The MacBook notch is always there, but most of the time it is just something to work around.
I kept looking at that small area at the top of the screen and wondering whether it could do more. Not become another large dashboard. Not stay open as another distracting window. Just become a small, useful part of the Mac experience.
That curiosity led me to the open-source BoringNotch project. I started contributing while learning more about Swift and SwiftUI, and eventually built an enhanced, ready-to-install version called BoringNotch+.
The notch looked like wasted space
The original idea was simple: use the MacBook notch and nearby menu-bar area for useful information and controls.
Music could appear there. A calendar preview could appear there. A battery indicator or a quick productivity tool could appear there without taking over the desktop.
That was appealing to me because I prefer small utilities that stay available without becoming the main application on screen. When I am coding, writing, or working through a long task, I do not want another window competing for attention. I want useful information to appear when I need it and disappear when I do not.
Starting from an open-source project
BoringNotch is an open-source macOS project created by TheBoredTeam. I want to be clear about that because BoringNotch+ is not an official Apple product or an unrelated proprietary replacement.
It is my enhanced build of the original project. The original open-source work remains important, and the purpose of my version is to make an easy-to-install, Apple-signed and notarised build available with the additional features and improvements I worked on.
Contributing to an existing project also gave me a better learning experience than building a completely isolated demo. I had to understand how the existing pieces fit together, work within the visual language of the app, and think about whether each new feature actually belonged in the notch.
What I added to BoringNotch+
The first additions focused on productivity.
A Pomodoro timer in the notch
The Pomodoro timer supports work sessions, short breaks, and long breaks. It shows the current phase and countdown directly in the notch, with audio alerts and small reminders to help the session stay visible without becoming intrusive.
This felt like a natural fit for the space. A timer is useful while coding or studying, but it does not need a full window. It can remain glanceable while the main application stays focused on the work.
Clipboard history for everyday work
The clipboard feature keeps the last 48 copied items and makes them searchable. Important entries can be pinned, and previous items can be copied again without repeating the original task.
This is the kind of feature that becomes useful quietly. It helps when moving code between files, collecting several pieces of research, or switching between messages and documents. Instead of opening a separate clipboard manager, the history is available from the same compact interface.
Camera mirror controls
I also added a camera mirror toggle so the preview can be switched quickly from the interface. It is a small control, but it is useful before a video call or when checking how the camera view looks.
The camera feature only matters when someone enables it. It is not intended to run as an always-on camera tool.
More than a Pomodoro timer
BoringNotch+ also keeps several everyday Mac details close at hand.
With Apple Music and Spotify integration, the notch can show album artwork, the current track, and the artist while music is playing. It also provides battery information such as percentage, charging state, and estimated time remaining.
The calendar area shows the current date and an upcoming event preview, while Apple Reminders integration makes it possible to view and manage tasks from the same space.
There is also a Sneak Peek system that allows widgets to appear periodically with configurable timing. The intention is to provide gentle awareness rather than a constant stream of notifications.
Together, these features make the MacBook notch feel more like a compact productivity hub. Each feature is small on its own, but the combination is useful because it reduces the number of separate windows and menus I need to open during the day.
The developer challenge: designing for a very small space
The hardest part of building for a notch is not adding information. It is deciding what deserves to appear there.
A normal desktop application has room for navigation, settings panels, explanations, and empty space. A notch utility has to communicate quickly in a very constrained area.
Working with Swift and SwiftUI made this a useful exercise in restraint. Every animation, label, and control needs to feel intentional. The interface must expand when someone wants more detail but remain quiet when the user is doing something else.
I also learned that a feature can be technically interesting and still be wrong for the product. The best additions were the ones that matched the way people already use the Mac: checking a status, starting a timer, reviewing a copied item, or controlling music without leaving the current task.
Why the enhanced build exists
The original open-source project can be built from source, but that is not convenient for every Mac user. Many people simply want a ready-to-install application.
BoringNotch+ provides an Apple-signed and notarised DMG with the features and improvements I added. There is no need to compile the project before trying it.
The minimum support amount is $9.99. This is a support payment for my development work and distribution costs, not a claim that I own or replace the original open-source project. In return, supporters receive the ready-to-install build and lifetime updates for this version.
If you want to see the screenshots and decide whether it fits your workflow, you can see the BoringNotch+ enhanced build.
Final thoughts
BoringNotch+ started with a simple question: can the MacBook notch become useful instead of just being something to ignore?
Contributing to BoringNotch gave me a practical way to explore that question while learning more about Swift and SwiftUI. The result is a productivity-focused enhanced build with a Pomodoro timer, clipboard history, reminders, calendar information, media controls, battery details, and camera controls in a compact Mac interface.
The best part of the project was discovering how much usefulness can fit into a small space when every feature has a clear purpose.
What would you put in a MacBook notch productivity hub? Would you use the Pomodoro timer, clipboard history, music controls, or something completely different?
For the complete feature breakdown and the original development story, you can read the full BoringNotch+ article on my website.
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