Xcode: Build a macOS Menu Bar App in SwiftUI
Build a modern macOS Menu Bar Utility App using SwiftUI’s MenuBarExtra scene type.
In this tutorial, we go from empty Xcode project → functional menu bar app with custom UI, full popover mode, and optional background-only mode (no Dock icon!).
🤔 What You’ll Learn
How to create a macOS app using MenuBarExtra in Xcode
How to switch between Menu Style and Popover/Window Style
How to remove the Dock icon using LSUIElement
How to add a menu bar utility to an already existing Mac app
SwiftUI best practices for structuring lightweight macOS utilities
🖼 Try It Yourself!
Clone or download the full demo project here:
📁 GitHub Repo: https://github.com/NDCSwift/MacOS-JSO...
⏱️Timestamps
00:00 – Intro & What are MenuBarApps?
00:56 – Create the Xcode Project
01:36 – Replace WindowGroup with MenuBarExtra
02:58 – Testing
05:23 – Switch to Popover Mode (.window)
07:19 – Remove Dock Icon (LSUIElement)
08:46 – Running both the app and MenuBarExtra
09:24 – Custom SwiftUI View
10:56 – Final Demo + Tips