Thaw
What it is
Thaw is a free, open-source macOS utility for hiding, revealing, and arranging menu bar items. You can save arrangements as profiles and associate them with a display, Space, or Focus filter. Triggers can respond to battery level, Wi-Fi network, active Focus, or a script result to show or hide items. Appearance controls include tint, gradients, shadows, borders, custom shapes, and light and dark mode settings. Thaw requires macOS 26 or later to install and supports macOS 26 and 27. It includes a Raycast extension and thaw:// links for use with tools such as Alfred, Shortcuts, Keyboard Maestro, and BetterTouchTool. Thaw says it requires no account and has no tracking, analytics, or telemetry. Accessibility permission is requested at first launch; Screen Recording is optional for live previews and wallpaper-derived tinting. Install it through Homebrew or download a DMG from the latest GitHub release. It is licensed under GPL-3.0.
For and against
For
- Profiles can be tied to displays, Spaces, or Focus filters.
- Triggers can respond to battery, Wi-Fi, Focus, or scripts.
- Appearance controls include gradients, borders, and custom shapes.
- No account, tracking, analytics, or telemetry, according to Thaw.
Against
- Installation requires macOS 26 or later.
- Accessibility permission is requested at first launch.
- Only the latest stable release receives security fixes.
The verdict
Thaw combines conditional menu bar visibility with profile and appearance controls. Its macOS requirement and requested Accessibility permission are important considerations.
Who it suits
Thaw suits Mac users who want menu bar arrangements tied to displays, Spaces, Focus filters, or other conditions. It requires macOS 26 or later.
Plans and prices
Free
No purchase · no subscription · no upgrade fee for new macOS versions
Read 30 Sep 2026 · github.com
On the record
- Appearance
- Thaw supports menu bar tint, gradients, shadows, borders, custom shapes, and appearance settings for light and dark mode.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Installation
- Thaw can be installed with Homebrew or downloaded as a DMG from the latest GitHub release.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Integrations
- Thaw supports a Raycast extension and thaw:// deep links that can be used with tools including Alfred, Shortcuts, Keyboard Maestro, and BetterTouchTool.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Intended user
- The security assurance document describes Thaw as a local macOS utility for a single interactive user on their own Mac.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Layouts
- Users can save configurations as profiles and bind them to a display, Space, or Focus filter.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- License
- Thaw is available under the GPL-3.0 license.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- macOS support
- The project says Thaw supports macOS 26 and 27 and requires macOS 26 or later to install.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Permissions
- Accessibility is requested on first launch; Screen Recording is optional for live item previews and wallpaper-derived tinting.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Privacy
- Thaw says it requires no account and has no tracking, analytics, or telemetry.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Purpose
- Thaw is an open-source macOS menu bar manager that hides, reveals, and arranges menu bar items.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Security
- The project says release builds are Developer ID-signed and notarized, and in-app updates use HTTPS and Sparkle EdDSA authentication.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Security support
- Only the latest stable release is supported for security fixes, and the project aims to acknowledge vulnerability reports within 48 hours.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
- Triggers
- Triggers can reveal or hide items based on conditions such as battery level, Wi-Fi network, active Focus, or a script result.github.com · read 30 Sep 2026
