Boring Notch for Mac: setup and comparison
Boring Notch is a free, open-source Mac notch app with music controls, a calendar, a file shelf with AirDrop and system HUDs. It requires macOS 14 or later. Notchy is also free and native, supports macOS 13 Ventura, and includes clipboard history, focus timers and AI usage tracking.
Looking for Boring Notch itself? It lives at theboring.name and on GitHub as TheBoredTeam/boring.notch. Safety and battery questions are answered on Is Boring Notch safe?
How to install Boring Notch
- Check that your Mac runs macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
- Download the DMG from the official Boring Notch releases and move the app to Applications.
- Launch it, then hover over the notch to open the controls.
Prefer Homebrew? Use the project's command:
brew install --cask TheBoredTeam/boring-notch/boring-notchFor startup or permission problems, see the official installation instructions. Want an open-source option? Boring Notch fits. Want Notchy's clipboard, timers and AI tools? Try Notchy in your browser before downloading.
Sources checked October 4, 2026 · Comparison by Vishva Variya, Notchy's developer.
Why switch to Notchy?
- Fluid “Dynamic Island” Physics
Notchy uses custom spring animations to perfectly mirror the feel of an iPhone's Dynamic Island. Every interaction feels alive.
- More built-in, out of the box
Notchy combines clipboard history with OCR, a Pomodoro focus timer, AI usage tracking and quick notes. Both apps already have a file shelf and media controls; choose based on the tools you will use.
- Install once, updates itself
Grab a signed, notarized DMG or
brew install --cask vishvavariya/notchy/notchy— then Notchy keeps itself current through Sparkle. No manual rebuilds.
How Notchy stacks up
Honest, feature-by-feature comparison of every major macOS notch app — no affiliates.
Swipe the table sideways to see every app.
| Feature | Notchy | Alcove | NotchNook | Boring Notch | DynamicLake | MediaMate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 100% Free | $17 one-time | $25 (or $3/mo) | Free (Open Source) | Paid | Paid |
| Minimum macOS | macOS 13 Ventura+ | macOS 14 Sonoma+ | macOS 14 Sonoma+ | macOS 14 Sonoma+ | macOS 14 Sonoma+ | macOS 14 Sonoma+ |
| Architecture | Pure SwiftUI (Native) | Swift (Native) | Swift (Native) | Swift (Open Source) | Swift (Native) | Swift (Native) |
| Now Playing Controls | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI Usage Tracker (Claude / Codex / Cursor) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Command Palette (⌃⌥K) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Localized (134 languages) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Clipboard History | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pomodoro Focus Timer | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| File Stash / Drop Shelf | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| System HUDs (Volume/Brightness) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AirPods Connected Reveal | Yes | Yes | Yes | — | — | — |
| Lock Screen Widgets | Yes | Yes | — | — | — | — |
| Quick Notes | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Calendar Widget | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| Caffeine Toggle | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Synced Lyrics | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Image Converter (HEIC/JPG/PDF) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Apple Reminders Capture | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Audio Output Switcher | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Device Battery (Mouse/Keyboard) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Download Finished Alerts | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Run Apple Shortcuts | Yes | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| Camera Mirror / Webcam Preview | Yes | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| Zip & Unzip Files | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hide the Notch | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Window Snapping (drag to notch) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| App Launcher Tab | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| OCR + Searchable Clipboard | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Text Snippets / Expander | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Menu-Bar Icon Hiding | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| System-Wide Mic Mute | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Live System Stats (CPU/RAM) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| iPhone-Style Call Island | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Built-In Terminal | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
| Camera Guard (camera-access alerts) | Yes | — | — | — | — | — |
Everything Notchy does, for free
- Fluid Dynamic Island animations on the Mac notch
- Command palette (⌃⌥K) — every action one keystroke away
- Knock — double-tap a modifier key to open the notch
- AI usage tracker (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Copilot)
- Detach any tab into a menu-bar popover
- Now Playing music controls (Apple Music & Spotify)
