Put live readings in your menu bar
Choose which readings sit in the menu bar, how they look, and open the popup behind them.
- Time
- 3 minutes
- Steps
- 7
What you need
- l/Activity open.
Steps
Step 1. Open the menu bar settings
Press ⌘, to open Settings. On the General page, find the card Menu bar and window.
SettingsMake l/Activity work the way you do.Search or jump to…⌘KSearch settingsGeneralDark · Dock and menu barPermissionsFinder not checkedMonitoringEvery 2 secondsHistory & Recording30 min live · 24 h maxStorage & CacheEvery hour · 1.8 GBAlertsNotifications offAbout & PrivacyVersion 2.39Changes save automaticallyGeneralAppearance, menu bar and startup behavior.AppearanceColor schemeAlways darkSystemLightDarkText sizeBase text 13 ptStandardLargerLargestStart at loginStart l/Activity at loginAutomatically open this copy of l/Activity when you sign in to your Mac.macOS: OffOpen Login ItemsMotion and lightHow each page is staged: its entrance, lighting and textureMotionReduced removes the entrance, rolling numerals, and easing on arcs and bars. Reduce Motion in macOS always wins.FullReducedScene lighting follows loadThe page’s key light brightens with its main reading. Off keeps a steady light.Bloom on live marksA soft glow on arcs, lines and the newest sample. Dark appearance only.Film grainA static texture that prevents banding in dark gradients.Record letterboxBars frame the stage while a session records.None of these animate continuously. Motion plays once on entry or when a reading changes; a hidden or minimised window draws nothing.
Menu bar and windowKeep resource readings available while you workRun l/ActivityShow l/Activity in the Dock and open its window at launch. Menu bar icons follow the choices below.Dock and menu barShow Activity icon in the menu barOpen the shared popup on Overview. Resource readings remain available when this icon is hidden.Show Keep Awake in the menu barThe sun opens Keep Awake in the shared popup. Its tab is also available from any reading.Show resource use in the menu barTurning this off also turns off Keep monitoring when the window closes.Keep monitoring when the window closesl/Activity keeps sampling from the menu bar. Turning this on also shows resource readings.Menu bar readings6 of 8 selectedCPUGPUMemoryNetworkPowerDiskTemperatureBatteryUse compact layoutShow in each itemGroup menu panel leaders by appShow metric iconsShow strain warningCompactValueGraphGraph + valuePanel layoutListTilesMenu bar previewLiveStep 01 Step 2. Make sure readings are shown
Show resource use in the menu bar is on when you first install the app. If you turned it off, turn it back on here.
SettingsMake l/Activity work the way you do.Search or jump to…⌘KSearch settingsGeneralDark · Dock and menu barPermissionsFinder not checkedMonitoringEvery 2 secondsHistory & Recording30 min live · 24 h maxStorage & CacheEvery hour · 1.8 GBAlertsNotifications offAbout & PrivacyVersion 2.39Changes save automaticallyGeneralAppearance, menu bar and startup behavior.AppearanceColor schemeAlways darkSystemLightDarkText sizeBase text 13 ptStandardLargerLargestStart at loginStart l/Activity at loginAutomatically open this copy of l/Activity when you sign in to your Mac.macOS: OffOpen Login ItemsMotion and lightHow each page is staged: its entrance, lighting and textureMotionReduced removes the entrance, rolling numerals, and easing on arcs and bars. Reduce Motion in macOS always wins.FullReducedScene lighting follows loadThe page’s key light brightens with its main reading. Off keeps a steady light.Bloom on live marksA soft glow on arcs, lines and the newest sample. Dark appearance only.Film grainA static texture that prevents banding in dark gradients.Record letterboxBars frame the stage while a session records.None of these animate continuously. Motion plays once on entry or when a reading changes; a hidden or minimised window draws nothing.
Menu bar and windowKeep resource readings available while you workRun l/ActivityShow l/Activity in the Dock and open its window at launch. Menu bar icons follow the choices below.Dock and menu barShow Activity icon in the menu barOpen the shared popup on Overview. Resource readings remain available when this icon is hidden.Show Keep Awake in the menu barThe sun opens Keep Awake in the shared popup. Its tab is also available from any reading.Show resource use in the menu barTurning this off also turns off Keep monitoring when the window closes.Keep monitoring when the window closesl/Activity keeps sampling from the menu bar. Turning this on also shows resource readings.Menu bar readings6 of 8 selectedCPUGPUMemoryNetworkPowerDiskTemperatureBatteryUse compact layoutShow in each itemGroup menu panel leaders by appShow metric iconsShow strain warningCompactValueGraphGraph + valuePanel layoutListTilesMenu bar previewLiveStep 02 Step 3. Tick the readings you want
Under Menu bar readings there are eight: CPU, GPU, Memory, Network, Power, Disk, Temperature and Battery. Tick the ones you want. The counter beside the heading keeps score, for example 6 of 8 selected, and the menu bar changes as you click.
