Edited by Tejas Telkar · Published · Updated
Short answer
Yes. NotchPop shows a floating island at the top of a display without a physical notch, with the same music, file, clipboard, focus and calendar tools. It works on Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 14 Sonoma or later, including compatible iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio and MacBook models. Intel Macs are not supported.
How it works
On a notched MacBook, the island wraps around the camera cutout. On any other display there's nothing to wrap, so NotchPop draws a small black pill at the top center of the screen instead. It sits where the notch would be, stays out of the way when closed, and opens the same way: hover to peek, click to open.
Which Macs and displays it works on
- Apple Silicon iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio and Mac Pro models
- External monitors, including Apple Studio Display and third-party displays
- MacBooks without a notch, like the M1 MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro
- Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 14 Sonoma or later
A physical notch and a supported processor are separate questions. In Apple menu > About This Mac, look for an Apple M-series chip and macOS 14 or later. An Intel MacBook can have no notch yet still be incompatible with NotchPop. See which Macs have a notch for the display guide.
What you get on a desktop Mac
Every NotchPop tool works the same with or without a notch:
- Media Island: now playing, controls and speaker switching
- Drop Shelf: a drag-and-drop tray for files
- Clipboard: opt-in, searchable history
- Focus & Hydration: Pomodoro with a live countdown
- Calendar: agenda and one-click meeting joins
- Weather & Utilities: forecasts, converters and system stats
Other apps that do this
Droppy and Seam also advertise support for screens without a notch. Check each app's processor, macOS and display requirements; supporting a floating island does not automatically mean supporting every Mac. The comparison includes separate non-notch, external-display and Intel rows.
Sources and editorial notes
Published by NotchPop, the maker of the app. macOS instructions and third-party claims are linked to the sources below. Settings and offers can change between versions. Read our editorial approach or send a correction.
