Apps show unread counts on their Dock icons, which is no help once you hide the Dock. BadgeBar gives each app its own menu bar icon with its count on top, so you can keep the Dock hidden and still see every new message in WhatsApp, Slack, Mail, Messages and anything else that shows a badge.

What it does

• One icon per app. Any app that shows a Dock badge can have a menu bar icon. Icons dim when there's nothing new, or hide until something arrives.

• Click to open, right-click to read. Click an icon to open the app, like the Dock. Right-click to see who wrote and what they said, or mark everything as read.

• Notification history. BadgeBar keeps its own history of messages, so they stay around after Notification Center clears them.

• Badge styles. Show the count on the icon, beside it, or as a dot, in any color.

• Notice what just arrived. When a count goes up, the badge can pulse, glow or shimmer.

• Groups. Put related apps under one icon that shows their total.

• Your icons, your order. Use the app's own icon, a monochrome version, an SF Symbol or your own image. Arrange icons by dragging. Works alongside Bartender, Ice and Hidden Bar.

Private by design

BadgeBar never connects to the internet. No accounts, no analytics, no servers.

Get it

Free and open source (MIT). Needs macOS 14 or later, on Apple silicon or Intel.

brew install --cask hk-vk/tap/badgebar