SettingsMake l/Activity work the way you do.Search or jump to…⌘KSearch settingsGeneralDark · Dock and menu barPermissionsFinder not checkedMonitoringEvery 2 secondsHistory & Recording30 min live · 24 h maxStorage & CacheEvery hour · 1.8 GBAlertsNotifications offAbout & PrivacyVersion 2.39Changes save automaticallyGeneralAppearance, menu bar and startup behavior.AppearanceColor schemeAlways darkSystemLightDarkText sizeBase text 13 ptStandardLargerLargestStart at loginStart l/Activity at loginAutomatically open this copy of l/Activity when you sign in to your Mac.macOS: OffOpen Login ItemsMotion and lightHow each page is staged: its entrance, lighting and textureMotionReduced removes the entrance, rolling numerals, and easing on arcs and bars. Reduce Motion in macOS always wins.FullReducedScene lighting follows loadThe page’s key light brightens with its main reading. Off keeps a steady light.Bloom on live marksA soft glow on arcs, lines and the newest sample. Dark appearance only.Film grainA static texture that prevents banding in dark gradients.Record letterboxBars frame the stage while a session records.None of these animate continuously. Motion plays once on entry or when a reading changes; a hidden or minimised window draws nothing.
Menu bar and windowKeep resource readings available while you workRun l/ActivityShow l/Activity in the Dock and open its window at launch. Menu bar icons follow the choices below.Dock and menu barShow Activity icon in the menu barOpen the shared popup on Overview. Resource readings remain available when this icon is hidden.Show Keep Awake in the menu barThe sun opens Keep Awake in the shared popup. Its tab is also available from any reading.Show resource use in the menu barTurning this off also turns off Keep monitoring when the window closes.Keep monitoring when the window closesl/Activity keeps sampling from the menu bar. Turning this on also shows resource readings.Menu bar readings6 of 8 selectedCPUGPUMemoryNetworkPowerDiskTemperatureBatteryUse compact layoutShow in each itemGroup menu panel leaders by appShow metric iconsShow strain warningCompactValueGraphGraph + valuePanel layoutListTilesMenu bar previewLiveStep 03 Step 4. Pick how each reading looks
Show in each item has four styles. Compact stacks a short label over its value and takes the least room. Value is a number, Graph is a row of small bars, and Graph + value is both. The Menu bar preview underneath shows the result.
SettingsMake l/Activity work the way you do.Search or jump to…⌘KSearch settingsGeneralDark · Dock and menu barPermissionsFinder not checkedMonitoringEvery 2 secondsHistory & Recording30 min live · 24 h maxStorage & CacheEvery hour · 1.8 GBAlertsNotifications offAbout & PrivacyVersion 2.39Changes save automaticallyGeneralAppearance, menu bar and startup behavior.AppearanceColor schemeAlways darkSystemLightDarkText sizeBase text 13 ptStandardLargerLargestStart at loginStart l/Activity at loginAutomatically open this copy of l/Activity when you sign in to your Mac.macOS: OffOpen Login ItemsMotion and lightHow each page is staged: its entrance, lighting and textureMotionReduced removes the entrance, rolling numerals, and easing on arcs and bars. Reduce Motion in macOS always wins.FullReducedScene lighting follows loadThe page’s key light brightens with its main reading. Off keeps a steady light.Bloom on live marksA soft glow on arcs, lines and the newest sample. Dark appearance only.Film grainA static texture that prevents banding in dark gradients.Record letterboxBars frame the stage while a session records.None of these animate continuously. Motion plays once on entry or when a reading changes; a hidden or minimised window draws nothing.
Menu bar and windowKeep resource readings available while you workRun l/ActivityShow l/Activity in the Dock and open its window at launch. Menu bar icons follow the choices below.Dock and menu barShow Activity icon in the menu barOpen the shared popup on Overview. Resource readings remain available when this icon is hidden.Show Keep Awake in the menu barThe sun opens Keep Awake in the shared popup. Its tab is also available from any reading.Show resource use in the menu barTurning this off also turns off Keep monitoring when the window closes.Keep monitoring when the window closesl/Activity keeps sampling from the menu bar. Turning this on also shows resource readings.Menu bar readings6 of 8 selectedCPUGPUMemoryNetworkPowerDiskTemperatureBatteryUse compact layoutShow in each itemGroup menu panel leaders by appShow metric iconsShow strain warningCompactValueGraphGraph + valuePanel layoutListTilesMenu bar previewLiveStep 04 Step 5. Click a reading to open the popup
Every reading opens the same popup, on its own tab. The first tab, Overview, lists every reading with a short trend and the busiest apps right now. Click the same reading again, or anywhere else, to close it.
Step 05 Step 6. Optional: run from the menu bar only
If you want l/Activity out of the Dock, set Run l/Activity to Menu bar only. The Dock icon goes away at once. The app then starts with its window hidden, and you open it from the menu bar with Open l/Activity.
