Free SlimHUD Alternative for Mac
Replace the large square macOS volume overlay with an elegant, non-intrusive island in the notch.
Does Notchy hide the default macOS volume square?
Yes! Notchy suppresses the native OSD so only the compact notch island appears.
Quick Setup Guide
- 1Install Notchy
Download Notchy from notchy.dev. It installs in seconds and takes up only 50MB of disk space.
- 2Grant Accessibility Permissions
Allow Accessibility access so Notchy can handle keyboard shortcuts, window snapping, and notch interactions.
- 3Enjoy Ultimate Mac Productivity
Hover over the notch at the top of your screen to reveal the interactive island and its built-in widgets.
What you get with Notchy
- System HUDs (volume, brightness, battery)
- Alt HUD styles — edge-pinned bar or circular gauge off the notch
- Fluid Dynamic Island animations on the Mac notch
- Audio output switcher (speakers, AirPods, monitor)
- Native SwiftUI, tuned for Apple Silicon
- 134 languages, fully localized
- Command palette (⌃⌥K) — every action one keystroke away
- Mac clipboard history shelf (password-manager safe)
- Now Playing music controls (Apple Music & Spotify)
Why Notchy leads the pack
While single-purpose utilities charge expensive subscription fees or license costs, Notchy gives you a completely free, native SwiftUI Dynamic Island. It integrates window snapping, clipboard history, Pomodoro timers, file drop shelves, and AI usage tracking directly into your Mac's notch.
Notchy vs SlimHUD
An honest look at how a free all-in-one notch app compares to a dedicated HUD replacement app.
| Feature | Notchy | SlimHUD |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free forever | Free |
| Compact volume/brightness HUDs | ✓ Included | ✓ Core feature |
| Dynamic Island | ✓ Included | — |
| Notch widgets & HUDs | ✓ 20+ built in | — |
Where SlimHUD shines: an ultra-minimal HUD replacement with deep visual customization — fair is fair. Notchy just happens to bundle HUD replacement tools with 20+ other utilities, free forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Notchy hide the default macOS volume square?
Yes! Notchy suppresses the native OSD so only the compact notch island appears.
Is Notchy free to use?
Yes, Notchy is 100% free with no subscription, no ads, and no data tracking. It is supported purely by optional user coffee donations.
Does it drain my Mac's battery?
No. Because Notchy is built entirely in native SwiftUI, it idles at ~0.1% CPU. It does not run bloated web views or Electron frameworks in the background.