Finbar

What Finbar is

Finbar is a native Mac command palette for finding and browsing menu bar items. Its fuzzy search can narrow into a selected submenu. List mode sorts matches by score, while outline mode keeps the menu hierarchy visible. Finbar remembers selected items between launches, including items whose titles change, and a rule editor can include or exclude items by path, index or depth.

A global hot key opens the palette, and Command+1 through Command+9 quickly selects one of the first nine results. Shell scripts and AppleScript files placed in designated folders can appear as searchable menu items. Users can hide menu items, pick an included theme or create a theme, and search the system Help menu with one click when the desired item is missing. A command-line tool covers some basic functionality.

Finbar is a paid, one-time purchase for two Macs, and the listed compatibility requirement is macOS 14.6 or later. It requires consent to use Mac accessibility features. The maker says the app stores only the minimum menu item attributes privately on the Mac and consumes no other personal data. Compatibility with every third-party app or macOS configuration is not guaranteed. The maker accepts feature requests and bug reports by email; refund requests require purchase details and a short description of the issue.

Who it suits

Finbar suits Mac users who want a keyboard-driven way to search menu bar items, including nested menus. It may also fit users who want to add shell scripts or AppleScript files to searchable items, filter menu entries, or customize the palette’s appearance.

Limits

The one-time purchase covers two Macs and requires macOS 14.6 or later. The maker does not guarantee compatibility with every third-party app or macOS configuration.

Getting started

1. Open the Finbar website.
2. Purchase the one-time license for two Macs.
3. Use a Mac running macOS 14.6 or later.
4. Give consent for Finbar to use Mac accessibility features.
5. Set a global hot key, then search menu bar items or add scripts from the designated folders.

Verdict

Choose Finbar if you use a compatible Mac and want quick keyboard search across menu bar items, scripts and AppleScript files. Look elsewhere if you need guaranteed compatibility across third-party apps or configurations, or a license for more than two Macs.