SettingsMake l/Activity work the way you do.Search or jump to…⌘KSearch settingsGeneralDark · Dock and menu barPermissionsFinder not checkedMonitoringEvery 2 secondsHistory & Recording30 min live · 24 h maxStorage & CacheEvery hour · 1.8 GBAlertsNotifications offAbout & PrivacyVersion 2.39Changes save automaticallyGeneralAppearance, menu bar and startup behavior.AppearanceColor schemeAlways darkSystemLightDarkText sizeBase text 13 ptStandardLargerLargestStart at loginStart l/Activity at loginAutomatically open this copy of l/Activity when you sign in to your Mac.macOS: OffOpen Login ItemsMotion and lightHow each page is staged: its entrance, lighting and textureMotionReduced removes the entrance, rolling numerals, and easing on arcs and bars. Reduce Motion in macOS always wins.FullReducedScene lighting follows loadThe page’s key light brightens with its main reading. Off keeps a steady light.Bloom on live marksA soft glow on arcs, lines and the newest sample. Dark appearance only.Film grainA static texture that prevents banding in dark gradients.Record letterboxBars frame the stage while a session records.None of these animate continuously. Motion plays once on entry or when a reading changes; a hidden or minimised window draws nothing.
Menu bar and windowKeep resource readings available while you workRun l/ActivityShow l/Activity in the Dock and open its window at launch. Menu bar icons follow the choices below.Dock and menu barShow Activity icon in the menu barOpen the shared popup on Overview. Resource readings remain available when this icon is hidden.Show Keep Awake in the menu barThe sun opens Keep Awake in the shared popup. Its tab is also available from any reading.Show resource use in the menu barTurning this off also turns off Keep monitoring when the window closes.Keep monitoring when the window closesl/Activity keeps sampling from the menu bar. Turning this on also shows resource readings.Menu bar readings6 of 8 selectedCPUGPUMemoryNetworkPowerDiskTemperatureBatteryUse compact layoutShow in each itemGroup menu panel leaders by appShow metric iconsShow strain warningCompactValueGraphGraph + valuePanel layoutListTilesMenu bar previewLiveStep 06 Step 7. Optional: start when you log in
On the same page, turn on Start l/Activity at login. macOS may ask you to approve it in System Settings. The line under the switch tells you what macOS decided.
SettingsMake l/Activity work the way you do.Search or jump to…⌘KSearch settingsGeneralDark · Dock and menu barPermissionsFinder not checkedMonitoringEvery 2 secondsHistory & Recording30 min live · 24 h maxStorage & CacheEvery hour · 1.8 GBAlertsNotifications offAbout & PrivacyVersion 2.39Changes save automaticallyGeneralAppearance, menu bar and startup behavior.AppearanceColor schemeAlways darkSystemLightDarkText sizeBase text 13 ptStandardLargerLargestStart at loginStart l/Activity at loginAutomatically open this copy of l/Activity when you sign in to your Mac.macOS: OffOpen Login ItemsMotion and lightHow each page is staged: its entrance, lighting and textureMotionReduced removes the entrance, rolling numerals, and easing on arcs and bars. Reduce Motion in macOS always wins.FullReducedScene lighting follows loadThe page’s key light brightens with its main reading. Off keeps a steady light.Bloom on live marksA soft glow on arcs, lines and the newest sample. Dark appearance only.Film grainA static texture that prevents banding in dark gradients.Record letterboxBars frame the stage while a session records.None of these animate continuously. Motion plays once on entry or when a reading changes; a hidden or minimised window draws nothing.
Menu bar and windowKeep resource readings available while you workRun l/ActivityShow l/Activity in the Dock and open its window at launch. Menu bar icons follow the choices below.Dock and menu barShow Activity icon in the menu barOpen the shared popup on Overview. Resource readings remain available when this icon is hidden.Show Keep Awake in the menu barThe sun opens Keep Awake in the shared popup. Its tab is also available from any reading.Show resource use in the menu barTurning this off also turns off Keep monitoring when the window closes.Keep monitoring when the window closesl/Activity keeps sampling from the menu bar. Turning this on also shows resource readings.Menu bar readings6 of 8 selectedCPUGPUMemoryNetworkPowerDiskTemperatureBatteryUse compact layoutShow in each itemGroup menu panel leaders by appShow metric iconsShow strain warningCompactValueGraphGraph + valuePanel layoutListTilesMenu bar previewLiveStep 07
02Good to know
The small print, in plain words
Note1 / 2
Hiding a reading does not stop it being measured
The menu bar only decides what is shown. To make l/Activity do less work, see Tune l/Activity to your Mac.
Note2 / 2
A crowded menu bar
macOS hides items when the bar runs out of room, especially on a MacBook with a camera housing. Choosing fewer readings, or the Compact style, helps. So does the menu bar organizer.
03Keep going
