How to always show menubar with fullscreen apps?

Question

Does anyone know if it is possible to keep the menubar in Mac OS Lion visible for fullscreen apps instead of hidden until hovered over with a mouse or trackpad?

I imagine there's some Terminal command I can enter to adjust this preference.

How about just creating a new desktop space (top right in Mission Control) and maximize the app in that space. The only differences will be you'll see the title bar and in Mission Control the space will be named Desktop X instead of the name of the app and it will lack the app icon. Not ideal, but pretty darn close. — John, Jul 29 '11 at 10:53
@Randy6T9 you should write this as an answer. It is the best way. Thanks for the tip! — Carrie Kendall, Jul 15 '13 at 21:27
It would be great if there were at least some option to delay the appearance of the menu bar for x number of seconds longer. — Sephethus, Feb 26 '16 at 18:17
Just press shift & alt/option and click on the green maximize button. This maximizes the window but not in full screen mode. Credit: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-to-always-show-menu-bar-in-full-screen.1221766/#post-22753191 — BinaryJoe01, Aug 16 '18 at 15:49

score 9 · Answer 1 · edited Nov 12 '15 at 08:23

You can adjust this on a per-app basis by editing the plist. My memory is rusty but here are instructions, if I remember correctly.

Show package contents for the app you want
Edit the file Contents/info.plist
Search for "LSUIPresentationMode" (you may want to use a plist editor). It will look like this if you use a regular text editor:
```
<key>LSUIPresentationMode</key>
<integer>4</integer>
```
If the property does not exist, then you can create it - it must be inserted in the correct alphabetical order.
Change the value of the integer accordingly:
- LSUI PresentationMode 0 - Does not hide Dock or Menu Bar.
- LSUIPresentationMode 1 - Hides Dock. Dock will appear if mouse moved to where it is located. Menu Bar will remain.
- LSUIPresentationMode 2 - Removes Dock. Menu Bar will remain.
- LSUIPresentationMode 3 - Removes Menu Bar and Dock.
- LSUIPresentationMode 4 - Hides Menu Bar and Dock. Menu Bar or Dock will appear if mouse moved to where Menu Bar or Dock is located.

For more information on LSUIPresentationMode usage, see the developer documentation:

http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/#documentation/General/Reference/InfoPlistKeyReference/Articles/LaunchServicesKeys.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40009250-113616-TPXREF134

That doesn't affect full screen windows. (Even if it did, you'd have to change the keys separately for each application and in the process invalidate their code signatures.) — Lri, Jun 18 '12 at 14:41

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 29 '11 at 08:10

1

The thing is, for many apps, the menu bar will cover the app, and not "push" it down like it's done will Mail, for example.

So it's not really doable.

Besides, if you can show the dock and the menu bar, it's no longer full screen, is it?
The whole point of the full screen mode is to avoid distraction, such as bouncing icons in the dock and mail count going up in the menu bar, don't you think?

answered Jul 29 '11 at 08:10

Loïc Wolff

14,706

I am here looking for a solution to this as I prefer using for example my browser in full screen mode. The trouble is that as I use the mouse to go between my tabs, when i go up to select a tab, the menu bar pops down making me click that instead of the browser-tab! Hence the wish to be able to show the menu bar all the time when in full-screen-browser-mode. That way I can use the apple mouse to two-finger-swipe between the browser and anything else I am doing. – Nov 14 '15 at 15:38
@Vegard You're right about the comments, but let's see if you can phrase this as a follow on question? Someome might have an answer to help you and others. – bmike Nov 14 '15 at 16:05

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Sep 20 '19 at 17:51

1

How to auto-hide the menubar in OS X El Capitan

Go to System Preferences.
Go to General.
Click the checkbox next to "Automatically hide and show the menubar."
Close the Settings menu.

edited Sep 20 '19 at 17:51

Community

1

answered Nov 12 '15 at 07:53

J Newkirk

35

6

This setting doesn't affect full screen apps. – Kellen Nov 14 '15 at 15:53
^^ What he said, this only affects non-full screen apps. Apple needs full screen options, I don't know why they have taken so long to add these. – Sephethus Feb 26 '16 at 18:15
1

This is not the solution, read the question again!!! – FAISAL May 11 '19 at 13:33

score -3 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 29 '11 at 07:18

-3

I found a way to reveal the dock when in fullscreen mode, however i didn't find a way to permanently show the menu bar, sorry.

http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20110723181230680

answered Jul 29 '11 at 07:18

z4mba

941
1
11
8

score -3 · Answer 5 · answered Jul 11 '15 at 15:14

-3

easy! just go to your dock (i cant do this for the menu bar btw) and go to the black line between the trash bin and an app,right click and click "Turn Hiding Off" and tada! its done hope this helps!

answered Jul 11 '15 at 15:14

emre

1

3

How does enabling the dock impact the behavior of the menu bar? – nohillside Jul 11 '15 at 15:21

score -5 · Answer 6 · answered Aug 08 '11 at 15:02

-5

I think I figured it out. I first maximized the app (I was using Safari). Then, if you move your mouse to the top of the screen, the menu bar will appear, and you will see a little icon on the top right hand side (it's the "opposite" if you will of the maximize button). It looks like two little arrows pointing at each other. Click this. The app will fix itself to where the dock and menu bar are visible.

answered Aug 08 '11 at 15:02

Bella

1

Clicking the button with the two arrows pointing at each other will exit full screen mode, leaving the app only maximized as it was before. – Lizzan Nov 10 '11 at 12:59

score -6 · Answer 7 · answered Aug 11 '11 at 20:14

-6

just hide or resize your dock and you should be fine

answered Aug 11 '11 at 20:14

Eddyzh

1

How to always show menubar with fullscreen apps?

7 Answers7

Linked

Related