Outdated macOS: You might be using an outdated macOS Sonoma version, causing the issue with the menu bar icons on the screen. In such a case, corrupted software and software bugs are common.
Usage of Fast User Switching: There may be a chance that you have multiple user profiles on Mac and that’s why there are more chances that you would have turned on the fast-user Switching leading to the Max menu icon bar disappearing.
Therefore, these were some of the common reasons why the macOS Sonoma menu bar icons are missing on the screen. However, it could be possible that because of software bugs and issues, you might be experiencing an issue with the menu bar icons on your device. Now let’s focus on the troubleshooting strategies to resolve the problem you are facing and you can get your menu bar back again!
Try these below troubleshooting strategies to fix the menu bar icons not showing or missing on the home screen. Make sure to pay attention to each and every solution in order to solve the issue.
The first thing you have to do is check the control center menu. Most of the time, users have disabled the control center menu from the Mac settings and that’s why it’s not showing on the screen. Make sure to refresh the OS menu bar settings on your macOS Sonoma and enable the settings back if it’s disabled. Here’s what you need to do.
- Head over to System Settings and navigate to the Control Center.
- Here, you will see the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi network option.
- Click on the drop-down menu next to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and select Don’t Show in Menu Bar.
- Wait for a few seconds and click on the drop-down menu and select Show in Menu Bar.
Once you have selected the option, go back to your home screen and check if the menu bar icon is showing on the screen. If the issue persists, try the next solutions.
Fix 2: Restart Your Mac Into Safe Mode
Most of the users encountered the same issue on their macOS Sonoma while some of them are suggested to restart the device into safe mode. Well, you can use safe mode as a diagnostic method for macOS Sonoma without being infected with third-party apps or malware. So, if the menu bar icons are missing on your macOS home screen, try restarting your Mac into safe mode. There is no risk in using this method as it clears the temporary caches and data.
To restart your Mac into safe mode, follow the below mentioned steps:
- Click the Apple logo at the top left corner of the screen and select the Shut Down button.
- From the pop-up window, click on the Shut Down button again.
- Your Mac will automatically turn off.
- Wait for about 10 seconds.
- Press and hold the power button to turn on your Mac.
- Now you should see the logo and the option to choose a Startup disk on your device.
- Eventually, when you press and hold the Shift key on the keyboard, you will see a login window.
- If you wish to login, you have to enter the password manually you use to unlock your Mac.
- Now you’re in safe mode, check if the menu bar icons are showing on the screen.
Fix 3: Reset the System Preferences
Resetting the Mac system preferences on your macOS Sonoma will potentially fix the problem you are facing with the menu bar icons. This will quickly eliminate all the contents and settings from your Mac. Here are the steps you should follow to reset the system preferences on your Mac.
- Head over to System Preferences from the Apple menu at the edge of the screen.
- Click on the “Erase All Content & Settings” from the system preferences menu.
- Next, type your admin password in the Mac Erase Assistant dialog prompt and select the OK button.
- Again, hit the Continue button.
- Confirm your preference “Erase All Content & Settings” after signing out your Apple ID.
Once you have reset the system preferences on your macOS Sonoma, try checking if the menu bar icons are showing on the screen. If the issue persists, try other solutions which are mentioned below.
Fix 4: Disable Automatically Hide
The next thing you have to do is disable the automatically hide and show the menu bar option in your macOS settings. Sometimes, the settings will be automatically enabled, or users turn it on by mistake. In such a case, you should check the automatically hide options are disabled or enabled. In case it’s enabled, you will have to disable it. Here’s what to do.
- Press the Command + Spacebar keys together on the keyboard to launch Spotlight Search.
- Here, search for System Preferences and select the first results on the screen.
- Head over to the General option.
- If the Automatically hide and show the menu bar option is checked, click on it to disable it and ensure it is unchecked.
Once you disable the automatically hide and show the menu bar option, close the page and go back to your home screen and check if the menu bar icons are showing on the screen. Hopefully, the issue has been resolved. If not, try other solutions which are mentioned below.
Fix 5: Disable Fast User Switching
If you are using multiple user profiles at a time on your Mac, it requires the fast user Switching option. However, there may be a chance that the Automatically hide option was already disabled, so you can’t see the Menu bar option. In such a case, you should try disabling the fast user switching on your macOS Sonoma and check if it’s working. Here’s what to do.
- Press the Command + Spacebar keys together on the keyboard to launch Spotlight Search.
- Here, search for System Settings and select the first result.
- Navigate to the Control Center and disable Fast User Switching.
- Click on the drop-down menu and choose the Don’t Show in Menu Bar option.
Fix 6: Update macOS
An outdated macOS version would have some bugs and issues leading to a disappearing menu bar icon on the screen. Also, it could be possible that your software has become corrupt, leading to the issue you are facing. In such a case, you should update your macOS Sonoma which will potentially work for most times and fix the most issues related to bugs and corrupted cache data and software.
To update your macOS Sonoma, follow the below mentioned steps:
- Press the Command + Spacebar keys together on the keyboard to launch Spotlight Search.
- Here, search for System Preferences and head over to it.
- Click on the Software Update option.
- Now your Mac will detect the update if available.
- Click on the Upgrade Now or Update Now button to proceed.
Well, you will have to input your admin credentials for this method to proceed. Also, make sure that you are connected with a stable and strong connection while downloading the pending updates on your Mac. Once the download is finished, restart it. Afterwards, you will get your Menu Bar icon bar back on the screen.
If you have tried the above workarounds and are still missing the menu bar icons on the screen, you should contact the Apple support team for further help. In such a case, you can also perform a factory reset if you find your suitable but ensure to take a backup before proceeding to the factory reset process. Otherwise, contact the support team and they will probably suggest you with their best solutions.
Wrapping Up
Generally, the menu bar icons missing on the macOS Sonoma are caused by incorrect settings or outdated software versions. Fortunately, we have listed some common reasons you should definitely check. We have listed a few workarounds that would surely help you to fix the problem you are facing. You can use the Spotlight Search to head over to System Preferences or settings and from there, disabled automatically hide and show the menu bar option.
Alternatively, you can also try resetting the system preferences and you can check out the steps we have mentioned in this article. In case the above workarounds don’t work, you should contact the support team for further assistance. We hope you have found this article helpful for you. If you have any other queries, let us know in the comments section. Thanks for reading till the end!
