A keyboard shortcut to hide the menu bar
For macOS 13 Ventura and later. Updated October 2026.
macOS doesn't come with a keyboard shortcut for "Automatically hide and show the menu bar". You can make one with the Shortcuts app, or use an app that has one built in.
Make one with the Shortcuts app
- Open Shortcuts, choose Shortcuts › Settings, click Advanced and turn on Allow Running Scripts.
- Choose File › New Shortcut. Search the actions for "Run AppleScript" and add it.
- Replace the sample script with this line:
tell application "System Events" to tell dock preferences to set autohide menu bar to not autohide menu bar - Name the shortcut, for example Toggle Menu Bar. Open its details (the ⓘ button), click Add Keyboard Shortcut and press the keys you want.
- The first time it runs, macOS asks whether Shortcuts may control System Events. Allow it.
Each press switches the menu bar between hiding and showing. Two catches: it takes a moment to run, and macOS passes Shortcuts' keyboard shortcuts through the app in front, so an app that captures the keyboard, such as a remote desktop window, can keep it from working.
Or use Menu Bar Toggle
Menu Bar Toggle is a free app with a system-wide shortcut: ⌃⌥⌘M (Control-Option-Command-M). If something on your Mac already uses that, it takes the first free one of ⌃⌥⌘B, ⌃⌥⌘H, ⌃⌥⌘T, ⌃⌥⌘Y and ⌃⌥⌘U, and you can record your own in its Settings. It checks each combination against macOS's own shortcuts, the Shortcuts app and other apps before accepting it, so it doesn't take over one you already use. No scripts, and no permissions to grant.