Quick answer
The TopNotch alternative that never touches your wallpaper is Black Menu Bar ($0.99): it makes the menu bar solid black without replacing, repainting or copying your wallpaper, so dynamic, shuffling and per-Space wallpapers keep working — and it works on macOS 26 and macOS 27. TopNotch's latest version, 1.3.2, came out on 25 June 2023 with support for macOS Sonoma, and its site mentions neither macOS 26 nor 27. Like TopNotch, Boring Old Menu Bar and MenuBarColor hide the notch by replacing your wallpaper with an edited copy.
The comparison
Prices, methods and requirements below come from each app's own website, update feed or US Mac App Store listing, checked on 14 October 2026. The wallpaper and macOS 27 columns repeat only what that source says; "not stated" means the source is silent, not that the app fails.
| App | Price | How it hides the notch | Changes your wallpaper? | macOS 27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Menu Bar | $0.99 one-time, Mac App Store | Makes the menu bar black without touching the wallpaper; one switch | Never touches it | Yes — works on macOS 27; requires macOS 26 or later |
| TopNotch (MTW) | Free, direct download | Through your wallpaper | Yes | Not stated; latest release 1.3.2 (25 June 2023) added macOS Sonoma |
| Boring Old Menu Bar (publicspace.net) | €9.95 one-time, 14-day trial | Replaces your wallpaper with a copy that has a solid bar in any color | Yes | Yes — version 1.31 is for macOS 27 on Apple silicon |
| MenuBarColor | Free, Mac App Store | Replaces your wallpaper with a copy that has a solid color behind the menu bar | Yes | Not stated; requires macOS 14 or later |
| unnotch | Free, Mac App Store | Black overlay at the top of the screen | Not stated | Not stated; last updated 25 February 2026 |
| BetterNotch: Seamless Menu Bar | Free, Mac App Store | Gradient that blends the notch into the bar; transparent, Liquid Glass or fully black looks | Not stated | Not stated; requires macOS 26 or later |
| Say No to Notch | Free, Mac App Store (optional tip) | Moves the menu bar below the notch | Not stated | Not stated; last updated 23 July 2025 |
| No Notch | $1.99, Mac App Store | Switches to a display mode that puts the menu bar below the camera | Not stated | Not stated; requires macOS 13 or later |
What happened to TopNotch
TopNotch is offered as a download on topnotch.app. Its update feed lists version 1.3.2 from 25 June 2023 as the latest release, with the note "Added support for macOS Sonoma". The site states a requirement of macOS 11 or newer and says nothing about macOS 26 Tahoe or macOS 27 Golden Gate. It is not on the Mac App Store.
Two Mac App Store apps share the name and are easy to confuse with it. "LiuHai-Hide Topnotch" (Ningbo Shangguan Technology) is a separate notch-hiding app. "Top Notch - Enhance Your Notch" is a different app with a similar name.
Why Black Menu Bar: your wallpaper stays yours, and it works on macOS 27
TopNotch, Boring Old Menu Bar and MenuBarColor all work the same way: they render a copy of your wallpaper with a band painted across the top and set that copy as your wallpaper. Every time the wallpaper changes, they have to generate a new copy — so a dynamic wallpaper that shifts through the day, a collection that shuffles, or a different picture in each Space means more copies to keep in step. Switching the app off means restoring the original.
Black Menu Bar makes the menu bar solid black and leaves the wallpaper exactly as it is. No replacing, no repainting, no copying: your dynamic wallpaper keeps changing, your shuffle keeps shuffling, each Space keeps its own picture, and quitting the app brings the menu bar back to normal with nothing to restore. And it works on macOS 27 Golden Gate as well as macOS 26 Tahoe — while TopNotch's own site and update feed still stop at macOS Sonoma.
Other ways to deal with the notch
- Dynamic Island-style notch apps turn the area around the camera into a panel for music, files or timers. They keep the notch visible on purpose, so they are a different kind of app.
How-to
How to hide the notch on a MacBook
The built-in methods step by step, including the resolution below the camera.
Black Menu Bar in detail
Black Menu Bar makes the menu bar solid black, and the notch blends into it. One switch, Black Menu Bar in its menu bar menu next to Quit, turns it on or off. System Settings, accessibility options and your wallpaper stay as they are, and it works on macOS 26 and macOS 27.
It stays out of your Dock and collects nothing — no account, no analytics, no network access. It remembers whether the switch is on, and nothing leaves your Mac. It costs $0.99 once, with no subscription and no in-app purchases.
FAQ
Does TopNotch work on macOS 26 Tahoe or macOS 27?
TopNotch's own site and update feed do not say. Its latest version is 1.3.2 from 25 June 2023, whose release note adds support for macOS Sonoma, and the site lists only a minimum of macOS 11. Black Menu Bar works on macOS 27 and requires macOS 26 or later.
Is there a TopNotch alternative that does not change my wallpaper?
Yes. Black Menu Bar makes the menu bar solid black and never touches the wallpaper — no replacing, repainting or copying it — so dynamic wallpapers, shuffling collections and a different picture in each Space keep working as they do now. It works on macOS 26 and macOS 27. TopNotch, Boring Old Menu Bar and MenuBarColor all replace your wallpaper with an edited copy.
Is TopNotch on the Mac App Store?
No. TopNotch is a direct download from topnotch.app. "LiuHai-Hide Topnotch" and "Top Notch - Enhance Your Notch" on the Mac App Store are different apps from different developers. Black Menu Bar is $0.99 on the Mac App Store.