When the Mac menu bar runs out of room
ClockStack was made for these everyday annoyances.
Menu bar icons are hidden behind the notch
On MacBooks with a notch, macOS simply hides status icons that don't fit. ClockStack replaces three icons with one narrow item and frees up space.
The date in the menu bar takes up too much space
The built-in clock shows date and time on one long line. ClockStack stacks them on two lines, so the date needs about half the width.
Battery percentage and seconds at a glance
See the exact battery level and the time to the second without clicking anything.
Is my Mac charging or just plugged in?
With a charge limit or Optimized Battery Charging, a plugged-in Mac often doesn't charge. ClockStack shows the difference: a moving dot while charging, a still dot when plugged in but not charging.
Everything at a glance
Two lines and one battery bar. Nothing to click, nothing to open.
Works like the settings window in the app. Changes apply to the item above and to the menu bar at the top of this page, where a click on ClockStack opens its menu.
Time
With or without seconds, 24 or 12 hours.
Date
Compact, ISO, US or a format you write yourself.
Battery bar
Green, orange, red. Yellow in Low Power Mode. A dot moves up while charging.
Network
Three dots for Wi-Fi strength, empty dots without a connection, a red dot when you’re offline. A hotspot symbol when tethering, ‹···› on Ethernet.
Battery level
The exact percentage, up to 100%.
Clear in every situation
You see whether your Mac is charging, which network it uses and how strong the signal is.
Charging
The white dot moves up through the bar.
Ethernet
Connected by cable: ‹···› instead of the Wi-Fi dots. The still dot means plugged in, not charging.
Tethering
Connected through your iPhone's hotspot.
Low battery, weak signal
Red bar, one dot.
No network access
Orange dots: connected to Wi-Fi, but the internet can’t be reached.
Offline
A red dot: Wi-Fi is off and nothing else is connected.
Set it up your way
Pick a format or write your own pattern. The preview updates while you type.
| 24 hours | 23:31:02 |
|---|---|
| 12 hours | 11:31:02 PM |
| Compact date | Tue 06.10. |
| ISO 8601 | 2026-10-06 |
| Your own pattern | 'Week' w → Week 41 |
Light on your Mac
- Updates exactly on the secondOr once a minute if you turn seconds off.
- Event-drivenmacOS reports battery and connection changes. Only the Wi-Fi signal is checked, every 15 seconds.
- Rests when you doPauses while the display is off.
- PrivateNo account, no tracking, no data leaves your Mac.
- Five languagesEnglish, German, French, Italian and Spanish.
Questions and answers
How do I show the date and time on two lines in the Mac menu bar?
macOS can only show date and time on one line. ClockStack adds a menu bar item with the time on top and the date below. You can swap the order in the settings.
How do I get back menu bar icons hidden by the MacBook notch?
macOS hides icons that don't fit next to the notch. The fix is fewer items: ClockStack combines clock, date, battery and Wi-Fi in one. At first launch, a short setup guide shows the rest: hide the battery and Wi-Fi icons in System Settings > Menu Bar (Control Center on older macOS) and set the system clock to analog.
Can I remove the Apple clock from the menu bar?
Not completely. Since macOS Big Sur the clock opens Notification Center and can't be removed. Set it to analog in System Settings, then it only takes the width of a small icon.
How do I show the battery percentage in the Mac menu bar?
ClockStack shows the exact percentage next to a colored battery bar: green, orange from 50% down, red from 20% down. You can change the thresholds. macOS can also show a percentage next to its own battery icon.
How can I tell if my Mac is charging or just plugged in?
A moving dot in the battery bar means the Mac is charging. A still dot means it's plugged in but not charging, for example because of a charge limit or Optimized Battery Charging. No dot means it runs on battery.
Can the Mac menu bar clock show seconds?
Yes. ClockStack shows seconds by default and updates exactly on the second. Turn them off in the settings and it updates once a minute.
Which date and time formats are supported?
24 hours, 12 hours, the system format, ISO 8601 (2026-10-06), a compact date and your own pattern, for example EEE d MMM or a week number with 'Week' w. Weekday and month names follow the language you choose.
Does ClockStack show when I use my iPhone's hotspot?
Yes. Instead of the Wi-Fi dots it shows a hotspot symbol when your Mac is online through Personal Hotspot, USB or Bluetooth tethering. On Ethernet it shows ‹···›, as in the macOS network settings.
What do the red dot, empty dots and orange dots mean?
A red dot means Wi-Fi is off and there is no other connection. Empty dots mean Wi-Fi is on but not connected to a network. Orange dots mean your Mac is connected to Wi-Fi but has no network access, for example when the router has no internet.
Does ClockStack drain the battery?
No. It redraws only when something changes and gets battery and connection changes from macOS. Only the Wi-Fi signal is checked, every 15 seconds. While the display is off, ClockStack pauses.
Does ClockStack collect any data?
No. There is no account, no analytics and no tracking. Everything is read locally on your Mac. ClockStack doesn't read your Wi-Fi network name or your location.
Which Macs and macOS versions are supported?
macOS 13 Ventura or later, on Macs with Apple silicon or Intel. On Macs without a battery, such as a Mac mini, the battery bar is hidden.
What does ClockStack cost?
Until 30 November, ClockStack costs CHF 3.–€2.99$2.99 instead of CHF 5.–€4.99$4.99 as a launch price. After that it costs CHF 5.–€4.99$4.99. It’s a one-time purchase without subscription. Prices can differ by country.
ClockStack costs CHF 5.–€4.99$4.99 on the Mac App Store, as a one-time purchase without subscription. Prices can differ by country.
ClockStack in brief
- What it is
- A menu bar app for macOS
- Name in the App Store
- ClockStack: Menu Bar Clock
- Shows
- Time, date, battery level, charging state and network status: Wi-Fi strength, no connection, tethering, Ethernet
- Requires
- macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon or Intel
- Languages
- English, German, French, Italian, Spanish
- Data collected
- None
- Developer
- Konrad Sigl (SIGL IT), Basel, Switzerland
- Availability
- Mac App Store, CHF 3.–€2.99$2.99 until 30 November, then CHF 5.–€4.99$4.99Mac App Store, CHF 5.–€4.99$4.99