Transform your MacBook notch into a dynamic, interactive system surface for live activities and alerts.
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Tracked since2026
0 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free plan available, paid tiers above
Biggest pro
Provides a highly native and integrated user experience on macOS.
Biggest con
Requires macOS 14.6 or later.
TL;DR - DynamicNotch
- Turns MacBook notch into a dynamic, interactive system surface.
- Displays live activities for media, downloads, and system alerts.
- Offers native macOS feel with gesture support and customization.
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams
What is DynamicNotch?
DynamicNotch is a native macOS application designed specifically for notched MacBooks, reimagining the static notch as a dynamic, interactive system surface. It provides live activities for various system events such as media playback, downloads, AirDrop transfers, timers, screen recording, and connectivity status. Beyond live activities, it also displays temporary alerts for events like charging, low battery, Bluetooth connections, Wi-Fi status, and VPN activity, mimicking the behavior of Apple's Dynamic Island on iPhone.
Built with SwiftUI and AppKit, DynamicNotch offers a highly native and integrated user experience, complete with gesture support (tap, drag, swipe) and extensive personalization options for its appearance and behavior. It aims to provide a seamless and intuitive extension of macOS, making the notch a functional and aesthetically pleasing part of the user interface rather than just a cutout. This tool is ideal for MacBook Pro users looking to enhance their system's interactivity and leverage the notch for real-time information and controls.
Available on: macOS
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Provides a highly native and integrated user experience on macOS.
- Offers extensive customization for the notch's appearance and behavior.
- Mimics the intuitive logic and animations of Apple's Dynamic Island.
- Enhances productivity by providing quick access to system information and controls.
- Open-source and built on its own engine, not relying on other repositories.
Cons
- Requires macOS 14.6 or later.
- Specific features require granting various system permissions (Accessibility, Bluetooth, Screen Recording, Media/Now Playing).
- Only applicable to MacBooks with a hardware notch.
Key Features
Live activities for Now Playing, Downloads, AirDrop, Timer, Screen Recording, Focus, Personal Hotspot, and Lock ScreenTemporary alerts for charging, battery status, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, VPN, and Focus-offCustom hardware HUD replacements for brightness, keyboard brightness, and volumeNative interactions including tap to expand, mouse drag gestures, trackpad swipes, swipe-to-dismiss, and swipe-to-restorePersonalization options for notch width, height, background style, stroke, animation presets, and fullscreen behaviorScreen Recording indicator that lights up in the notchLock Screen controls for sounds, media panel, widget appearance, tint, and background brightnessDedicated settings experience grouped into Application, Media & Files, Connectivity, and System sections
Pricing Plans
Free TrialFree
$0 USD per month
- Unlimited public/private repositories
- Dependabot security and version updates
- 2,000 CI/CD minutes/month (Free for public repositories)
- 500MB of Packages storage (Free for public repositories)
- Issues & Projects
- Community support
Team
$4 USD per user/month
- Everything included in Free
- Access to GitHub Codespaces
- Repository rules
- Multiple reviewers in pull requests
- Draft pull requests
- Code owners
- Required reviewers
- Pages and Wikis
- Environment deployment branches and secrets
- 3,000 CI/CD minutes/month (Free for public repositories)
- 2GB of Packages storage (Free for public repositories)
- Web-based support
Enterprise
Starting at $21 USD per user/month
- Everything included in Team
- Data residency
- Enterprise Managed Users
- User provisioning through SCIM
- Enterprise Account to centrally manage multiple organizations
- Environment protection rules
- Repository rules
- Audit Log API
- SOC1, SOC2, type 2 reports annually
- FedRAMP Tailored Authority to Operate (ATO)
How DynamicNotch's pricing compares
At $4/mo, DynamicNotch is the most affordable of its 3 direct competitors.
Entry paid plan, monthly.
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DynamicNotch FAQ
What specific system events can DynamicNotch display as live activities?
DynamicNotch can display live activities for 'Now Playing' media, ongoing downloads, AirDrop transfers, active timers, screen recording sessions, Focus mode status, Personal Hotspot activity, and Lock Screen media/live activity surfaces.
How does DynamicNotch differentiate itself from other similar notch-enhancing projects?
DynamicNotch is built on its own engine, not derived from existing repositories. It specifically aims to completely replicate the logic, animations, and behavior of a real Dynamic Island on an iPhone, focusing on a native macOS design and interaction experience.
What kind of customization options are available for the notch's appearance?
Users can personalize the notch's width and height, background style, stroke options, animation presets, fullscreen behavior, display placement, and even the application language.
What are the minimum system requirements to run DynamicNotch?
DynamicNotch requires macOS 14.6 or later and a MacBook with a hardware notch. Additionally, certain features will require specific permissions such as Accessibility, Bluetooth, Screen Recording, and Media/Now Playing access.
Can DynamicNotch replace standard macOS hardware HUDs for controls like brightness or volume?
Yes, DynamicNotch offers custom hardware HUD replacements for system controls such as brightness, keyboard brightness, and volume, integrating them into the dynamic notch experience.
Source: github.com