MB of RAM at runtime. The license covers every Mac the purchaser owns, and all future version updates are included without additional charge.
System requirements: Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, or M4). macOS 12 Monterey through macOS 15 Sequoia. Requires Accessibility permission granted via System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
Pricing: ($15, one-time) with lifetime updates. A 7-day refund policy applies.
Limitations: Apple Silicon only — Intel Macs are not supported. The second row is always visible while ChocolateBar is running and cannot be collapsed or hidden. Reliance on the Accessibility API means future macOS permission model changes could affect functionality. The app is distributed directly, not through the Mac App Store.
Alternatives: Bartender 6 ($20 one-time, macbartender.com) manages menu bar icons in a collapsible hidden section and supports Intel Macs; Ice (free, open-source) hides icons behind a trigger drawer and offers a similar approach without the window-switching row; iBar (App Store, one-time purchase) reveals notch-hidden icons in a floating bar below the notch without listing open windows.
Suitable for users with notch-equipped MacBooks who want all menu bar icons permanently visible alongside a fast window switcher without installing a full-featured menu bar manager.
