Building macOS Menu Bar Apps: A Complete Guide

Menu bar apps are perfect for utilities that users need quick access to. After building Tidey and other menu bar apps, here's my complete guide.

Project Setup

Create a new macOS app in Xcode, then modify the App struct:

import SwiftUI
@main struct MenuBarApp: App {     @NSApplicationDelegateAdaptor(AppDelegate.self) var appDelegate
var body: some Scene {         Settings {             EmptyView()         }     } }

The key is using an AppDelegate to manage the status item:

class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
    var statusItem: NSStatusItem?
    var popover: NSPopover?
func applicationDidFinishLaunching(_ notification: Notification) {         setupMenuBar()     }
func setupMenuBar() {         statusItem = NSStatusBar.system.statusItem(             withLength: NSStatusItem.squareLength         )
if let button = statusItem?.button {             button.image = NSImage(                 systemSymbolName: "star.fill",                 accessibilityDescription: "App Menu"             )             button.action = #selector(togglePopover)         }
popover = NSPopover()         popover?.contentSize = NSSize(width: 300, height: 400)         popover?.behavior = .transient         popover?.contentViewController = NSHostingController(             rootView: ContentView()         )     }
@objc func togglePopover() {         guard let button = statusItem?.button else { return }
if let popover = popover {             if popover.isShown {                 popover.performClose(nil)             } else {                 popover.show(                     relativeTo: button.bounds,                     of: button,                     preferredEdge: .minY                 )
// Activate app to receive keyboard events                 NSApp.activate(ignoringOtherApps: true)             }         }     } }

The Popover Content

Your SwiftUI view works normally:

struct ContentView: View {
    @State private var items: [Item] = []
var body: some View {         VStack(spacing: 0) {             // Header             HStack {                 Text("My App")                     .font(.headline)                 Spacer()                 Button("Quit") {                     NSApp.terminate(nil)                 }                 .buttonStyle(.plain)             }             .padding()
Divider()
// Content             List(items) { item in                 ItemRow(item: item)             }
Divider()
// Footer             HStack {                 Button("Settings") {                     openSettings()                 }                 Spacer()             }             .padding()         }     } }

Hiding the Dock Icon

Menu bar apps typically don't show in the Dock. Add to Info.plist:

<key>LSUIElement</key>
<true/>

Launch at Login

Use ServiceManagement:

import ServiceManagement
func setLaunchAtLogin(_ enabled: Bool) {     try? SMAppService.mainApp.register()     // or .unregister() to disable }

Global Keyboard Shortcuts

Register a global hotkey:

import Carbon
func registerHotkey() {     var hotKeyRef: EventHotKeyRef?     var hotKeyID = EventHotKeyID()     hotKeyID.signature = OSType("MYAP".fourCharCodeValue)     hotKeyID.id = 1
// Command + Shift + T     RegisterEventHotKey(         UInt32(kVK_ANSI_T),         UInt32(cmdKey | shiftKey),         hotKeyID,         GetEventDispatcherTarget(),         0,         &hotKeyRef     ) }

Handling Permissions

For file access (like cleaning the desktop):

func requestDesktopAccess() {
    let desktopURL = FileManager.default.urls(
        for: .desktopDirectory,
        in: .userDomainMask
    ).first!
let openPanel = NSOpenPanel()     openPanel.directoryURL = desktopURL     openPanel.canChooseDirectories = true     openPanel.canChooseFiles = false     openPanel.prompt = "Grant Access"     openPanel.message = "Please grant access to your Desktop folder"
openPanel.begin { response in         if response == .OK {             // Save bookmark for future access             saveSecurityScopedBookmark(openPanel.url!)         }     } }

Distribution

For the Mac App Store:

Enable App Sandbox in capabilities

Request only necessary entitlements

Sign with your distribution certificate

For direct distribution:

Notarize with xcrun notarytool

Staple the ticket: xcrun stapler staple MyApp.app

Create a DMG for distribution

Common Pitfalls

Popover closes on click outside - This is .transient behavior. Use .applicationDefined if you need it to stay open.

Keyboard shortcuts don't work - Call NSApp.activate(ignoringOtherApps: true) when showing popover.

App doesn't quit properly - Implement applicationShouldTerminateAfterLastWindowClosed returning false.

Menu bar apps are satisfying to build - small, focused, and immediately useful.