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Mac 101: The Menu Bar

Welcome back to Mac 101, our series of tips for new and novice Mac users.

In the Mac operating system, the term "menu bar" refers to the the horizontal bar at the top of the screen that generally has a little picture of an apple on the left end, the time of day on the right and words like "File", "Edit", "Format" and so on in-between. Found it? Good, because understanding how this bar works is essential to getting the best out of your Mac.

In this bar, there are two constants: one is the apple, on the far left, and the other is Spotlight on the far right. Clicking the Apple logo on the left gives you access to all the vital functions of your computer, like Sleep, Restart, and Shut Down, as well as the "About This Mac" window and the option to check for software updates.

Save for the apple, the left side of this bar will change depending on which application you have selected. For you switchers, it's similar to the bar that is found at the top of each window in Windows, but cuts down on the space each window occupies by having all applications use the same menu bar. The drop down menus perform the same functions as Windows' menus, but like Windows, will be different depending on which application you currently have selected.You can tell which application you're in by looking at the space to the right of the menu bar apple, where it will say your current program's name (Safari, Mail, Firefox, or iPhoto depending on what window you've most recently clicked). The Preferences settings for the application, where you can set the time for Safari to clear cookies, the default font for TextEdit, and so on, are in this drop down menu.

The right side of the menu bar is less mutable, but much more easily cluttered. For switchers, this part is a sort of cross between Windows' Quick Launch bar and the notification bar. The second constant in the menu bar is found on the far right: a little magnifying glass. Clicking it pops up a search field, giving you access to Spotlight, the program that allows you to search your whole computer.

The rest of the space on this side is where you will find little icons, or "menu extras", such as the system clock. The menu extras can vary, but usually you'll you'll find icons for the volume, wireless internet access, Bluetooth setup and the like. A few of the icons will change depending on their status; for example, the volume icon will have sound waves next to it when sound is on, and the Wi-Fi icon will gray out some of its bars when reception is bad. These native menu extras can be rearranged by clicking and dragging while holding down the Command key, or you can drag them off the bar to make them disappear completely in a puff of smoke (to make them reappear, you'll have to go into the relevant section of System Preferences and recheck "Show [menu extra] in menu bar").

Sometimes you might install applications that will add more menu extras to the fray. You cannot rearrange or delete these with the Command key, but if you want them off, the "Show [menu extra] in menu bar" check box can usually be found in each application's Preferences menu.

That's all for the menu bar! I hope this was helpful.

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Mac 101

Welcome back to Mac 101, our series of tips for new and novice Mac users. In the Mac operating system, the term "menu bar" refers to the...
 

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patrickfroman

If you go to the Universal Access Preferences panel, there are options for full keyboard access to all menu items

September 02 2009 at 2:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Stephen

My son is about to install Windows XP with Boot Camp on his MBP, to use in his programming course at university. If he only uses Windows when disconnected from the internet, will he need any anti-virus software? Or is there a danger that, when browsing using the Mac side, he might pick up viruses which will infect the Windows side?

August 31 2009 at 10:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tyler

May I ask a question? I have leopard, and an a new shiny iMac, but my bar at the top of the screen is not see-through like all of the photos i am seeing on the net. How do i make mine transparent?

August 18 2009 at 5:53 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rocketmouse

Also, how exactly do you move icons using option+command (alt and apple key.) I tried dragging a Menu Bar icon with the two keys held down and nothing happened.

August 15 2009 at 7:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rocketmouse

I *think* my question is on-topic for this:
I've run out of space in the Menu Bar. I thought I'd try XMenu and Butler to see which one I like the best. BUT, I can't see either icon! (I also had trouble understanding how to configure them to actually do so.) Is there a way to have e.g. a drop-down menu in the Menu Bar, where I could then put *my* icons - as opposed to Apple's, which I would leave alone? Maybe the first part of this question should be: where *is* the Menu Bar on the system? I.e. can I access it in the system library or my user library or where? I couldn't find it and neither could Spotlight, and EasyFind gave me so much it was too confusing.

August 15 2009 at 5:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matt A.

The menu bar in those screenshots looks more transparent than those in 10.5.8... am I imagining it?

August 14 2009 at 12:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Matt A.'s comment
Casey Johnston

Matt, I don't think it's more translucent, as I have 10.5.8... it must just be the color contrast behind it that makes it seem so.

August 14 2009 at 1:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mech

by the way, how about some more QUICKSILVER 101s? There are a crapload of them on the outerweebz but it's pain in the pinky to search for them.

do Quicksilver. Every new mac convert will love you for it and will buy TUAW stock.

cheers

August 14 2009 at 4:13 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
3 replies to mech's comment
mech

just a random comment: wtf is up with tuaw's comment system and messed up passwords? why can't I use my own random password?

August 14 2009 at 3:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to mech's comment
iMeow

You can. Click your TUAW username after you posted a comment and you will be taken to your profile page.

Yours is located at http://www.tuaw.com/profile/3122599/

Then click the "Are you mech? If So, Login Here." button. After you have successfully logged in you will be able to change your password to whatever you want.

August 14 2009 at 5:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mech

great :) sozzy for being noob on tuaw

August 15 2009 at 2:00 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
raleedy

I'd like to see a discussion of the "Services" menu that appears in the drop-down menu for each application (under the application's name). I'd also like to know what some of the various icon changes mean in the menu bar -- for example, the Bluetooth icon sometimes appears gray with three black dots across the middle. What's that for?

August 13 2009 at 11:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to raleedy's comment
Fre

I think the bluetooth dots means that a device is connected by bluetooth.

The Services menu must be a leftover from ancient os x times, I find nothing there that I can't get to in another, easier way.

August 14 2009 at 3:24 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Shane

Why do you all act like you've got shares in Apple? just because jordans input wasn't rimming jobs and co you all shoot him down.

btw, this is coming to you from a hackintosh but im a mac user since jaguar, i just dont understand why half the people on here act like they have shares in the company, do you really think apple could give a toss about you?

August 13 2009 at 11:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Shane's comment
Max

Isn't possible that half the people on here have shares in Apple?
Also, Jordan was just being unhelpful, not answering the question. I don't think anyone here was 'rimming Jobs'.

August 14 2009 at 7:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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