Showing or hiding the icon does not turn KeepArc on or off. Your activity settings still apply.
Choose where to show the KeepArc icon.
Hide the menu bar icon during calls, screen sharing, or camera and microphone use. You can also hide it yourself, keep KeepArc in the Dock, or show a Dock icon when the menu bar is too crowded.
Hide during
- Screen sharing
- Camera activity
- Microphone activity
- Call indicators
Other ways to open KeepArc
- Always-visible Dock icon
- Dock icon when the menu bar is too crowded
- A keyboard shortcut that works from any app
- An already open KeepArc settings window
Hide the icon during calls and screen sharing.
- 1
Choose when to hide the icon
Enable hiding for screen sharing, camera, microphone, or call activity in the Menu Bar section.
- 2
Choose the check interval
Choose how often KeepArc checks the menu bar for signs of screen sharing, camera, microphone, or call activity.
- 3
Let the icon hide
When KeepArc detects an activity you selected, it hides its icon. KeepArc keeps running with your current settings.
- 4
Restore it automatically
When the activity ends, the icon can return automatically. KeepArc stays on or off as you left it.
How detection works
Uses the icons macOS shows in the menu bar.
KeepArc checks the screen-sharing, camera, microphone, and call indicators in the menu bar. It does not record your calls, camera, microphone, or shared screen.
Current status
In settings, you can check whether automatic hiding is on, which activity KeepArc has detected, and why the icon is hidden.
Hide the icon yourself.
Manual hiding is useful when you want a clean menu bar even outside a call or screen share.
Hide the menu bar icon
Hide the menu bar icon while KeepArc continues running with its current settings.
Always show KeepArc in the Dock
Keep a Dock icon available so you can open KeepArc from there at any time.
Open with a keyboard shortcut
Set a keyboard shortcut that opens KeepArc from any app, even when its menu bar icon is hidden.
Use an open KeepArc window
If the settings window is already open, it remains another place to manage visibility and reveal the menu bar icon.
Open KeepArc when the menu bar is too crowded.
When the menu bar is full, the KeepArc icon may be pushed out of view. KeepArc can check whether the icon is visible and show a Dock icon if needed.
Automatic Dock icon
Show a Dock icon when the menu bar is full.
If KeepArc cannot find its menu bar icon on screen, it can show a Dock icon instead. Once the menu bar icon is visible again, the extra Dock icon can disappear.
Permission
Give KeepArc Accessibility access so it can check whether its menu bar icon is visible. Without this permission, it cannot check the icon automatically.
While sharing your screen or on a call
The automatic Dock icon is for a crowded menu bar. It will not appear just because KeepArc has hidden its menu bar icon during detected screen sharing, camera, microphone, or call activity.
What you can do from the Dock.
Activity and auto-stop
Turn KeepArc on or off and choose an available auto-stop option from its Dock menu.
KeepArc Lock and permissions
Activate KeepArc Lock, request Accessibility access, or open the relevant System Settings page.
Open, reveal, or quit
Open the main window, reveal the menu bar icon, or quit KeepArc directly from the Dock.
Questions about the menu bar and Dock.
Does hiding the icon stop KeepArc?
No. KeepArc keeps running with your current settings.
Does KeepArc record the microphone or camera?
No. It checks the activity indicators in the menu bar. It does not record microphone audio or camera video.
Can the Dock icon stay visible all the time?
Yes. You can keep KeepArc in the Dock all the time, even when its menu bar icon is visible.
What if I hide the menu bar icon manually?
Open KeepArc from the Dock, use your keyboard shortcut, or switch to a KeepArc window that is already open.
Automatic hiding and the Dock fallback are part of KeepArc Plus.
KeepArc Plus is currently included for everyone through November 30, 2026.