- Time-synced karaoke lyrics under the notch
- Mac clipboard history shelf (password-manager safe)
- Searchable clipboard — filter by text, file name, or OCR'd words
- On-device OCR — copy a screenshot, get its text (Apple Vision)
- Window snapping — drag a window to the notch to tile it
- App Launcher — pin apps to the notch, open with one tap
- Text snippets — TextExpander-style pastes from the ⌘K palette
- One-tap screen capture to clipboard + shelf
- Color eyedropper — sample any pixel, hex auto-copied
- System-wide mic mute for every meeting app at once
- Keystroke HUD for demos & screencasts (secure-input safe)
- Keyboard cleaning lock with countdown island (⌘⎋ unlocks)
- Menu-bar icon hiding — Bartender-style separator & chevron
- Live CPU / memory / network stats flyout
- Open GitHub PR count in the notch (Keychain-stored token)
- iPhone-style call island — Answer/Decline FaceTime on the notch
- Notch Terminal — real VT100/xterm shell in a PTY, its own tab
- Camera Guard — alert (or block) when any app opens your camera
- Caps Lock HUD — brief island on every toggle
- Full Charge island with adjustable threshold + low-battery sound
- Alt HUD styles — edge-pinned bar or circular gauge off the notch
- Audio-reactive Now Playing visualizer (real FFT of system audio)
- Custom closed-notch idle animation — drop in your own Lottie JSON
- Drag-and-drop file drop shelf — persists across relaunches
- Zip & unzip files right from the shelf
- Image converter (HEIC, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, PDF) + video → GIF
- Run Apple Shortcuts with one tap
- Screenshots auto-staged on the shelf, ready to drag
- Download finished alerts with Reveal in Finder
- USB drive mount island with one-tap Eject
- Apple Reminders quick capture & due list
- macOS Pomodoro notch timer & stopwatch — streaks + 7-day chart
- Resizable expanded panel (width & height, live preview)
- System HUDs (volume, brightness, battery)
- Audio output switcher (speakers, AirPods, monitor)
- AirPods connection manager & battery
- Magic Mouse, Keyboard & Trackpad battery + low-battery alerts
- Quick notes & Calendar widgets
- Camera Mirror (check your appearance)
- Keep Awake (caffeine toggle)
- Teleprompter (Cuely) for Zoom calls
- Focus-aware alerts & native haptic feedback
- Lock screen widgets & hide-the-notch mode
- 134 languages, fully localized
- Native SwiftUI, tuned for Apple Silicon
Boring Notch — FAQ
What is the best Boring Notch alternative for Mac?
Choose Notchy if you want clipboard history, a Pomodoro timer and AI usage tracking in the notch, or need macOS 13 Ventura support. Both apps are free and native. Boring Notch is a good fit if an open-source codebase matters to you; it also includes music controls, a calendar, a file shelf with AirDrop and system HUDs.
Boring Notch won’t open — what now?
Usually one of three things. macOS Gatekeeper may be blocking a build it doesn’t recognise: open System Settings → Privacy & Security and click Open Anyway next to the blocked-app notice. Or the app launched but never got its permissions — check Accessibility and Screen Recording in the same pane, and toggle it off and on again. Or another notch app is already claiming the notch, in which case quit that one first.
Can I install Boring Notch with Homebrew?
Yes. Its official Homebrew command is brew install --cask TheBoredTeam/boring-notch/boring-notch. For Notchy, use brew install --cask vishvavariya/notchy/notchy. Use the command for the app you intend to install.
Should I use Boring Notch, Atoll, or Notchy?
All three are free, so this is about scope and OS support. Boring Notch is open source and the most established, but wants macOS 14. Atoll is open source and also needs macOS 14 plus a notched MacBook Pro. Notchy runs from macOS 13 Ventura, works on Macs with no notch and on external displays, and carries the widest feature set — clipboard, OCR, timers, AI usage tracking. If you want to read the source, pick one of the first two; if you want the most tools on the most Macs, pick the third.
Is Notchy a good Boring Notch alternative?
Yes. Both are free, but Notchy is a native SwiftUI app tuned for ultra-fluid 120Hz transitions, plus it adds a clipboard history shelf, file drop and focus timers on top of Now Playing on the notch.
Is Notchy free like Boring Notch?
Yes — Notchy is 100% free, funded only by optional donations. No trial, license or subscription.
Why do Boring Notch animations feel laggy?
If transitions feel slow, first quit other notch apps and try again. Two overlays sharing the same screen area can make the experience confusing. Notchy is another native option, with spring transitions and low idle CPU use; animation smoothness also depends on your Mac and display.
What extra tools does Notchy include?
Notchy includes clipboard history with OCR search, a Pomodoro timer, AI usage tracking, quick notes and a command palette. Both apps provide music controls, a file shelf and system HUDs, so those shared features alone are not a reason to switch.
Also worth reading: 5 Boring Notch alternatives compared · How to uninstall Boring Notch · Is Boring Notch safe, and does it drain battery?
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