topnotch.app

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 🥷."

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

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.

TopNotch is available from its official site, topnotch.app, where the page offers a free download. The app requires macOS 11.0 or newer. It is made by the team behind CleanShot, the macOS screen capture tool, and the site provides a contact link.

What you get from the official download

The site describes TopNotch as a small macOS app that makes your menu bar black and hides the notch. Its listed features are:

• Dynamic Wallpapers — supports macOS Dynamic Desktop Wallpapers
• Multiple displays — works with multiple displays and spaces
• Works in background — stays in the background and watches for wallpaper changes
• Round corners — an option that adds rounded corners to your wallpaper

Before you download

Check that your Mac meets the stated requirement of macOS 11.0 or newer. The page does not list pricing beyond the free download offer, so any further terms should be confirmed on the site itself.

Who makes it

TopNotch comes from the team behind CleanShot, and the site includes a link to that product as well as a contact option. If you want to verify the source or ask a question before installing, use the contact link on topnotch.app.

TopNotch is a small macOS app that makes your menu bar black and hides the display notch, so the notch blends into the menu bar instead of standing out. It requires macOS 11.0 or newer and is offered as a free download. It suits MacBook users with a notched display who want a cleaner menu bar, and it also works on setups with multiple displays and spaces.

What TopNotch actually does

The core effect is simple: the menu bar is turned black, which visually absorbs the notch area on notched MacBook screens. Rather than modifying hardware or display settings, the app changes how the menu bar looks so the notch reads as part of the bar.

Beyond that, TopNotch adds a few behaviors that matter in daily use:

• Dynamic Wallpapers — it supports macOS Dynamic Desktop Wallpapers, so the effect keeps working when the wallpaper shifts through the day.
• Multiple displays — the app works well with multiple displays and spaces, so the treatment isn't limited to a single screen.
• Background operation — TopNotch stays in the background and watches for wallpaper changes, reapplying its effect when needed rather than requiring manual resets.
• Round corners — an optional setting that adds rounded corners to your wallpaper.

How it fits into a normal workflow

Because the app runs in the background and monitors wallpaper changes, you generally set it up once and forget it. A practical example: you use a Dynamic Desktop wallpaper that changes between light and dark through the day, and you also connect an external monitor. TopNotch keeps the black menu bar treatment consistent across the built-in display and the external one, and it reasserts the effect after the wallpaper changes instead of leaving the notch exposed.

The rounded-corners option is separate from the notch hiding. Enable it only if you want the wallpaper itself to have rounded edges; it is a cosmetic choice, not a requirement for the main effect.

Requirements and things to check

Before installing, confirm your Mac meets the macOS 11.0 requirement. If you use several displays or spaces, the multiple-display support is the feature to verify against your setup. The site does not list pricing beyond the free download, so treat any cost questions as unconfirmed by the available information.

Who it's for

TopNotch is aimed at people bothered by the notch on newer MacBook displays who want it to disappear into a black menu bar without changing their wallpaper habits. If you rely on Dynamic Desktop wallpapers or switch between displays and spaces often, the background monitoring and multi-display support are the parts that make it low-maintenance. If you don't have a notched display, the main benefit doesn't apply, though the rounded-corners wallpaper option still exists as a cosmetic tweak.

TopNotch requires macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or newer. That is the only system requirement stated on the app's page. Beyond the OS version, the app is built for Macs that have a notch in the display, and it also works with multiple displays and spaces. No other hardware requirements are listed.

Requirements at a glance

What each requirement means for you

macOS 11.0 or newer

Check your version under → About This Mac. If you are on macOS 11 or later, you meet the stated requirement. If you are on an older release, the app is not described as compatible, so you would need to update first.

A Mac with a notch

TopNotch's purpose is to make the menu bar black and hide the notch, so the feature only makes sense on a display that actually has one. On a Mac without a notch, there is nothing for the app to hide.

Multiple displays and spaces

The app is documented to work well across multiple displays and spaces, so connecting an external monitor or switching desktops does not break the effect. It also stays in the background and watches for wallpaper changes, so you do not need to keep a window open.

Setup notes worth knowing before you download

• Dynamic wallpapers are supported. If you use macOS Dynamic Desktop wallpapers, TopNotch is stated to work with them.
• Round corners is optional. Enabling it adds rounded corners to your wallpaper; it is a setting, not a requirement.
• The download is listed as free. The page shows a "Download for free" option. No pricing details beyond that are provided, and no account or login requirement is mentioned.

Quick check before installing

1. Open → About This Mac and confirm macOS 11.0 or later.
2. Confirm your Mac's display has a notch (the app's core function depends on it).
3. Download from the official site and launch the app; it runs in the background, so look for it in the menu bar rather than expecting a main window.

If all three checks pass, your setup meets everything the page states. If your Mac runs an older macOS version, updating the OS is the prerequisite step before TopNotch can be used.