How does TopNotch hide the notch and handle wallpapers?

Updated

TopNotch is a small macOS app that makes the menu bar black so the notch blends into it, and it keeps that effect in sync with your wallpaper. It requires macOS 11.0 or newer, works across multiple displays and spaces, and runs in the background watching for wallpaper changes. It also offers an optional rounded-corners effect for your wallpaper.

How the notch is hidden

The mechanism is straightforward: rather than masking or cropping the screen, TopNotch turns the menu bar black. Because the notch area sits within the menu bar strip on notched Macs, a black menu bar makes the notch visually disappear against it. The app's own description frames this as making the notch "disappear like a đŸĨˇ."

Two consequences follow from this approach:

  • It is a menu bar treatment, not a hardware or display change. The effect depends on the menu bar being visible and black.
  • It is designed to coexist with your desktop. The app stays in the background rather than requiring a window to stay open.

How it handles wallpapers

Wallpaper handling is where TopNotch does most of its ongoing work. According to the app's page, it supports macOS Dynamic Desktop Wallpapers and stays in the background watching for wallpaper changes. In practice, that means when your desktop picture changes — including a Dynamic Desktop shifting through its time-based sequence — TopNotch is watching so the black menu bar treatment stays consistent with what's on screen.

The page also lists an optional Round corners setting: enable it and TopNotch adds rounded corners to your wallpaper. This is a separate cosmetic option from the notch hiding, so you can use the black menu bar without it, or combine both.

Feature summary

Feature What it does When it matters
Black menu bar Makes the notch blend into the menu bar You want the notch to visually disappear
Dynamic Wallpaper support Works with macOS Dynamic Desktop Wallpapers You use a time-shifting desktop picture
Background operation Stays running and watches for wallpaper changes You change wallpapers or use dynamic ones
Multiple displays and spaces Works across displays and spaces You use more than one screen or several desktops
Round corners Adds rounded corners to the wallpaper You want a softer desktop edge treatment

Setup requirements and practical fit

The only stated system requirement is macOS 11.0 or newer. The page offers a free download, and the app is made by the team behind CleanShot, a macOS screen capture tool — a useful signal if you already know that product.

Before installing, consider these conditions:

  • Check your macOS version first. If you're below 11.0, the app isn't an option.
  • Decide whether you want the rounded-corners effect. It changes your wallpaper's appearance, so it's a preference rather than a requirement for hiding the notch.
  • Multi-display users should verify behavior on each screen. The page states the app works well with multiple displays and spaces, but your setup — external monitors without a notch, for example — is worth checking after install.

A reasonable way to evaluate it: install it, confirm the menu bar turns black on your notched display, then switch wallpapers (including a Dynamic Desktop) and confirm the treatment holds. If you use several spaces or displays, cycle through them to see that the effect persists. If anything looks off, the rounded-corners option is the first setting to toggle, since it's the one that alters the wallpaper itself rather than just the menu bar.