A Guide to Adding Control Center Modules to Menu Bar on Mac

With the introduction of macOS Big Sur, Apple is further bridging the gap between iPhone and Mac. The latest macOS brings design changes, identical icon shapes, and a Mac-like control center. With just one click, you can bring up a panel containing buttons and sliders that you can use to adjust and toggle specific system settings. You can even add them to the macOS menu bar.

Adding Control Center modules to the macOS menu bar gives users quick access to their most used functions with just one click. Users running macOS Big Sur or newer have the option to drag Control Center modules like Now Playing, Display, Screen Mirroring, etc.

Add Control Center Modules to the Menu Bar

There are several ways to add Control Center modules to the menu bar on Mac. Let’s explore them.

1. Use drag and drop

This is the easiest and most efficient way to drag modules from Control Center to the Mac menu bar. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Open your Mac and locate Control Center in the menu bar.

2nd step: Click on it and it will reveal the control center menu for you.

Step 3: Select the module you want to move and use drag and drop in the menu bar.

2. Use the System Preferences menu

Another way to add Control Center modules to the menu bar is to use the System Preferences menu. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Use Command + Space keys, open Spotlight and find System Preferences. You can also click on the Apple menu in the upper left corner and go to the System Preferences menu.

2nd step: Access the menu from the Dock & Menu bar.

Step 3: Click on the Control Center module you want to add to the menu bar.

Step 4: On the right side, enable the Show in menu bar option and it will appear in the Mac menu bar.

Remove Control Center Modules from the Menu Bar

Is your Mac’s menu bar cluttered with too many Control Center modules? You can easily remove them using the tips below.

1. Use drag and drop

When you click on a module from the menu bar, it will open the corresponding menu to make changes. To remove it, just hold down the Command key, drag and drop the module from the menu bar to the desktop.

2. Use the System Preferences menu

Another way to remove Control Center modules from the menu bar is to use the System Preferences menu. Follow the steps below.

Step 1: Click the Apple icon in the menu bar and go to the System Preferences menu.

2nd step: Go to the Dock and menu bar option.

Step 3: Click on the Control Center module that you want to remove from the menu bar.

Step 4: On the right side, turn off the Show in menu bar option.

Rearrange the modules in the menu bar

Want to keep the keyboard brightness toggle next to the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar? Or would you like to keep the battery module on the left side for better visibility? You can easily rearrange the modules in the macOS menu bar.

Hold down the command key and click on the module you want to rearrange. Drag it to the left or right side and you will see the selected module change its position in the menu bar.

Using a third-party application – Bartender

Many third-party apps like Evernote, Fantastical, coconutBattery, etc., offer a module in the menu bar for quick access to the app and functions. If you’re used to using dozens of such apps, you may find the Mac menu bar cluttered. We have the perfect solution to decluttering clutter – Bartender.

Bartender allows you to reposition menu bar items and keep them wherever you want. You can hide them but still easily accessible, set your most important items always visible, and set the exact order of items for your workflow.

Triggers is an interesting addition. You can script to present menu bar items during a specific task. Here are some examples of Bartender triggers.

• Battery – displayed when the battery is powered or at specific levels.
• WiFi – displayed when not connected to a WiFi network.

Download Bartender 4 for Mac

Manage Control Center Modules from the Menu Bar

You can easily add, remove, or manage Control Center modules from the Mac menu bar. Go ahead, drag your most used modules into the menu bar and rearrange them to your liking.