boringBar – a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS
Hi HN! I recently switched from a Fedora/GNOME laptop to a MacBook Air. My old setup served me well as a portable workstation, but I’ve started traveling more while working remotely and needed something with similar performance but better battery life. The main thing I missed was a simple taskbar that shows the windows in the current workspace instead of a Dock that mixes everything together. I built boringBar so I would not have to use the Dock. It shows only the windows in the current Space, lets you switch Spaces by scrolling on the bar, and adds a desktop switcher so you can jump…
boringBar – a taskbar-style dock replacement for macOS launched on April 12, 2026 with 520 votes, #21 of 21,248 launches that month and more than 99% of that year's launches.
In plain words
boringBar is a macOS dock replacement that displays only windows in the current Space, replacing Apple's traditional Dock. It lets users switch between Spaces by scrolling on the bar, includes a desktop switcher for direct Space access, and offers features like window thumbnails, app pinning, and a searchable app launcher. Designed for users who prefer a taskbar-style interface, it allows hiding the system Dock entirely and serves remote workers and travelers seeking better organization and battery efficiency.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
The macOS Dock is built around apps, not windows. Multiple displays and desktops make it hard to track what's open where. boringBar keeps windows organized by desktop, with instant previews, one-click desktop switching, and pinned apps within reach. boringBar also gives you a searchable app launcher, scroll-to-switch desktops, full window titles on chips, and a cleaner workspace when you hide the Dock. As a bonus, it makes macOS feel more familiar if you've just switched from Windows or Linux.
boringBar is a taskbar for macOS that keeps windows organized by desktop, with previews, pinned apps, badges, and desktop switching.
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hi HN! I recently switched from a Fedora/GNOME laptop to a MacBook Air. My old setup served me well as a portable workstation, but I’ve started traveling more while working remotely and needed something with similar performance but better battery life. The main thing I missed was a simple taskbar that shows the…
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ExtraBarDec 2025 · extrabar.app · ▲152Hey Hacker News The ones that know me here know that I am a productivity geek. After DockFlow to manage my Dock and ExtraDock, which gives me more space to manage my apps and files, I decided to tackle the macOS big boss: the menu bar. I spend ~40% of my day context-switching between apps — Zoom meetings, Slack channels, Code projects, and Figma designs. My macOS menu bar has too many useless icons I almost never use. So I thought to myself, how can I use this area to improve my workflows? Most solutions (Bartender, Ice) require screen recording permissions, and did not really solve my…
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