Surface organization
Keep selected applications visible in the menu bar while Blenny manages their placement. Surface order is retained after Stop or Quit.
Blenny
Blenny is a free, open-source menu bar organizer for Apple silicon Macs running macOS 27 or later. It separates applications into always-visible Surface, temporarily revealed Reef, and always-hidden Deep areas while preserving a reversible, application-level workflow.
Menu bar organization for macOS
Blenny is a native macOS menu bar organizer for Apple silicon Macs running macOS 27 or later. It assigns menu bar applications to three areas: Surface for items that should remain visible, Reef for items revealed temporarily, and Deep for applications that should stay hidden while continuing to run.
The app is designed for deliberate, reversible organization rather than cursor automation. Users can draft a layout, apply it, undo the last change, stop management to release Blenny’s restrictions, and recover an interrupted operation from its saved recovery record.
Key features
Reef reveal sessions
Assign occasional-use applications to the Reef. They remain out of the way until you click the fish for a short reveal session, then hide again.
Always-hidden Deep
Place applications in the Deep to keep them out of the menu bar and every reveal session while they continue running. Move them back whenever needed.
Draft, apply, and undo
Draft changes by dragging applications between Surface, Reef, and Deep. Nothing changes in the menu bar until Apply, and Undo Changes reverses the last applied visibility and order change.
Per-application control
Organize whole applications rather than individual icons. Each icon owned by an application moves together, and every icon offers context-menu and accessibility actions for moving it.
Recoverable changes
Changes pass through a single queue with a saved recovery record, verification, and at most one retry. If the menu bar changes unexpectedly, Blenny stops rather than writing again.
Practical use cases
Daily menu bar cleanup
Keep frequently checked items such as Wi‑Fi, battery, or a timer in a stable Surface order while moving less-used applications elsewhere.
Occasional tools
Put occasional utilities in Reef when you want access without giving them permanent space. Click the fish for a temporary reveal, then let the group hide again.
Quiet background apps
Move background applications that do not need direct menu bar access into Deep. They continue running without appearing in the menu bar or reveal sessions.
Low-risk reorganization
Use the draft-and-apply workflow when reorganizing a crowded setup: compare the proposed placement, apply it once, and undo the last change if the result is not right.
Troubleshooting and removal
Use Stop or Recover Changes when an operation is interrupted or when you need Blenny to release its menu bar restrictions before troubleshooting or uninstalling.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Three visibility levels separate essential, occasional, and nonessential menu bar applications.
- Works per application, preserves Surface order, and supports draft, apply, undo, stop, and recovery workflows.
- Does not move the pointer, click on the user’s behalf, or require Screen Recording permission.
- Free and open source under the Apache-2.0 license.
- Uses verification, recovery records, and a fail-closed approach when the menu bar changes unexpectedly.
Cons
- Requires macOS 27 or later and Apple silicon; macOS 26 and Intel are not supported.
- The app is self-signed and not notarized by Apple, so first launch may require an explicit Privacy & Security approval.
- Some system items cannot be sorted, and system overflow may still hide Surface apps on narrow displays.
FAQ
Is Blenny free?
Blenny is free and open source under the Apache-2.0 license. The site mentions GitHub Sponsors and Ko-fi for optional support; no paid plan is described.
Which Macs and macOS versions are supported?
Blenny supports macOS 27 or later on Apple silicon. The site states that there is no macOS 26 or Intel version.
How do I install and authorize Blenny?
Download the disk image from GitHub Releases, drag Blenny to Applications, eject the disk image, and open the installed copy. Because the app is self-signed and not notarized by Apple, macOS may require choosing Open Anyway in Privacy & Security. Blenny also asks for Device Control permission. It does not require Screen Recording or SIP changes.
What is the difference between Reef and Deep?
Reef apps appear during a short reveal session when you click the fish, then hide again. Deep apps remain hidden during reveal sessions and return to the menu bar only when moved to another area.
What should I do if a change is interrupted?
Choose Stop to release Blenny's restrictions. For an unfinished change, use Recover Changes and retain the recovery data until the operation completes. The site directs reproducible problems to GitHub Issues.
Quick Facts
- Category
- macOS menu bar organizer
- Platform
- macOS 27 or later
- Hardware
- Apple silicon
- License
- Free and open source; Apache-2.0
- Organization model
- Surface, Reef, and Deep application areas
- Permissions
- Device Control required; Screen Recording not required
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