Since the 2021 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air from 2022, the screen has a cut-out at the top: the notch. It holds the camera, the light that shows the camera is on, and a light sensor. The notch gives more screen space, but also raises a few questions: where did my menu bar icons go, why does an app fall behind the notch, and what if the screen is cracked near the notch? This article gives the answers.
Blue Apple repairs MacBook screens in Amsterdam, including screens with a notch. First, the things you can solve yourself.
Menu bar icons disappear behind the notch
If you have many icons on the right of the menu bar, they move left until they disappear behind the notch. macOS simply leaves them out; they are there, but you cannot see them. What helps:
- Show fewer icons. Go to System Settings, Control Centre and set items you do not need to "Don't show in menu bar".
- Remove or move icons. Hold Command and drag an icon out of the menu bar to remove it, or to another spot.
- Tidy up apps that add a menu bar icon at startup. See System Settings, General, Login Items.
- A larger display setting (more space) in System Settings, Displays also gives more room in the menu bar.
An app partly falls behind the notch
Some older apps do not account for the notch, so a menu falls just behind the cut-out. Select the app in the Applications folder, choose File, Get Info and tick the option to scale the app to fit below the built-in camera. The app then uses the screen below the notch, with a black bar above it.
Videos and full screen
In full-screen mode macOS places the content below the notch, with a black edge above. That is normal. You hardly see the notch then.
The camera in the notch does not work
If the camera does nothing, the picture is black or grainy, or an app says there is no camera, read MacBook camera not working. Also check that you gave the app permission in System Settings, Privacy and Security, Camera. The green light next to the camera is on when the camera is in use; an orange dot in the menu bar means the microphone is in use.
Crack or mark near the notch
The edge around the notch is thin. A knock on the lid, something between the screen and keyboard, or pressing too hard when closing can cause a crack or lines there. Sometimes a mark or line appears from the notch downwards. Read MacBook screen cracked without a drop. A crack near the notch usually means the whole screen must be replaced, because the glass and panel are one unit.
Can the notch go?
Not physically. You can make it less noticeable with a dark wallpaper, or with apps that make the menu bar black. After a screen replacement the notch is simply there again; it is part of the screen.
Cleaning the screen around the notch
Clean the edge around the camera with a soft, dry microfibre cloth. Do not press hard on the notch. Read cleaning the screen without damage.
What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam
We test the camera and screen and replace the screen if it is damaged near the notch. You hear beforehand what it costs. More on our page about MacBook screen repair.
Frequently asked questions
Which MacBooks have a notch?
The 14 and 16 inch MacBook Pro from 2021 and the 13 and 15 inch MacBook Air from 2022 with an Apple chip.
Why can I not see some icons in the menu bar?
They fall behind the notch. Remove icons you do not need, and the others come back.
Is a mark below the notch a screen fault?
Usually it is damage to the panel from pressure. Have it checked before it grows.
