Overhang

Overhang is a free macOS utility for recovering access to status bar menus that the system no longer draws. It suits people who want to reach those items without changing how the rest of the menu bar is arranged; its narrow remit is also its main constraint.

Overview

Overhang brings hidden status bar items into a list, paired with the icon of the app that owns each one. That solves a specific access problem, not general menu bar clutter: it cannot hide, rearrange, or group items, or add custom ones. Choose it when an item has disappeared from view; look elsewhere if you want to redesign the menu bar.

Key features

Finding and listing items works without permissions. Optional click-through uses Accessibility, but it cannot press every app's menu: when an app handles mouse events in a way Overhang cannot trigger, the utility brings that app to the front instead. That fallback may help you get to the owning app, but it does not guarantee direct menu access.

Settings include launching at login and enabling click-through. Support for Macs with and without a notch, plus external displays, makes it useful across different screen layouts. Overhang needs no network connection. It reads icon positions, sizes, and owning applications in memory and discards that information when it quits; it collects, sends, and stores no user information and has no analytics, account system, or server.

The maker says release builds are signed with an Apple Developer ID certificate and notarized by Apple. GitHub repository releases are the only official builds identified by the security policy, and support is directed to GitHub Issues.

Pricing

Overhang's Free plan costs nothing and requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later. It is a universal binary for Apple silicon and Intel, with no paid tier or trial to weigh against the free version. For a single-purpose utility, the lack of a price makes it easy to try, but there is no customization functionality to grow into if your needs change.

Platforms

Overhang runs on macOS 14 Sonoma or later. It supports multiple displays and Macs both with and without a notch; it does not require a network connection.

Who it's for

Overhang is for Mac users who need a route to status bar items macOS has stopped drawing and do not need to change the visible menu bar. It is a poor fit for anyone seeking icon hiding, rearrangement, grouping, custom items, or keyboard shortcuts.

Pros and cons

Pros: No-cost access to otherwise undrawn items, with no permission required just to find and list them.

Pros: Works with notch and non-notch Macs and external displays, and needs no network connection.

Cons: Click-through can bring an app forward without opening its menu, so direct access is not assured for every item.

Cons: No hiding, rearranging, grouping, custom menu items, or keyboard shortcuts; it cannot replace a broader menu bar organizer.

Alternatives

For a plugin-based utility rather than recovery of hidden menus, choose SwiftBar: it is open source, free, and runs on macOS 12 or later, with plugins run from a local folder. If hiding menu bar icons is the priority, Vanilla has a free plan for that purpose. iBar-Menubar is another freemium macOS alternative, with a free download and in-app purchases. Lloyd is a free, MIT-licensed macOS menu-bar utility.

For a module-based approach, Octobar has a free plan with up to five active modules and a Pro option at $4.99, paid once for unlimited active modules and submenu groups. Pelmet is free and open source, but requires macOS 27. xbar is a completely open-source, MIT-licensed option. If you want a paid menu bar customization product with a yearly subscription or one-time purchase, consider Bartender.

Browse more options in Menu Bar Customization Software.

Verdict

Choose Overhang if you need a free, focused way to find and open status bar items macOS has stopped drawing, especially across multiple displays or a notched Mac. Its privacy-conscious, offline operation is a plus, but the click-through fallback can stop short of opening a menu, and it offers none of the controls needed to organize the rest of the bar. For those broader needs, pick a menu bar customization tool instead.